Moving to puree - any suggestions?

Hi, I'm getting ready to move onto pureed foods, after 2 weeks of liquids. I'm nervous, but anxious to add some variety! What was the first food you tried? Did you try a new food each day? any tips, suggestions, recipes... would all be greatly appreciated!

My first pureed food was cottage cheese with some splenda. It sat pretty well, although I couldn't eat very much. I also tried pureeing poached chicken with fat-free gravy, but I thought it was pretty gross. Some people use baby food meats, but again with the gross... I also ate refried beans with hot sauce (yes, hot sauce) and melted fat-free cheddar shreds. After so long on liquids, I thought those refried beans were the best thing I'd ever tasted I spent 2-3 days finding a few things I could tolerate from a pouch perspective and a taste perspective, then I ate the same things until I moved to soft foods. I was stuggling with an infection, so that was just easier for me. I also alternated liquid protein with soft foods because my pouch tolerated the liquids better and I wasn't getting in nearly enough protein. I felt really leery about eating "real" food after being on liquids for over 3 weeks. So if you find yourself hesitant to try new things, don't be surprised. You will get over the fear and eventually become more adventureous. Good luck as you move on to pureed foods! Kellie

I agree about the 'gross' - pureeing foods that weren't meant to be pureed! but so many people seem to love it. I tried instant mashed potatoes with skim milk and a little Smart Balance butter... they say they should be thin or runny... well the more milk I added, the thicker they were getting? anyway, they sat well. I was just nervous eating for the 1st time. My stomach was making those rumbly noises it did the first few days out of surgery. Do you think that's normal? I'm scared to try anything new. As much as I hate the liquid stage, I feel like I'm safe there and am afraid to move on. Do I try a new food each day, or try one food, and stick to it a few days?

Hi michelle!! First of all let me congratulate you on your new journey in your life let me tell you I am almost 15months out and it is worth it!! I started out weight at 362 I am now at 213-215 I have 28 pounds to go for my and my drs goal and I will be happy, even tho I wont be near what the "normal" is I will be happy. The first things that I had eaten were taco bell refreid beans, mashed potatoes from kfc or at home, chilli really blended well it has alot or protein, sugar free pudding, I ate noodles mushed up, I cant do soup anymore it makes me sick but you could do soup w/noodles in it if your dr oks that I didnt but I know alot of people on here have said they they did. Pretty much anything that you can put in a blender and put some broth in you can eat. Good luck on your journey and you could not have found a better place and nicer people than right here we and they are always here when you need them. Feel free to eamil me anytime. Nanette 362/213-215/185

Egg salad was one of my first, and refried beans with green sauce. I would also get soups and run them through the blender ... they tasted so good! Best wishes to you! Jan

I think my favorite was ricotta cheese, spaghetti sauce and parmasean cheese, basically a pastaless lasagna. (I got the lowest fat/sugar versions I could get.) I also purreed various soups. There is a Progresso low carb Chicken enchilada flavored one that was WONDERFUL with cheese melted in it. I added cheese to a bunch of stuff, soups, mashed potatoes, etc. I tried adding protein powder to stuff, but that did not work too well for me. Parmasean cheese is very high protein (a gram in each teaspoon) but it has a lot of salt in it. I also took chicken, and maybe a boiled egg and a little FF mayo or light Miracle Whip and pureed them together. Yum.

Hey Michelle, I was going thru my dr book I have and here is some of the things he gave me the ok to eat. I didnt try alot of them so can't lie. I had severe nausea for months and even commercials about food would kill me lol. But after all was said and done, I was so blessed that nausea was all I had problems with. So here is a few ideas. Hope it helps..... Lowfat creamed soups nonfat yogurt natural applesauce sugarfree or lowfat puddings(try adding protein powder) smoothies very soft fork pureed egg my dr says to add one new food at a time to see how you tolerate them. Hugs Marge

Hi, Michelle: Congrats on graduating to pureed food! Lucky me, I was hospitalized for two days during my pureed food phase (not for anything WLS-related). The hospital didn't have a menu selection for patients on pureed food, we got whatever the kitchen felt like feeding us. When they tried to feed me pureed french toast, I wanted to just looking at it. You have gotten a lot of good suggestions from others. What worked for me were things like refried beans (mashed up well), mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, runny tuna (tuna with lots of fat free miracle whip), cream of wheat with shredded cheese, and Stallone chocolate pudding. I didn't have problems with food until I graduated to "real" food, and I think most of my problems came from eating too fast or eating too much. Kix

Hey Michelle!! Congrats on making it through liquids! For pureeeds, I loved beans. Do't limit yourself to refried beans, also have some delish navy bean or great northern bean soup, maybe some split pea. Also refried black beans are a nice change. We were allowed hot cereal - cream of wheat, etc. Also cheese and peanut butter. P.S. baby food is NASTY!!!!!

My favorite was scrambled eggs with salsa. I wanted something with FLAVOR. I also made tuna salad and pureed it with extra pickle juice. My mother's chicken and dumplings were also great.