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Monday, September 12, 2005

Reader Question
Need Help Getting Protein in the “Blenderized” Diet Stage

One of our new community members wrote with this question:

“I am now 1 week into the Blenderized Diet (Stage 111) and I am going out of my mind on what to eat, I cannot even smell the blenderized meats, eggs and fish. Baby foods are horrible. Can anyone give me recipes to get me through this step with protein?”

Here is the general recommendation for the blenderized phase of gastric bypass:

Note: All foods must be of a consistency of thinned mashed potatoes. Add non-fat dry milk powder to all foods and beverages to increase the protein.

Examples:
  • Skim or 1% milk
  • “No Sugar Added” Carnation Instant Breakfast made with skim milk
  • Blenderized soups (make with skim milk instead of water)
  • Blenderized fruit added to shakes made with skim milk and light/nonfat yogurt
  • Blenderized meat added to blenderized cream soups or mashed potatoes
  • Cooked cereal thinned with skim milk (oatmeal, grits, Cream of Wheat)
  • Thin blenderized casseroles
  • Blenderized beans (black, pintos, lima, kidney, lima, northern, butter, lentils)
  • Unsweetened applesauce with non-fat dry milk powder
  • Fat-free refried beans with melted fat-free/reduced fat cheese
  • Mashed potatoes made with skim milk
  • Blended sugar-free yogurt
  • Cottage cheese (fat-free/low fat)


  • You will start with small amounts of these liquids because you will feel full quickly. At first you will have to drink small amounts frequently (2-4 ounces at a time). After a few days your daily intake of the liquids listed above should be at least 24 ounces (3 cups). Eventually you will be able to take 3 liquid meals of 4-6 ounces each. Drink slowly. It should take 30 minutes or more to drink 4-6 ounces (1/2 to 3/4 cup).

    Now, for those of us who have survived this phase, let’s share some of the tricks we learned to help others who may be struggling with the pureed foods. Post your comments here. Thanks, Kaye

    2 comments:

    Unknown said...

    This was not a stage for me post-op. I do have a suggestion. I add an unflavored protein to different foods. You can put it in anything you make. I don't feel like it changes the flavor any. You might.

    Kim S. said...

    I used a hand held blender. Emeril calls it a "boat motor"...I called it a God send. I got 90% of my protein from supplements. Atkins ready to drink, IsoPure, any of the liquid protein drinks. I would keep a bowl of ice and would keep my can or glass in the bowl to keep it ice cold without diluting it or adding the additional volume from the ice melting. Think of champagne in a bucket...same concept. So for meals, it was more about satisfying my need for flavor. My favorite was the cream of soups. You don't worry about calories at this point, because 1 oz of cream of mushroom soup isn't going to slow down your weight loss! I would have a little bit of blenderized soup that I'd push through a sieve, a bit of thinned mashed potato that I'd prepare with fat free Lactaid and then a bit of sugar free yogurt. Scrambled eggs are a good meal or egg salad prepared with some fat free mayo. Just push your hard boiled egg through the sieve instead of dicing it. You'll start to get creative and will come up with your favorites. Split pea soup was one of my favorites! I couldn't do any fruit until about a year post-op, as I was extremely sensitive to the sugars. I still am! Good luck to you.