I had my gastric bypass surgery just a few weeks before Thanksgiving. If you’re approaching your first Thanksgiving since your surgery, especially if you’re newly post-op, you’re probably wondering what you’re going to eat. Here are some thoughts for you.
- Turkey – dark meat is usually moister than white, but with gravy, even the white meat should go down OK. If you’re on pureed foods, puree some turkey with a little gravy.
- Mashed potatoes – they are high in carbs and low in protein so don’t eat a lot of them, but if you really like them, enjoy a bite or two. If you’re on pureed foods, they are perfect for you. You can stir in a little unflavored protein powder or Unjury chicken soup flavored protein mix to give them more protein, but don’t stir in too much or they will take on a grainy texture.
- Green beans – make sure you get your protein in first, but some green beans are a great addition to your meal. If you are on pureed foods, you can puree some if you like.
- Sweet potatoes – if your family typically enjoys these topped with marshmallows, you’ll want to skip them. If you love sweet potatoes, though, you can bake or mash one and eat a few bites.
- Corn – this is really a starch, not a vegetable, but like the mashed potatoes, if you love it, eat a bite or two.
- Garden salad – as long as you’re on a regular diet, you can enjoy some salad with low fat dressing. Check the amount of sugar in the dressing, too, because some are higher in sugar than you might think.
- Dinner rolls – bread is high in carbs and low in protein, and it also doesn’t sit well for some folks after gastric bypass surgery. You’re better off skipping it, and you should have plenty of other, healthier options to fill you up. If you have to have a bite or two of bread, go for something whole grain.
- Cranberry sauce – this is typically made with lots of sugar but you could prepare it with Splenda instead if you want to enjoy some with your dinner.
- Fruit salad – as long as you don’t dump on fruit (most people don’t, but a few do), and if you are on a regular diet, you can enjoy some fruit salad. Skip the whipped topping.
- Pumpkin pie – you’ll probably be full before dessert is served, and of course pumpkin pie is high in carbs and sugar. You could make a pumpkin pie with Splenda if you really want to have some, but it’s still not going to be health food. A better idea would be to make pumpkin spice cheesecake Greek yogurt – combine plain Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree (not pie filling), a little Splenda, some sugar free cheesecake flavored pudding mix, and a bit of pumpkin pie spice. You can have that even if you’re on pureed foods.