Ramekins & other useful tools?

Do you use these to cook in often post-surgery and if so, what size do you find works best?  I'm finding anything from 4-9 ounce.  I'm trying to get the items together that I will need to cook/prepare/store/serve post op to make it easier to manage portion size and such.  I've heard that baby/toddler spoons/forks are useful too.  What worked for you and what did you buy that you didn't end up using?

Any suggestions or feedback is greatly appreciated!  Happy Sunday!

~H.

I still eat from a ramekin and I'm over a year out now. I also use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. They make small square storage containers that are often found next to the baby food in the grocery store. I found they were the perfect size when serving cottage cheese, minced chicken, etc.

I also found a shot glass to be very helpful immediately after surgery. Protein shakes made me gag and I found if I just poured enough to fill a shot glass and concentrated on that small amount, it wasn't as overwhelming for me psychologically.

I bought protein-added milk and mixed that with a small amount of cream of potato soup. That is basically all I ate (with the protein drinks) the first couple of weeks. I don't eat cream of potato soup NOW, but immediately after surgery, it's about healing and keeping food down and carby foods are not as difficult for your healing stomach to digest. Trust me, your calorie intake will be so low it won't make a difference that you are having carbs post surgery.

A Magic Bullet blender or one of the other small blenders is nice to have as well.

Good info, thanks!  What size ramekins do you use?

I use 4 oz. ramekins. They seem to work best for me. I find that my eyes are still sometimes bigger than my stomach, even after a year out. Ramekins keep my honest and keep me from wasting food as well.

What IB40 said

Also, one thing I've learned the hard way... having a funnel is a must. I end up needing miralax a few times a week, and I usually mix it into a bottle of water along with a packet of crystal light. Mos****er bottles have such tiny openings that without a funnel I would never get the entire dose into the bottle, and it makes a big mess!

Great to know, these are the little types of things I was hoping to hear about. Thank you!

I think I need a funnel! I mix unflavoured whey powder AND Miralax into my Crystal Light - a funnel would sure make it easier.

I now own a LOT of 1/2 cup Rubbermaid containers - the square ones with the red lids. I use them for my-size servings of butter turkey, taco turkey meat, chicken curry, salmon chowder, lentil soup, chili (freezer) protein pudding and jello, gussied up Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hummus, cheese dip. (fridge)

I love convenience food as much as the next person and I still eat it - I just make my own.

Get a couple of blender bottles.  I hate always having to use my blender.  These do a great job of mixing up the protein powders without chunks.

I have 6 oz ramekins - each time I use them it's 2 meals worth.  I also bought a mini-loaf pan - so I can make meatloaf, but not have days and days worth of food.

Good luck on your upcoming surgery!

I tried baby spoons, and i dont use them now. Ive got a lot of ramickens in varous sizes. I think the smallest is 2oz and the biggest is 1 cup. Even if you don't use it to eat out of, it makes eyeballing/measuring easier. I measured them all, and wrote down the sizes on the bottom. It helps when I journal my food.

I got a Hamilton beach smoothie blender. Where you make the drink in the travel mug. Kinda like a magic bullet, but not so ugly. Its great cuz it saves on dishes.

I also needed more icecube trays, I go through a lot more ice than I ever did. Like a whole tray in a day.