When they say "puree"

Ive been looking over my list of foods on my next phase (3) and deli meats are on it. Now, do I HAVE to puree these, like put in a blender with water til its like baby food or can I mince them up and make sure to chew them really well? I just dont think I could stomach the thought of eating pureed meats of any kind, I dont think I could eat baby food either. And veggies, could you steam them to mushiness, and fish could you mu**** with your fork as well? Please tell me I dont have to literally blend this stuff in a blender with water, ugh thats so disgusting. If thats the case Im going to have a VERY limited amnt of food I will eat lol.  

I saw I can also have fat free cream cheese and one of my fav snacks in the world is thin slices of ham with cream cheese spread on it. Was hoping I could just mince the ham and mix with cream cheese...

It is my understanding that deli meats do NOT need to be purred, when you are on that food phase. I would go thin on slice size.

Listen to your body! I could NOT do the purree stage myself I thought it was too disgusting, I just could not stomach the thought of the purree stage, so I chewed till it was a paste, and that worked for me. Measure and weight your food, and you will be fine.

I never pureed anything....it seemed too gross. but I was told that as long as the meat was tender and broke apart it was fine to have. I was big on baked Tilapia with lemon and pepper and fresh steamed green beans. Homemeade chicken ( boneless/skinless)soup with plenty of veggies (diced tomatoes, zucchini, baby carrots and celery). Make sure you measurre your food though so you don't over eat! Good luck!

~Tina

My "mushy" phase consisted of so many foods that did not require actual puree-ing, that I never once DID puree anytthing. Now, in retrospect, I wonder....did they mean for me to actually puree them? If so they did not make it clear and I am a rule follower by nature.

So MY answer would be no.... you don't have to... but that's just me.

i was on puree when i came home from the hospital and i was told it needed to be very mushed and that i even had to chew up the applesauce and yogurt and pudding...i just was not going to eat something that was not already close to the consisitancy already so i ate scraambled eggs with ham , cheese, and then when i warmed them up i put some con queso dip on them just a little and they made them a slight mexican flavor and they were great.i ate tuna salad with miracle whip and pickles juice, i also made egg salad made the same way..i also fried an egg very soft and mushed it up really well...i wish i could have had a piece of toast with it..but i did not ....that was my diet for the 2 weeks...it was ok..but was ready for change...and then a couple of days after getting off the purree stage...i had a fried egg, one morning and then i made a nice big batch of scrambled eggs, so now i have that to eat this week..oh well...
have a great day
debby

I was just reading about this so I thought I would share....

Stage II Diet (Soft, mushy and/or pureed)
This next stage can only start once you have successfully tolerated Stage I. You will only be allowed to consume foods that are NOT solids for the next 4-6 weeks (may vary by surgeon). Your goal is to eat approximately 550-700 calories a day and at least 60 grams of protein. Your new stomach pouch can only handle 1-2 ounces (the size of 1-2 ice cubes) at a time. It is up to you to try and eat a variety of foods and concentrate primarily on proteins. The following are good examples of food choices:

• Cottage cheese 
• Yogurt 
• Egg whites beaters
• Tofu products
• Ricotta cheese 
• Soft cheeses 
• Hummus
• Soft flaky fish 
• Tuna
• Ground meats 
• Oatmeal Skim or 1% milk Pudding

These foods should meet the 5% rule for carbohydrates and fat. Some patients for convenience try jarred baby foods (meats). A general rule is to avoid red meats for the first 3-6 months. They are not easily tolerated. Ground meats such as turkey, chicken or veal should be tried, depending on your preference. Other foods that fit into this consistency are soft bananas, pureed melons, and overcooked vegetables. We do not enforce those types of foods, because they do not provide substantial protein.

 I start pureed next week and here's what I plan on eating: 
cottage cheese - I'm not sure I actually like it but will try
greek yogurt
broccoli soup (so thin that it's really more like a full liquid)
cream soups
refried beans - another thing I've hated in the past but will give it another shot

and something that might be kinda strange - homemade pureed turkey..... um.... ok, it looks gross but high in protein - ground turkey with spices in chicken broth blended with a hand blender to be a very thin consistency.