Post Op Diet-Puree

• Puree chicken or turkey (no skin)
• Puree Fish, water packed tuna
• Pureed soft fish (haddock, tilapia, cod, and salmon
• Pureed canned chicken
• Pureed meatballs
• Stage 2 baby food meat (no dinners)

• Scrambled eggs/egg substitute
• Cream Soups made with Skim milk (avoid tomato, potato, or pea soups)
• 1-2% cottage cheese (puree)
• Part skim ricotta cheese
• Sugar Free Pudding (made with skim milk)
• milk (1% or skim)
• carbmaster milk
• Fairlife milk
• unsweetened almond milk
• unsweetened soy milk 
• reduced sugar yogurt
  • Carbmaster (Kroger)
  • Kroger Greek Lite
  • Light and Fit Greek

Carbohydrates

• Pureed canned or steamed vegetables (no hulls)
• Stage 1 and 2 baby food vegetables
• Vegetable Juice
• Puree Vegetable Soup 

• No sugar added applesauce
• Stage 1 and 2 baby food fruits.
• Unsweetened fruit juice
• Puree canned fruits in juice or water only.

Starches: (1/4 cup)

• Puree acorn or butternut squash
• Puree sweet potato
• Puree Peas
• Mashed sweet potato

Grains/Cereals: (¼ cup)

• Hot Cereal made with skim or 1% milk

Fats

• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Olive oil

Saturated Fats: (Use sparingly)

• butter
• mayonnaise
• cream cheese
• sour cream

Fluids

Your goal for fluid intake is 6-8 cups sugar free/non-carbonated beverages throughout the day.

Optimal choices:

-Water                                                 -Sugar free Kool-Aid                -Fruit 2 O

-Crystal Light                                     -Propel Fitness Water             -Powerade Zero

– Decaf tea or Coffee                         -Sugar Free popsicles             -Sugar Free Jell-O 

Tips for Preparing Puree Foods

Cut foods into small pieces, then put into a food processor or blender.  A little liquid makes it easier to blend, and can also add protein to your foods.  You can use 1% or skim milk, reduced fat sour cream, fat free gravy, broths, juices.  Avoid using water to thin the foods.  Water will take from the flavor and make the foods quite bland.  Blend foods until desired consistency. After blending, strain foods to remove any chunks.

You can also freeze individual portions for re-using.  Pour leftover portions into ice cube trays. Once frozen you can remove from trays and place in a freezer bag for more convenient storage.  Always thaw the cubes in the refrigerator. A lot of patients have found it convenient to puree leftovers from meals prior to their surgery.  Then after surgery you only have to worry about thawing them out.

Foods To Avoid

• Soft bread, doughnuts, pastries. 
• Salads and all other raw vegetables
• Sugar and sweets (table sugar, cakes, cookies, pies)
• High fat meats (bacon, sausage, ham, salami)
• Steak, roast beef, pork, lamb, veal, venison
• High fat foods (butter, cream cheese, whole milk, ice cream, sour cream, creamy salad, regular mayonnaise)
• Fibrous vegetables (whole broccoli, brussels sprouts, corn, cabbage, salad greens, asparagus).
• Fresh fruits except bananas
• Rice and pasta
• Nuts, seeds, coconut, raisins, popcorn, dried fruits

Important Tips to Remember!

• All food choices on the puree stage should be the consistency of applesauce!!!
• Do not use your mouth as a blender. Please puree all foods in a blender.
• Foods like rice, pasta, bread, raw fruits and vegetables do not blend well. These foods can swell up and can cause discomfort. Avoid using these products.
• Eat a protein source every time you eat, and make sure to make protein your priority.
• Eat 5-6 mini meals a day.
• Portions at each meal are up to ⅓ cup for dense foods (eg: pureed chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, etc) and up to ½ cup for full liquid proteins (eg: protein shakes, yogurt, cream soups, etc)
• Make sure to stop eating when you are full. 
• Avoid drinking 5-10 minutes before and 20-30 minutes after meals and also avoid drinking during a meal.
• Avoid skipping meals, we recommend spacing meals/supplements about every 2.5-3 hours.
• Avoid eating anything 3 hours prior to bed.

Puree Sample Diet Menu

Meal 1:  ¼ – ½  cup carb master yogurt 

Meal 2:  ½ cup protein supplement (remember to sip slowly!)

Meal 3:  ⅓ cup pureed chicken salad

                 ¼ cup No sugar added applesauce

Meal 4:  ¼ cup pureed cottage cheese

                  ¼ cup baby food peaches (stage 1 or 2 only)

Meal 5:  ⅓ cup pureed turkey

                 ¼ cup pureed sweet potatoes

Meal 6:  ½ cup sugar-free pudding

*You may NOT be able to consume these portions, especially at the beginning so it is important to stop eating when you feel a comfortable fullness.

**Your last meal should be more than 3 hours before bed!!!