Great christmas present ideas for those with a sleeve

After a sleeve gastrectomy it can be tricky to know what to give as presents. The old faithful bottles of wine and box of chocolates just doesn’t seem quite so appropriate. Instead, try some of these ideas that have come from the fabulous members of the Community group who said they can’t live without them since their sleeve, plus a few extra from me to top off the list. This is perhaps the perfect post to place not-so-subtly on the kitchen bench for Santa to find!

A thermal mug to sip in style

As sipping slowly is mandatory after sleeve gastrectomy, having a mug that keeps things warm (or cool) is a must. There’s nothing worse that a stone cold coffee! One of our members recommends the Contigo Travel Mug – they’re spill proof, BPA free, keep things hot or cold and they also have a range of water bottles too.

A beautiful set of crockery

“Gorgeous crockery makes my meal feel special & kind of ‘normal’ to eat off proper plates”, says one of our members. God for fun patterns or colours, but just make sure you go small. Think bread & butter plates or yum cha bowls. Small crockery can go a long way too, so grab a lovely set of teaspoons while you’re at it! 

A bento box

Bento boxes are the new black. With lots of little compartments (little being the operative word) to keep things fresh, you’ll love one and use it every day.  Hello Green have lots of options to get you started.

A freezable lunch bag

Put an end to wasted bought lunches and tins of tuna on Cruskits! To keep your lunch nice a fresh, even if you don’t have a fridge, a freezable lunch bag like the Packit lunch bags make an excellent sleeve-friendly purchase.

Some special exercise gear

If you have beautiful active wear you’ll be more likely to want to put it on and get out and about! A new pair of running shoes, a bright sporty top or a new pair of swimmers to wear to aqua can all make the perfect gift. If you’re not sure, perhaps a gift card so the choice is open.

A subscription to Healthy Food Guide

Healthy Food Guide is an Australian magazine packed with healthy recipes, articles and shopping suggestions. They have a dietitian on staff (this used to be me!) and all the information and recipes have to be approved by them so you know you’re getting good quality and healthy options. Check out the Healthy Food Guide Mag here.

A beautiful scarf

Losing lots of weight can lead to feeling cold all the time – even in summer! A beautiful warm scarf is a fabulous gift for anyone with a gastric sleeve.

A pill box for supplements

This is a popular daily go to within the LWAS Community group. In fact, one member said she has, “never used one before but with the supplements I take now it’s really important for me”. Grab one that has segments you can seperate so you can take the days’ worth of supplements to go and never forget to take them! There are plenty of options on Amazon.

The Portion Perfection Bariatric Set

Complete with the portion perfection bowl and plate which help you to work out how much of what to put on your plate (especially useful in the beginning). This set also comes with the Portion Perfection book and a 4-week bariatric meal plan. You can order it online at the Portion Perfection website.

A sleeve -friendly gourmet food pack

As you can’t have much you may as well have the best! Fill a hamper with delicious bits and pieces. A few ideas to get you started: nuts, dried fruit, herbal teas, your favourite protein bars or powder, excellent quality dark chocolate or gourmet seed crackers.

Have you got any other ideas? Post a comment below – I’d love to hear them!