I am pre-op

I thought my food cost after surgery would be reduced
well I just tried doing a pre budget and it will actually go UP by about $40 a week, I had to adjust my budget and add $160 to my grocery budget.

it's because of the vitamins and 80 grams of protein you're required to have a day. Remember that your new stomach is really small so you wont be able to actually EAT 80 grams of protein a day. Most people get it thru drinking protein drinks. My doctors office, being as strict as they are, ask their patients to drink something called Zero Carb Isopure premade protein drinks. They have 40 g protein per bottle. If you drink one a day, plus your 3 meals a day with each meal about 15 g protein, you will easily get enough protein in. I don't know if I will be able to get in 15 g of protein per meal so I found this stuff called protein to go. It has 10 g protein in these tiny purse side to go baggies. You just pour it into your bottled water and there ya go. I'd have 1 of those a day too.

yea ok but

that ZeroCarb stuff cost $35 for a 12 pack, I'll need 30 per month. That will average to more than $70 a month.
That's not even including the new supplements I have to buy because I won't be able to take pills/capsules/tablets anymore after I get the surgery. Everything has to be either liquid form or chewables.

The protein 2 go is $16 for a 10 pack. I'll have to buy 3-10 packs each month. That's $48 a month.

Now can you see how my grocery budget will get higher after the surgery even though I will be eating 1/4 the food I eat now?

Here's the menu/budget I came up with. I would like suggestions BUT keep in mind that I choose convenience over money in my lifestyle, even though I am broke and in debt. Convenience comes first because I work full time, go to school full time and am a caretaker for my grandmother full time. I wake up at 6am , 7 days a week and get home at 10pm ,  I barely get enough sleep. No cooking/blending/preparing food can be included in your suggestions cause it aint gonna happen. Any other suggestions are welcome such as other choices of pre made foods, or other choices of 40+ g protein drinks,e tc.. places for coupons, samples, etc... 

Post Op GROCERIES
Pre Breakfast Snack: Nature's Best® Isopure Zero Carb pre-made protein drink ($35/12 pack) Required Bariatric Advantage supplements: calcium citrate ($14), b-12 ($14), multivitamin ($14)	$26.00
	$11
Breakfast: low fat or sugar free: 2 - cottage cheese 3 –Fage Greek Yogurt 2 - ricotta cheese	$7
Lunch: 2 - Trader Joes salmon salad 1- Trader Joes salad with beef or poultry bag of raw spinach 1 - Trader Joes Baked chicken with rice pilaf	$18
Dinner: 4 - South Beach diet frozen meal   (split and eat half)	$16
24 pack - Bottled water box of protein2Go ($16/10 pack)	$4
	$12
TOTAL WEEKLY GROCERY BILL IS APPROXIMATELY =>	$94.00