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Cold Food Ideas?


Guest BikiniBeachy

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Guest BikiniBeachy

Hi there...I just started a new job and am eating as a lapbander at work for the first time. My other job had more leeway so I could do what I needed. But now it's strict and I get 15 minutes.

They also do not have a microwave. I have been bringing boiled eggs and cheese wrapped in turkey and pastrami. I need some ideas on what to bring that I can prepare at home and don't need to be warmed up.

Thanks guys.

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Bumble Bee makes flavored tuna now that is quite good. I like the lemon pepper flavor. It comes in a small 3 - 4 oz. can with a half dozen small crackers. It fits perfectly in a small lunchbox. I like little sugar free Jello cups with fruit. Fresh fruit. The tiny bags of baby carrots. I did good with cold chicken until I hit my sweet spot on restriction. Now not so much. Special K Protein Bars in a pinch. Boiled, peeled shrimp. thermos of Soup. applesauce in the little individual cups. Bon Belle cheese in the little red wheels. crab salad. pickles. Ham cubes. marinated veggies.

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99% fat free turkey hot dogs

They don't need heated up, they won't spoil in a day, and they are super easy for a lapbander to get down. Only 40 calories each, but you will need 3 for a lunch.

The downside is the sodium.

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I make salads alot to bring to work for lunch. Cook extra chicken breasts and save them to top your salads. I also like baked Beans cold too. I always drain a lot of the extra juice off though, I'm sure that is where most of the sugar and calories comes from. I love hummus, and have that with greenpepper slices and high Fiber crackers. Turkey slices spread with onion and chive cream cheese and rolled up is good too.

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Im in the same boat with work but i really dont get a set couple of minutes to eat its kinda like take a bite here or there when i get a chance....which has been hard and has led to getting so stuck i had to leave and run to the doctors. Most cold foods i cant really eat unless i am home and take my time except yogurt which leaves me so hungry....i wana stay home lol or get a microwave in the office....staying home sounds better though lol

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Guest BikiniBeachy

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!

I wasn't given a break for 8 hours and they only gave me 10 minutes, so since its a min wage job (but I had to take what I can get temporarily!) I think I may be looking elsewhere...

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I've found a Starkist "Gourmet Meals" tuna with Sweetcorn & mayo in a 3.5 oz. package (small bowel).

It doesn't require refrigeration and it even comes with a little "spork" (you know... the combo fork / spoon).

It has 14 grams of Protein and 170 calories and tastes quite good to me. The corn is kinda soft and I make sure that I chew each kernel to a mush (just to be safe & sure...don't wanna get stuck).

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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