23 days away! What are the essential things to have on hand?

I'll be having my band to VSG on Dec. 29th. I have exams for school and some holiday parties to attend, and would like to get the shopping out of the way....what did you find really helped after with the liquid diet? All I can think of is chicken broth and popsicles....Anything you would do differently?

Especially on clears, but even now, I personally like having unflavored protein powder (either Unjury or Jay Robb) that I can add to anything to boost my protein intake.  I found it invaluable early out when I got sick of always having the sweet taste of the protein shakes.  I even added it to my broth.  Just remember not to add it to really hot liquids, as it clumps.  It's not great when on clear liquids, but then again, nothing really is!  If you are into cooking, I really enjoyed homemade broth much better than the prepackaged stuff.  Nectar is one of those protein powders that mixes well with water for when you are on clears.  Really the clears are the hardest part.......but then, you don't really feel like drinking, so it's just work!

Good luck on the exams and congrats on your surgery date!

I drank nectar while on clear liquids. I liked the Twisted Cherry the best. Sugarfree jello was something I tolerated easily while on clears also. Good luck to you!

Meg

The things I have found essential are a small "personal" blender and a battery powered wisk.  For the blender I bought on Amazon something from Tribest - it has 8 oz and 16 oz containers, and it does an awesome job at smoothies and pureeing food like chicken or fish.  I've seen something called a "Magic Bullet" at our local Costco and it looks like the same deal.  My husband and I have been wondering what we did before we had it, we use it so much,  Last night he cooked a red duck curry, and the small container and blade did an awesome job on the 1/3 cup curry paste - before we had this blend we would have had to use a mortar and pestle because our "regular" blender would simply lose just a small amount.  The second item I use every day is called an Aerolatte.  It is a little (3/4" diameter?) battery powered wisk.  Most nights I have a 6 oz milk/1 scoop chocolate Unjury for a "hot cocoa" experience - it feels warm, good, and gives my another 26 gms protein.  I heat the milk to 150F in my microwave, and then get the wisk going and mix in the powder.  It doesn't clump even though it is above 130F, and I get to have a real-hot cocoa, just just something unpalatably warm.  I am 5 weeks out post-surgery, and those are two tools I consider essential.  In the food department I keep a container of unflavored, chocolate and vanilla unjury around, and it is still my primary source of protein because I'm not doing too well on foods yet.  I add a scoop of vanilla to oatmeal in the morning, mix two scoops of the unflavored w/jello instant (SF/FF) pudding and milk, and make smoothies w/ 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup yogurt, 1 scoop unjury and a few pieces frozen fruit (strawberries, peaches, blackberries).  I was very lucky I never had a 'clear liquids' phase.

Oh yes, and adding Unjury to jello - the jello goes down easy and you get more protein.  One scoop for a small package, two scoops for the large size.  Orange jello and Vanilla Unjury is reminiscent of a creamscicle.  :-)

Good luck in finding the foods that work for you!!

Luanne

 Hi,

Im going for VSG on Dec and 18th and im in my prep stage of getting things ready.  I actually have a Magic bullet (its awsome).  I would like to know what this "Unjury" product is that you talk about?

Thanks and good luck to you all.


IG

I would really stock up on clear and full liquids and proteins that go into those diets...everything people mention.  I didnt do much prep on it really and struggled with protein and hydration for the first several weeks.  Have more then you think you will need I think.  And a variety of brands.  Like chicken broth.  Buy every kind they have...you will use it later in cooking anyways.  And protein drinks...if you dont use them, you can always gift them to a soon-to-be sleever  Get every brand that carries the sf/ff pops...they will be the best food ever for a while.  And have some full sugar juice on hand.  I got so low on cals that I ended up having to drink a few ounces of juice a day to keep from passing out.

On the purees I found having tiny bowls helped alot.  I stil use them

I thought of one other thing tonight as I was brushing my teeth.........a tongue scraper!  By the time I was discharged and returned home, my tongue tasted awful and felt "fuzzy".  The tongue scraper was the only thing that helped, even after brushing and rinsing with Listerine!