So, I've been exploring foods and found fruit leathers at Trader Joe's.  I think they are a good thing for me to have on hand - especially as a filling snack.  But I'd like to see if you guys agree.  The stats look good to me (but of course, I'm still learning) 

1 bar is 20 grams (only only 59 cents)
cals - 60
Fat - 0
sodium - 5
carbs - 14 (seems like it could be high - but it's natural carbs)
   fiber - 6
   sugar - 9
protein - 1

ingredients: dried fruits from fresh pulp (apple, blueberry), psyllium husk, flaxseed meal, soy protein, soy grits, fibre sweet (inulin), ascorbic acid.

I wouldn't ever eat those

I would consider this a non-protein-forward food, and protein forward is the number 1 plan pretty much from now until the end of time.

 i get some from target (market pantry brand) and they are small and only about 35 calories..can't remember the sugars.  I don't eat them often but its a nice treat occassionally.  I think they are fruit strips.

well its much better than a candy bar and soda...but there is not much protein in there, so you have to consider that. i have 2-3 meals of pretty high protein, then i have 2-3 snacks depends on the way my sugars levels go, i have sometimes low sugars and so i have snacks on hand, but some of the snacks i have are not as high protein as my meals..but much better than what i use to eat pre op...like candy bars and soda...if i have not had that much fruit then i may consider having one..i always have some kind of fruit when i eat my protein meals....but if you have a dehydrator you can make them much healtheir than buying them, i use to make them all the time LONG ago when my kids were little...take you frozen fruit and thaw and then buzz in the blender and put on the dryer..you can add different kinds of fruit together or must make a mixture....you can add a sweetner if you like but i never really did as my kids liked it kinda of tart....depends on the fruit....i would keep mine in the fridge since there are no preservatives in them..but they did not last that long, it seemed like i had the dryer going every other day or so...
good luck
debby

 I have them (well, a different brand with different stats) occasionally as a snack but I am also 5 years out.  You should be careful about the sugar content because when they dry the fruit, it concentrates the sugar and it may cause you to dump.  It's certainly healthier than chips or something, but it is retry much just empty carbs, and a snack of protein is a better choice especially early out.

Lora

Since there's basically no protein, I'd much rather munch on some tasty fresh fruit than this. I'm not really sure the "pro" of these kind of things...are you looking for just something to throw in your purse for a quick snack or an alternative to a something sweet? I think there are better alternatives out there for something sweet, and MUCH better choices for protein obviously.

I've never had them.  I get in a little fresh fruit by eating it with greek yogurt.  We do not have a Trader Joe's but always stop at the one in Albq or Santa Fe when we travel so we just stopped this past Friday.  I love the store and picked up several things. 

I couldn't eat those.
To high of a sugar-protein ratio for me!

Leslie

 How does one go about figuring out the sugar-protein ratio? Thanks.

Everyone's surgeon seems to have different interpretations, but I've seen on here that quite a few people try to keep sugars at 5g or less. This means when you're reading a food label, and it has, say 10g of carbs, and the breakdown is 1g dietary fiber and 9g sugar, you probably want to pass on it. The only exceptions would be FF Greek yogurt, skim milk, etc. since lactose is a naturally occurring sugar in dairy. 

As for protein, I think it's usually self-evident. Just read your labels, look stuff up online, and keep track of your portion sizes. ;)

Keep in mind, though, that you should follow YOUR surgeron's protocols.