Foods to Eat Post Surgery

When I was about 16 years old I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I had tried a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, but as a teenager struggling with being a teenager amongst other things, I could not bring myself to wear it. So my grandmother and I decided surgery would be the best option. I received the UPPP (uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) surgery. (You can read about it in my other article.) It was a success! BUT OW! As with any surgery, it still hurt afterward. I couldn’t eat many foods that I normally did, especially with the surgical site being literally inside my throat. So I opted for applesauce and ice cream. (I hate applesauce though.)  But that got me thinking, what other post-surgery foods with sleep apnea could I have eaten?

Post surgery foods with sleep apnea

Cold foods

So obviously ice cream is an option. But foods like smoothies, especially with vegetables blended in would be wonderful and healthy for you. If you can’t take sucking through the straw just lose it and use a spoon instead! Hey, no one said you can’t eat a smoothie with a spoon.

Opt for fruit or vegetables with low or no acidity with whatever you choose to eat, as they can irritate your throat.

Soft foods

Chocolate or vanilla pudding is easy to swallow and can be chilled as well. Puddings are pretty inexpensive too, especially if you buy the box mix.

Yogurt is another similar option as well. If you aren’t up for using utensils you can literally buy tubes of yogurt. They were popular when I was a kid, and come in a variety of flavors. They even have dessert yogurts now. I found a thicker chocolate moose option once at Walmart. It was very good, but not at all healthy.

More easy options

Scrambled eggs! They’re cheap, healthy, and taste good! They should be easy enough on your throat as well. If you aren’t in the mood for eggs, I can’t relate because I love eggs! (I get why Egghead decided on his villain persona… well sort of. It is still a weird villain theme.)

Food temperatures

Make sure you don’t eat anything right off the stove! Let your food cool down a bit or get to room temperature before eating it.

Mashed choices

Mashed potatoes are another alternative. I actually found some packs of instant mashed potatoes at my local dollar tree. It’s not as good as from scratch, but I doubt you’ll feel up to mashing the crap out of potatoes after surgery. Or maybe you will, you do you.

Hummus is another healthy option. However, I wouldn’t eat it with chips. A soft piece of sandwich bread would pair nicely with hummus.

Soups

Soup, if it’s bland and again not straight off the stove, is a filling and easy meal to swallow. Make sure the ingredients aren’t going to irritate your throat. For example, I wouldn’t choose anything with tomato if I were you.

As always, it’s best to consult with your doctor before you have your surgery about what is best for you personally to eat afterward. I hope these options have given you some ideas though! Let me know what your favorite food is, post your sleep apnea surgery.

Please share your favorite post-surgery foods below.