Pureed Foods
Now that you have reached the start of Week 3 post-surgery, it is time to start adding pureed foods to your diet. Continue consuming clear liquids, as you did in Week 1 and Week 2. Pureed means foods that are mashed, usually cooked vegetables, fruits, or legumes that have been pressed, ground, blended, or sieved to the consistency of creamy paste or liquid.
During this phase, be careful and smart. Choose foods that are low in sugar and fat. Too much sugar and fat can cause gastric upset and/or diarrhea, and it will add too many calories. Try each new food one at a time, and go very slow. Look at your foods, the colors, smells, and textures. Take your time as you eat. At this phase, a serving should not be more than 2 to 4 ounces total.
Remember the 3-2-1 plate:
3 parts lean protein
2 parts low fiber
1 part complex carbohydrate or starch
Pureed Foods Diet
Protein
Canned chicken, Turkey, Tuna fish, Steamed or baked fish without skin, Boiled beans that you mash up, Scrambled eggs, egg whites, or Egg Beaters, Tofu soup
Dairy
String cheese, Cottage cheese, Yogurt, Custard, Low-sugar pudding
Vegetables
Steamed, baked, or roasted, canned, frozen, or boiled vegetables all mashed very well and nothing stringy or with skins
Fruit
Canned or frozen fruit that is packed in water or its own juice and all mashed very well and nothing stringy or with skins
Whole Grains
Thinned down oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, Grits
You can add some vanilla protein shake and cinnamon for extra flavor and to thin them down. No cold cereals, breads, pastries, or crackers at this point.
You can try some of the prepared envelopes and jars of baby food, fruits, and vegetables, but it is much healthier and cheaper to make a small amount of fresh food. It only takes a few minutes to prepare these small meals. Additionally, food loses some of its nutritional value as it sits in the refrigerator, so it is better to make your foods daily, if possible, unless you are meal prepping and freezing the food.
