What foods to buy?

Good morning everyone:

Any ideas on what foods I should buy for myself during my recovering time at home?

Have plenty of no-preparation foods on hand, like fruit, soup, cereal, snack bars, also things like Jell-O, Gatorade, lots of juice, yogurt, etc.

Your appetite may not be too great at first so protein drinks are also good to have.

What are your "comfort" foods? Things that you automatically reach for when you're not feeling quite up to par? You should also have those.

Best wishes!

I found myself craving home made chicken noodle soup! It just sounded so comforting. (never got it, tho)

I didn't have much of an appetite for the first week or so after I got home, so I mostly existed on jello and applesauce

Something I had to send DH out to buy was some ginger tea. The pain meds made me a little nauseous, and the ginger tea really helped.

Thanks ladies. These are great ideas. Soup is always good on a cold day in NY.

Hi, I'm also from upstate. Olmstedville (near Schroon Lake). Having a lavh on 2/17 at <oops! Please do not mention specific hospital names, to protect your privacy>. Are you near there?

Oatmeal with prunes is great. Loved smoothies the first couple of days. They were easy just orange juice, frozen strawberries banana and protein powder. Soup esp puree is still great 9 days post op. I agree with comfort food. After about 6 days I really craved my favorite boullibase. My friend went and got it for me.

Sirap

I ate "Soup at Hand" for most lunches those first couple of weeks. I also craved fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, pudding, and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate.

The second week I made a crock pot of home made chicken noodle soup. That tasted fabulous!

I don't really care for prunes, so I go to the Whole Foods store and in the produce section they have fresh, whole dates. They are so good, sweet, and I'd eat a dozen at a time if they didn't cause one to have to go to the bathroom. You may find this helpful. Just don't forget they have a pit in the middle.

Sometimes a grilled cheese sandwich and home made soup is just the best. At first, for only a few days, I didn't want much to eat when I got home. Unusual for me, but part of it was that I didn't want to get up! Husband only cooks steaks, burger and chicken on the grill! (I sent him to Chik-Fil-A a few times for their hot delicious chicken noodle soup. And their chocolate brownies! Oh, and they have a delicious milk shake with real whipped cream and a cherry. The cookies and cream is to die for. Umm....I'm hungry.)

I also craved fresh salads, so had some in a big container. We went out to eat around the ten day mark, after I had the staples removed. A little Italian restaurant, and their home made minestrone soup with garlic foccacia was just the thing. I felt like a human again, just by going out to a cozy restaurant, too. It was live jazz night, and a cute old man was playing the sax and clarinet and he gave me a CD of his music. He had been popular back in the big band era in the 40's.

I like the chicken salads and pimento cheese that Whole Foods sells in their deli, to keep around. The Arnold's Oat Bran bread is good, and stays soft.

Don't forget to keep some popsicles in the freezer! Or icecream to make milkshakes. I need to go eat.

I loved bagels for a quick bite in the morning.

My sister-in-law made a dish of stuffed shells. Man, did that come in handy. I froze individual servings and had them for while for my lunches.

She also send homemade broc. and cheese soup. Again, I froze it.

I kept oatmeal and dried fruits on hand, and lots of bottled spring water.

Juices, lots water, herbal non-caffeinated teas, ready to eat meals. Mainly stay away from foods that will make you gassy. You will have swelly belly and you'll need to remember to help aggrevate it. OH AND LOTS OF CHOCOLATE!!!