Does anyone have issues with cooking for the family after you had your surgery? I can imagine the smell of food alone makes it difficult or are you so full that it doesn't bother you? There are some things my DH likes that I can't stand so I was planning on making those at first.

This might sound kinda funny but I also have a 14 month old whose food might be more tempting. He's only starting to get molars now so he is still on somewhat soft foods (as in no hard/crunchy stuff and he doesn't like meats yet) so a lot of his foods are what I imagine I would be eating eventually. The problem there is that until age 2, his foods are made with whole milk, cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

I had no problem cooking for my DH. I was told not to cook anything special. I was told to cook like I was before the surgery. Of course, I made a few adjustments. Then again, I don't have any babies and yet and I was on full solids 8 days after I was banded. I hear that most doctors make the person wait 4 to 6 weeks??? Thank God my doctor didn't...lol..You will be fine and before you know it you will be eating the same foods again just smaller portions.

My kids are older, so it was nice that they could fend for themselves for a short while. My DH cooked for the first two weeks, just so I didn't have to be hands on with the food.

However, I found in the beginning I was not very hungry at all, so it wasn't much of a problem. When I started cooking again, I have just made food that the family will eat - they out number me. I will cook their food, I will eat what I can of it, and then I will make something for myself.

I still don't do any Pasta, rice or bread, so I just make the adjustment in my meals. It is not too difficult. You just have to be mindful of what you can eat and what you put in your mouth.

My DH and I don't have any children at home as we are empty nesters. Some nights he made his own meals and some nights I cooked for him. Honestly, while I was in the liquids stage I wasn't even hungry so nothing was tempting. As I got into the mushies then I got a little more excited about what to make for dinner! I thought it might be hard to eat pureed salmon, meatloaf, etc., but by then it was HEAVEN!

Like Kristen I too still do not eat Pasta, rice, bread, etc. I was cooking italian food and making roasts 3 days post op. I just needed help getting pots and pans down etc since I couldn't bend/stretch. I thought cooking would irritate me but it was actually soothing; at least I could touch and smell the food! I only lost it when my family ordered chinese takeout 1 week post op, that KILLED me. I love my chinese food! I had some egg drop Soup but then had to leave the room :-)

Last night we ordered again for the 2nd time since surgery and I managed to eat the inside of an egg roll and a few pieces of steamed chicken, and a few bites of DH hot and sour soup. Yumm!

This might sound crazy and I havent even been banded yet but if you read a great blog by a guy called Cingulus you'll hear how a preop grilled cheese for his son was driving him crazy because it smelled so good! The post is called something like bloodhound blues...he's a great writer! Anyway he put some Vicks vapor rub under his nose like they do on CSI when something smells bad to block it and he said it worked! Good luck, Cali

I think the hardest part was cooking for my teenage boys while I was on my pre op and post op liquid diet for two weeks. It was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do. I love to cook and the smells were killing me. I now eat my meal first then I cook for the boys and my husband. It's still a struggle everyday, some days worse than others. I just try to focus on losing the weight and the clothes I'll finally be able to wear and it usually helps me stay in control.

I found it really, really hard to cook for my family for the first 5 weeks after surgery. They ate well but it certainly wasn't home cooked meals like to which they're accustomed. The smell of all food was really unappealing to me and they were more than happy to eat the "food" I substituted.

In fact, the first time I truly cooked was last night and I was happy they ate something more than slow-cooked, toaster-ovened food.

I cook for my 2 year old daughter and it doesn't bother me. I was banded on 3/20 and my husband was banded yesterday so after my surgery, my husband was on the pre-op diet and couldn't eat. cooking for my daughter actually helps be not want to eat. I make it as healthy as possible and it makes me happy watching her enjoy it!

Sorry off topic but is anyone else having trouble going to the blogs? All I get is a blank page! Help!! Cali

I didnt have any problem with it.

I am on the liquid diet (2 weeks) and it is hard for me. The worst item i am fighting with head hunger is.. CHEEZE ITS! OMG i will never buy those again. They make them where u can smell them as they open the box. Very tempting, but i have stayed on track:)

My daughter btw is also 14 months old.. and she eats everything, my prob with her is she trys to feed mommy.. Then when she is done eating she wants what mommy is eating.. She loves grits, and cream of potato Soup..oh and the V8 broccoli, and yogurt, gosh that kid will eat anything.

I live with my fiance in a little flat and I cook just about every day, nothing fancy, I normally end up making what he wants to eat and then what I want. It isn't too hard to make two separate things, as long as they aren't too complex. Since August 09, I have been entertaining 5 people at my flat every Tuesday, so all in all it is 7 people on Tuesday (though I hardly count), and I have no trouble at all cooking for them, even if I make something that I cannot eat, I instead grab some greek yogurt or something of a similar sort. Or, of course, I can always fill myself up tasting the food as it cooks. :smile:

I found cooking for my family to birste very hard. The first week my husband cooked and then I took over. If I am having a bad day were I just am in the mood to just eat I usally will pull out something frozen that is quick and easy. I have found the Ziplock Zip and Steam bags really helpful too. Once they start eating I will head to my computer and stay busy.

I do ask that they take thier plates and throw away whats left on them and put away any leftovers. I get very tempted to pick. Like tonight the 4yr old didn't finish his hamburger and I took a few small bites and chewed, chewed, chewed. But I am only 3 weeks post-op and not to have bread until 5 weeks out and red meat until 3 months. And as for the cheeze its, I did the same thing 2 weeks out. Boy, reading this I am realizing that I need to get a grip on some of my food issues.

Best of luck.

Before surgery a friend told me about the Publix Make-Ahead meals that are all there and you just have to pop in the oven.....I did a weeks worth of those, and didn't have any problems smelling food cooked. Between themeals and my sunday school class, we were fine - now I cook regularly and just eat a TINY bit compared to before!

This might sound kinda funny but I also have a 14 month old whose food might be more tempting. He's only starting to get molars now so he is still on somewhat soft foods (as in no hard/crunchy stuff and he doesn't like meats yet) so a lot of his foods are what I imagine I would be eating eventually. The problem there is that until age 2, his foods are made with whole milk, cheese, cottage cheese, etc.

During the initial post op phase, you will be on liquids, then mushies. After that you will be able to eat just about any food you ate before. Once you get restriction, you will find out the foods that just don't go down as well. If I eat slowly, and chew thoroughly, I can eat anything; just not as much.

I enjoy cooking meals more now than ever because I know I'll eat a small portion and put the rest away. I also get more creative. My theory is that if I can only eat a few bites of something, then I want those to be full of flavor, not boring.