Simple ways to eat more vegies after sleeve gastrectomy

Veggies are super important for all of us, but especially after a sleeve. Often we miss out on the fibre, vitamins and minerals that vegetables provide due to lack of space or because we focus too much on protein and forget about eating vegies after sleeve at all.

Ideally, you should try to eat vegetables twice a day – about 1/2 a cup each time or around half your meal (the other half being protein). Of course you can eat veg raw or cooked as part of a meal, but if you struggle to remember or you struggle with the texture, try these quick and easy ways to make sure you’re getting enough veg in your day.

The importance of vegies in the daily post-sleeve diet is explained in this fabulous bariatric pyramid from Nord Bariatric.

This first tip is my absolute favourite! Alternate your mouthfuls at each meal:  a bite of protein, a bite of veg. That way, when you fill up you know you’ll have eaten half and half. This one works at main meals, at snacks, when you’re eating at home or eating out.

If you prefer to focus on protein at main meals, eat your vegetables as snacks . Some simple vegie-packed snack ideas include:

• Vegie sticks or a punnet of cherry tomatoes – they’re sweet and require no preparation!
• Leftover roast veg from dinner the night before
• A piece of vegie-based bread like this zucchini bread or this zucchini rice slice.
• A mini vege-packed muffin like this spinach, sweet potato and sun dried tomato muffin.

Snack on some cherry tomatoes – no chopping needed!

Get some vegies and some fluid in in one go by drinking a vegie juice. Just make sure it’s a whole juice, so you get the fibre, as well as the juice, and also make sure the majority of your juice is vegetable, and not fruit so you don’t end up drinking too many empty calories.

Image: Healthy Food Guide

Trick yourself like you would a toddler, by cooking vegies into all your meals. Try:

• A vegie-packed spag bol like this one from The Healthy Food Guide,
• A vegetable based stew or soup like a minestrone, pea and ham or a lentil and pumpkin soup (make sure you keep the protein in, too).

Mash it. Mashed vegies are usually really well tolerated after a sleeve as it usually takes out any texture issues if you’re sensitive. Just make sure you add protein to your mash so you’re getting a good balance. Try:

• Stir through a protein powder such as Beneprotein or Bodiez Clear Protein Powder through your mashed cauliflower, pumpkin or potato. Or,
• Try a puree like this beef and pumpkin puree from the blog.

Incorporate vegetables into breakfast. Get a step ahead by getting some veg in first thing! Some tasty, easy options include:

• Throwing some greens in your smoothie.
• Adding some mushrooms, capsicum or spinach in your scrambled eggs.
• Go with some savoury vegie fritters with some Greek yoghurt (or just by themselves if you’re on the run).

Add vegies to your morning smoothie.

So tell me, how do you get your vegies in? Do you do some of the above or do you do something completely different? Please comment below and let me know!