Totally get the anxiety about bits getting stuck—I was exactly the same. Soup was my lifeline too, but honestly, after a week straight of blended veggies, I was desperate for something with more texture. I tried oatmeal thinking it'd be safe, but nope...those sneaky little oats got everywhere. Sweet potatoes were a total win, though. Wish I'd thought to mix in some cinnamon or something earlier to change things up.
Did anyone else find smoothies helpful or did the coldness make things worse? I kept hearing mixed things, and I was too nervous to risk it at first. Eventually gave in and tried a banana-peanut butter smoothie which was amazing, but the cold sensation around the stitches felt pretty weird. Curious if others had the same experience or if it was just me being overly cautious again, haha.
"Sweet potatoes were a total win, though. Wish I'd thought to mix in some cinnamon or something earlier to change things up."
Same here, sweet potatoes saved me big time. Smoothies were hit or miss—banana ones felt okay, but anything berry-related was torture with those tiny seeds sneaking everywhere...lesson learned the hard way, lol.
Sweet potatoes were my go-to as well. Smoothies drove me nuts, honestly...felt like I spent more time picking seeds out of brackets than actually drinking them. Soups were decent, but got boring fast.
"Wish I'd thought to mix in some cinnamon or something earlier to change things up."
Speaking of spices, anyone try savory seasonings like garlic or herbs in their mashed potatoes? Curious if that's comfortable or just asking for trouble...
I definitely went savory with mashed potatoes—garlic was a lifesaver, honestly. As long as it's powdered or finely minced and cooked soft, you're golden. Herbs like dill or parsley were fine too, but rosemary was tricky...those little bits got caught everywhere.
"Smoothies drove me nuts, honestly...felt like I spent more time picking seeds out of brackets than actually drinking them."
Haha, same here. Anyone brave enough to try spicy stuff, though? Mild curry powder maybe?
I actually did try mild curry powder once—wasn't my brightest idea, honestly. Even though it wasn't super spicy, the brackets seemed to amplify every tiny bit of heat. Felt like my mouth was glowing for hours afterward. 😂
"rosemary was tricky...those little bits got caught everywhere."
Totally agree about rosemary, by the way. I learned the hard way that anything fibrous or leafy is basically bracket kryptonite. Weirdly enough, though, finely ground cumin or paprika worked pretty well for me. They added flavor without causing too much irritation or getting stuck everywhere.
Did anyone else find temperature mattered a lot too? I noticed lukewarm food was way more comfortable than anything hot or cold—especially in those first few days after adjustments.
