Soft Food Diet For Bariatric Surgery Patients | UPMC (2024)

During this phase after bariatric surgery, you will transition to more solid foods. This may include soft meat, fish, chicken, cereals, cooked vegetables, and canned and fresh fruits.

During the adaptive or soft food diet, continue to:

  • Incorporate high protein foods into your diet and consume them first at meals.
    • Women: 50–60 grams of protein
    • Men: 60–70 grams of protein
  • Take your chewable vitamin supplement with minerals.
  • Drink plenty of fluids, 48–64 ounces (six to eight, 8-ounce cups) per day.

Post-Bariatric Surgery Meal Plan for Phase 3: Adaptive/Soft Foods Diet

  • Consume three small meals each day.
  • Add a variety of low fat, low calorie starches, fruits, and vegetables to your diet, as tolerated.
  • Avoid skins and seeds on fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid breads.
  • Chew foods thoroughly.
  • Stop eating whenever you feel full.
  • Continue using protein supplements after each meal to meet your daily protein requirements.
  • Liquids between meals
    • Wait at least 30 minutes after each meal. Then consume an 8 ounce protein supplement or shake, followed by 16 ounces of sugar free, clear liquids.
    • Try to spread fluids out over a three-hour period.
    • Stop drinking at least 30 minutes before mealtime.

In addition to the foods listed on the pureed diet, begin introducing the following foods to your diet.

Suggested Food Ideas for Phase 3: Adaptive or Soft Food Diet

Protein Sources

  • All varieties of fish and shellfish
  • Turkey breast or chicken breast (chopped, white meat)
  • Low fat deli lunchmeats
  • Sliced or grated low fat cheese (5 grams of fat or less)
  • Hard boiled or poached eggs
  • Soups (dilute with skim milk or add finely minced meats)

Grains/starches

  • Hot cereals
  • Unsweetened cereals softened in skim milk
  • Baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams
  • Boiled pasta, noodles, or white rice

Fruits/vegetables

  • Canned fruit (in own juices or water packed)
  • Soft, fresh fruit without skins (apples, pears, peaches)
  • Bananas
  • Cooked or canned vegetables
  • Avoid raw, fibrous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Avoid skins and seeds.

Sample Menu for Phase 3: Adaptive or Soft Food Diet

Eat the protein portion of your meal first, and don't forget your liquids between meals (about 30 minutes after each meal).

Breakfast

  • Protein: ¼ cup scrambled eggs or egg substitute
  • Starch: ¼ cup hot cereal
  • Fruit: ¼ cup canned peaches in own juice
  • Fat: 1 teaspoon margarine

Lunch

  • Protein: ¼ cup (1 ounce) deli sliced turkey breast
  • Starch: ¼ cup mashed potatoes
  • Fruit/vegetable: ¼ cup pears or mixed fruit in own juice or light
  • Fat: 1 teaspoon margarine

Dinner

  • Protein: ¼ cup (1 ounce) white fish (no breading)
  • Starch: ¼ cup sweet potato
  • Vegetable: ¼ cup cooked green beans
  • Fat: 1 teaspoon margarine

Suggested Recipes

View Phase 3: Adaptive or Soft FoodDiet suggested recipes for post-bariatric surgery.

Tips and Ideas for Staying Hydrated

  • Sip all fluids slowly to prevent nausea and vomiting
  • Carry a water bottle with you everywhere
  • Other liquids to help maintain hydration include decaffeinated coffee and tea, broth, and sugar free fruit juices and other beverages with artificial sweeteners

Next

Your bariatric surgeon will advise you when to advance to the next phase of your diet.

Soft Food Diet For Bariatric Surgery Patients | UPMC (2024)

FAQs

What soft food can you eat after bariatric surgery? ›

Soft foods include:
  • Ground lean meat or poultry.
  • Flaked fish.
  • Eggs.
  • Cottage cheese.
  • Cooked or dried cereal.
  • Rice.
  • Canned or soft fresh fruit, without seeds or skin.
  • Cooked vegetables, without skin.

Is there anything you can never eat again after bariatric surgery? ›

But what can you not eat after gastric bypass? Firstly, avoid foods that are high in sugar or fat. This could include bread, pasta, pizza, and cookies. And avoid carbs or excess sodium while you're still healing, for several weeks.

Can bariatric patients eat mashed potatoes? ›

In the first, you can continue eating any of the foods from Stage 1, plus pureed fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, and low-fat dairy products. Beginning on day 11, patients may also consume soft foods, including meatloaf, baked fish, tuna and egg salad, cheese, and canned fruits.

Are scrambled eggs ok on a pureed diet? ›

You can also have pureed beans, a white flaky fish or a scrambled egg or egg white. These selections should be introduced once you feel confident that you can tolerate very soft food. During this phase you should start to be creative with the foods you are allowed to eat.

What are some examples of soft foods? ›

Soft Food Diet
  • Mush or porridge-type hot cereals like oatmeal, grits and Cream-of-Wheat.
  • Cereals that soften easily in milk like Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes.
  • Soft breads and muffins.
  • Pasta cooked to a soft consistency.
  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes without skin.
  • Soft fruits like ripe bananas and melon.

What are soft foods high in protein? ›

Below are some soft sources of protein.
  • Creamy nut butter (almond, peanut, cashew, etc.)
  • Poached or soft-boiled eggs.
  • Soft scrambled eggs.
  • Omelet with cheese.
  • Protein shakes.
  • Hummus.
  • Silken or soft tofu.
  • Pureed lentil soup.
Oct 31, 2023

Can you ever eat pizza again after bariatric surgery? ›

If you frequently enjoy a slice of pizza, you may wonder, 'When can I have pizza after gastric bypass surgery? ' Fortunately, you do not have to eliminate pizza from your diet forever after a bypass surgery, but you should wait for at least 6 weeks before you can comfortably enjoy your delicacy.

What foods are off limits after bariatric surgery? ›

Avoid sugar, sugar-containing foods and beverages, concentrated sweets and fruit juices. For the first two months following surgery, your calorie intake should be between 300 and 600 calories a day, with a focus on thin and thicker liquids. Daily caloric intake should not exceed 1,000 calories.

Can I ever eat pasta again after gastric bypass? ›

4) Bread, Rice, and Pasta

You don't have to completely reject these high-starch foods, but it's best to avoid them in the beginning. When you do eat them, try to have very small portions and make sure that you only eat small bites of each.

Are bananas good after bariatric surgery? ›

Bariatric Surgery patients are able to incorporate bananas and other fruits back into their diet at five to six weeks after surgery, as the stomach needs to slowly regain the strength to digest fibrous foods.

Can a bariatric patient eat hamburger? ›

The gristle can plug the outlet of your stomach pouch and prevent anything from passing through, a condition that is very uncomfortable. Most patients find that lean ground hamburger is the easiest to tolerate.

Can you eat a baked potato after bariatric surgery? ›

Keep up your protein and fluid intake to help prevent infection and dehydration. You may now include raw fruits and vegetables in your meals. Also, try experimenting with more solid foods. For example, choose a baked potato instead of mashed potatoes or an apple instead of applesauce.

What foods Cannot be pureed? ›

Avoid foods that are stringy, like celery and onions; foods with nuts or seeds; and foods with tough skins. Take out any pits, bones, seeds, skins, or other tough or inedible parts before you puree your food.

Is ice cream OK for pureed diet? ›

Important: Make sure that thickened liquids remain thick at room temperature. Ice cream, ice cubes, sherbet, Jell-o and Popsicles melt at room temperature. These foods are not safe to eat or drink.

What breakfast foods can be pureed? ›

Breakfast
  • Puréed Eggs are a great option for a source of protein – scrambled or poach both work well.
  • Tick off one of your five a day, with mashed banana.
  • This can all be accompanied with a glass of orange juice or a warm cup of coffee or tea. ...
  • Smoothies are also a good way to include vegetables and fruit into your diet.

What foods are considered soft foods after surgery? ›

The following are examples of soft food items:
  • Hearty Soups (cream of asparagus, lentil, minestrone, split pea, chili)
  • Juice (cranberry, apple, grape) avoid citrus juice for a few days.
  • Herbal Tea.
  • Jell-O.
  • Yogurt (soft or frozen)
  • Cottage Cheese.
  • Pudding/Custard.
  • Soft Fruit (banana, papaya, berries, canned peaches, or pears)

Can you eat potato chips after bariatric surgery? ›

Since your stomach is about the size of an egg after bariatric surgery, it will need to get enough daily nutrition by you making wise diet choices. A bariatric surgery diet means avoiding foods that provide little or no nutritional value. This includes pastries, sweets, chips, pretzels, rice cakes, and popcorn.

What is considered soft meat? ›

Meat, poultry, and fish: finely chopped or ground moistened poultry, soft tuna or chicken salad (without chopped raw vegetables or fruit like celery or apples), baked or broiled fish, soft meatballs, soft tofu, etc.

Can I eat noodles after gastric sleeve? ›

Whole wheat pasta after gastric sleeve surgery, for instance, can offer more nutritional value and is often recommended by dietary experts. Portion Control: Understanding portions is essential. You can eat pasta after a gastric sleeve, but it's about the amount and frequency.

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