Just wanted some insight on how some of you are handling this issue.  I have 5 children at home and of course my dh (dear hubby) and we eat dinner together every chance we get.  I don't have a date yet but just seeking some good advice on how to deal with cooking during the dreaded liquid pre-op/post-op phase.

Thanks!!

I had the same issue and went to Trader Joe's & the grocery store looking specifically for meals all in a bag in the freezer section.  TJ's had a bunch that were all inclusive and were great!  I cooked prior to surgery/liquid phase & had it all ready in family size containers so all it needed was reheating.  If the hubbie was home, I left it to him...and left the room, it was really hard.  If not, I made it and went upstairs to avoid the smells.  You gotta do what you can to avoid temptation!
Lisa

I didn't cook meals for anyone when I was on liquids.  My husband is an adult who somehow managed to feed himself for many years before we married.  During my liquid diet, I just left the room while he was cooking so I didn't have to deal with the sights and smells of food (and to be honest, some of his meals didn't tempt me anyway).

Is your husband not able to cook for your family, at least on a temporary basis, perhaps with the help of one of the older kids?  It's not all that hard to heat a jar of spaghetti sauce and cook a batch of spaghetti.  If you answer this question by saying that you can't expect your husband to cook after working hard all day, I've got point out that you routinely cook after working hard all day (taking care of 5 children certainly counts as hard work).

You could prepare some meals in advance - casseroles, soups, meatloaf, meatballs, hamburger patties, etc. etc. - and freeze them.

Jean

I also did not cook while in recovery/liquid phase. Not just because of the food but because I was in pain and tired and a little unsteady on my feet with the percocet.

My husband cooked for himself and made all my liquids for me.  He even ate in another room although I never asked him to do so.  But I am starting to think more and more that I have an unusually wonderful husband that most women aren't blessed with!
 
I don't have any children yet, but I can't imagine my husband making me cook for the family while trying to recover. Remember its not just about what you are eating. While it is outpatient surgery, it is still major surgery and you need your rest.

I just looked at it as part of the process and a good time to start "getting over" food...
I'm going to be faced with food temptations the rest of my life..the liquid phase was the perfect time to start admitting my obsessions with sugar and food and begin taking the steps to overcome them.
I cooked for the family, and drank or ate what I was allowed..I didn't obsess over finding the most delicious liquids or count the days until I could have mushy foods....I ate SF jello and sf popsicles and drank  a lot of water..(my Dr. doesn't approve of liquid protein shakes)
I transitioned to high protein mushy foods (no starches or sugars) and then on to my regular diet of dense protein and vegetables.
I made a huge committment having this surgery..I just felt like it was time to stop letting food control me, and the liquid stage helped me do that.

Good luck :)

That's all fine and good but they want help with what to do about cooking for their family. Your comment came across as arrogant and a little self absorbed. There are many "I's" in your statement. Maybe try not to comment on someone's statement if it's just going to be about you. 

I'm sorry if you took my reply that way!
I thought I addressed the original poster's question by saying I cooked as usual for my family, and that as for myself, I followed my Dr's post -op instructions...
If there are too many "I's in my statement it's because most times new posters want us to share our experiences..
Sorry if I offended anyone, that certainly wasn't my intent at all.

When Patty, or anyone, describes their own personal experience, it's not only natural but perfectly correct to use personal pronouns like "I", "my", "mine".

NY2ATL is nice, just very gung ho.  She didn't mean for it to come off like that.  She's just trying to share what she did to try to help.  She had an extra helping of willpower due to cir****tances about herself (carb addiction or something).  I don't agree with her, since my craved foods were never sweets... instead they were fats.  But I do understand that she is gung ho and try not to take her opinions personally.  She admits she knows not everyone is just like her.  It's just "food" for thought. :) 
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I've been on my liquid phase for 6.5 weeks!  I was fine except when I got to watch my whole family eat Passover dinner two nights in a row without me (I really just wanted Matzo balls, egg, and the mashed potatoes).  It was near the beginning and I lived through it fine. It helped they were really supportive.

However, I wanted to be able to cook for my fiance so he wouldn't hide from me when he ate to try not to make me feel bad (though I really was fine with him eating).  So, I am counting down because food is not just food.  Food is social time.  It is part of every culture I have ever studied that food is social time.  So, I do want that back.  Plus I normally hate cooking and now I have the urge.  So, tomorrow is supposed to be it, when I get in to my doctor's office.  Woot! 

So, I would have the husband cook if he can/will.  If you need to be with the family, you will probably be fine after the first few days if they don't try to hide from you because they are worried about tempting you.  Maybe also encourage them to eat things you don't like, but definitely not the foods you crave overeating.  It seems that the length of everyone's liquid phase is different depending on their doctor, but the most common one I have seen is about 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after.  So most likely you will not be stuck on it as long as I was.  If you are though, let me know if you need encouragement.  :)   

Good luck! 

Thank you for sticking up for me...I appreciate it!

I bought stuff my DH could prepare for himself on the fly (he works full time and is also in grad school, so he didn't want to commit time to cooking meals)  He survived on frozen chicken patties, lunch meat and some leftovers my mom made for him.  He lost 10 pounds that first month when I wasn't cooking.

During my liquids phase I cooked for my hubby & son with no problems. Being just out from surgery and not really feeling hungry.....it worked for me. I thought I would be dying because they were having the good stuff while I was having plain old chicken broth....but no. I never once died. LOL I lived through it. I guess my mindset was in place and set before the surgery when I was going through the 10 day pre-op liquid diet. I used that time to evaluate why I was doing this and prepared myself for life after the surgery. I know for alot of people the liquid phase is hard....but for me it wasn't.

As for advice on how to deal with it.....I would suggest buying things that are quick to prepare so you don't spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing big meals. I hate frozen meals...but they work in a pinch. Also....just use that time to remind yourself why you are going through this process and take it all in. Your different phases of food after the surgery is a good time to practice your good habits of taking very tiny bites and chew, chew, chewing till you can't chew anymore and concentrating on getting the liquids and protein in and making good, healthy choices.

Good luck on your journey!

I can only give advice on the pre-op phase because my surgery is scheduled for Monday, May 10th. Before I started the liquid diet I cooked a lot of meals during the week trying not to get take out much. I always made double the amount as if I was cooking for a small army and I froze one half and we ate the other half that night. I made things that freeze well like, baked ziti, beef vegatable soup, chicken and dumplings (frozen separately), meat loaves, "make ahead" mashed potatoes, enchiladas and quiche. Then I bought good frozen veggies to go with the meals so they could be popped in the microwave easily by my husband. I leave the room or house when they heat up the food and eat. It helps to keep you sane. Also, my doctor also supports having a pan seared or grilled chicken breast if you have to chew each day. So, don't kill yourself if you have to eat a chicken breast once in a while.

You can do this!  Good luck!

this was the perfect question to ask because I tell my husband and my kids they better get ready,because I will not be cooking for them for at least a month and when I do it will consist of nothing but healthy options.I do however agree with you ladies on continuing my routine and fight the need to taste test and sample items because I wont be able to avoid cooking forever .So i'll take that advice..

If you are asking about PRE-op, I think what YOU eat is simple to prepare and consume. If you are worried abou****ching other people eat foods you enjoy, get over it. It is going to happen the rest of your life. That said, I think you should have a safe haven-- your home.

I would suggest you start cooking the way you are going to eat the rest of your life NOW. Fresh lean proteins and fresh vegetables/fruits should be staples in your home that your dh and children develop a taste for. Why? Because they are good for them, provide all the essential vitamins and minerals they need and, because now that I eat this way, I say to myself, "I wish my mom would ahve cooked this way." Finding recipes that taste good, exploit the flavors of meats and vegetabls without adding a lot of fats can be fun and help your family see that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring or seem like a diet.

For the short time you are post op and unable to prepare meals, you can buy pretty healthy pre-made options (frozen) at Trader Joes or even frozen veggies at the grocery store. Ther are always healthy options available at any restaurant. We often just don't look for them. Instead, we look at the menu and ask ourselves, "What sounds tasty?" instead of "What is the lean protein and fresh vegetable?" Wrap your mind around that shift in thought process and help your hubby get there too. He is going to be eating the same way you do but more of it.

Jump on the healthy living band-wagon. It's a fun ride!

I just decided to suck it up and cook for the DH and my 2 toddlers.  So far last night was the hardest.  I am 6 days post op and the family requested enchiladas........by far my fav.  It was tough and I was hungry all night.

Thanks Everyone!  I appreciate everyones kind words and thoughts and personal insights!  It is really helpful to be able to come to a sight and know someone has been through it.  My dh and I have committed to this, it is also going to be helpful to him, he is a type 2 diabetic and we have agreed to do this together for each other and our children, but still the smell of a chicken breast cooking is heavenly.  LOL!

hugs and thanks again!