Diet / What to Eat

Key dietary recommendations following surgery:

As soon as you get home, you can start liquids or a very soft diet.  Drink plenty of fluids such as orange or tomato juice, ginger ale, water, tea, etc. Drink at least six to eight glasses of liquids daily to avoid dehydration. Soups, yogurt, mashed potato, eggs, and puree foods are great for immediately following surgery. Avoid hot liquids or food for the first 24 hours.

Diet in the next 2-3 days:

Continue on soft / liquid diet only. A diet high in protein and carbohydrates is best. Homemade eggnog, using fresh milk, eggs, and fresh fruit blended into it, is an excellent source of both. We also recommend soups, soft pasta, soft rice, Jello, soft boiled eggs, yogurt, soft cereals, and mashed potatoes. Avoid hard or crispy foods at this time.

Diet  5-7 days after surgery:

Don’t change your diet yet. Many people make the mistake of starting harder food which can cause irritation and pain. Continue on the same diet and consistency

Relevant links:

Diet after 7 days:

You might be ready to gradually advance to a more normal diet but only if you feel comfortable. Advance slowly over the next few days as the surgical site continues to heal and is less tender. It is still too early for really hard foods like bagels, meats, chicken, or pizza. You should be able to try your regular diet in 10-14 days after surgery.