The pureed food stage is the second stage of the post-bariatric surgery diet and the start of a whole new approach to eating. You’ll enjoy more variety and have more options for meeting your nutrition goals in this stage as you add small amounts of pureed, semi-solid food to the full liquids you enjoyed in your first week post-surgery. You’ll start to develop new habits that can help you maintain your weight loss over the long term. Like the liquid diet stage, the pureed food stage of your bariatric diet is short, just one week.
Fluid and Protein Goals – Both Matter
At this stage you’ll continue to track both your fluid and protein intake. Your top priority continues to be drinking adequate fluid, at least 64 ounces a day. Your nutritionist will provide you with your protein goal.
As your body continues to heal, meeting your protein goal will be easier with the addition of more protein options in pureed form. You’ll continue to get the majority of your protein from the high protein liquid diet options as you gradually add a small amounts of pureed food for variety.
To meet the rest of your 64 ounce daily fluid target, sip on mostly calorie-free, caffeine-free, and non-carbonated beverages. In addition to water, there are many delicious flavored waters, teas and diet drinks to choose from.
What to Eat?
Start each meal with protein. Your nutritionist will help you break your daily protein goal into a protein target for each meal.
You’ll continue to include the protein supplements, milk, low sugar Greek yogurt, and other high protein full liquids you enjoyed during the liquid stage to meet the majority of your protein goal for each meal. Gradually add small amounts of pureed foods to enjoy more variety.
At this stage you’ll be eating foods with a smooth consistency. Bariatric pureed foods can come from three sources:
- Naturally smooth foods, like applesauce
- Off-the-shelf baby food; Stages 1 or 2
- Foods you process yourself using a fork, blender, food processor, or baby food mill
The Barix Clinics collection of bariatric pureed food recipes has many familiar (and delicious!) dishes you can prepare. Favorites include tuna salad, cheesy beef and ricotta bake. You may also enjoy:
- Blended chili
- Blended soups
- Cottage cheese, mashed with a fork
- Lightly scrambled egg substitute
- Mashed potatoes
- Cooked cereals
- Refried beans, mashed with a fork
- Other smooth foods
Habits for Life: Six Small Meals and the 5/30 Rule
At this stage you will start the pattern of eating you’ll continue for long term weight maintenance:
- Daily food intake is broken up into 6 small, high protein meals.
- Between meals, sip on calorie-free beverages.
- Follow the 5/30 rule to keep your stomach from becoming too full. Stop drinking 5 minutes before a meal and wait 30 minutes after eating before starting to sip again.
Transition to Pureed Foods Gradually
Your stomach is still swollen and healing from surgery. This will limit how much pureed food you can comfortably eat at one time. You may be surprised by the small portions you are eating.
Start by slowly eating 1-2 tablespoons of a pureed food. Pause for a couple of minutes before continuing. You’ve had enough if you feel full, begin to hiccup, have an itchy nose, sneeze, or sense that one bite more will be too much. Over the course of the week, gradually work up to ¼ to ½ cup of pureed food in each meal, if possible.
Make Life Easy – Meal Prep
A little prepping now makes life easier later. Your nutritionist will teach you to plan meals at the beginning of the week to help you stay on track with your goals. Prepare batches of pureed foods and freeze the extra portions in an ice cube tray. Then just pop the food cubes in the microwave and you’ll have a quick and easy meal.
You can also portion foods into small individual serving sized containers to freeze or refrigerate.
The Next Step
The pureed stage doesn’t last long. Focus on meeting fluid and protein goals, learning to sip and eat slowly. Before you know it, you’ll be ready for the soft food stage with even more variety.
Your Nutritionist is Always Ready to Help
Reach out to your nutritionist with any questions or concerns. They want to help you meet your goals and adjust to your new eating habits.
