stocking up

I am two weeks away from a TAH (Jan.11) and I am trying to go over some things that I will need to stock up on while I am recovering. My DH is a horrible grocery shopper (usually coming home with junk) and I need some good ideas. Also, does anyone have any easy meal ideas that I will be able to do without sending for take-out. Thanks for all your help.....

Janice

Hi,

Some of the things I stocked up on for my surgery were soups, frozen dinners, fruit and cereal bars, oatmeal, cream of wheat, puddings, fruit juices (especially prune juice), jello, and ice cream (yeah, I know-not nutritious, but I ended up not wanting to eat anything BUT ice cream for several weeks.)

You'll want to stay away from raw vegetables, beans, cheese, carbonated drinks (can cause gas), and spicy foods (can cause gas and upset tummy.) Even ketchup made me for several weeks. Peanut butter isn't a good idea either, as it can stop up the plumbing, so to speak. And avoid drinking out of straws, as that can also cause gas.

I would also advise stocking up on prune juice, dried prunes, and cranberry juice. Metamucil might be a good idea too. And be sure to drink lots of water, as it can help keep everything moving right along, so to speak.

If you have time, you can also make casseroles and meals that can be frozen and thawed for your family. There is a recipe section here at Hyster Sisters where you may get some ideas.

s,

Lisa

Hi!

Great suggestions. I also would add that some foods I really loved pre-op (like grapefruit) tasted awful to me for several weeks after surgery. Weird.

Pre-freezing is great, but I don't really have the freezer space for that. So my dd (16) cooked for us for a month or so. We kept things really simple -- those pre-packaged mashed potatoes (dried, found by the stuffing mix) and the frozen mashed potatoes were a life-saver!!! Not too strongly flavored (good for my tummy) and easy to fix.

If you like eggs, they also make a great, quick meal. To me the ultimate comfort food is scrambled eggs!!!

Jello also tasted great -- cool, didn't upset the tummy. I make it with 7-up to give it a slight carbonation. I didn't have the gas issues from carbonated beverages other ladies had, though.

Good luck to you!

Janice

dont forget the meds. motrin/advil, gas-x, i even went out post op for beano (i was desparate) and a laxitive/softener. and any other OTC that you might be low on in your medicine chest

jane321

As far as easy meals go you can't beat tastytuesday.com. I use it all the time, and my whole family loves lots of things from there.
Best Wishes to you!!

Leslie

Here's some of the items I had...

Cup of noodles
Anything microwaveable
Fruit cups
Yogurt
Frozen waffles/pancakes
Protein shakes (ready made)
Pre-sliced cheese
Bananas
Apples
Cottage cheese
Instant mac and cheese

Brita Water filter Jug for fridge - you need to drink LOTS of water and I found this very handy. Just fill it up half full so you can lift it though!!

Good luck with your surgery and let us know how everything went!

Hugs,
Sarah