Surviving the Liquid Food Life After Jaw Surgery

"Greek yogurt was another staple, but we also did cottage cheese blended smooth with peaches or berries. Sounds weird, I know, but it worked great and kept her feeling full longer."

Actually, that's not weird at all...I had jaw surgery last year and ended up relying a lot on blended cottage cheese and fruit. Greek yogurt was okay, but cottage cheese seemed to keep hunger at bay longer—maybe because of the higher protein content? I also found savory options helpful, like blended soups with lentils or chickpeas. Sweet smoothies got old fast, so mixing it up definitely helped maintain my sanity.

"Sweet smoothies got old fast, so mixing it up definitely helped maintain my sanity."

Totally agree about sweet smoothies getting boring quickly...I'm prepping for jaw surgery next month and honestly, the thought of endless sweet shakes is already stressing me out. Did you find savory soups filling enough? I'm also curious if anyone tried blending avocado or hummus for extra calories—seems like it could break up the monotony a bit. Glad to hear cottage cheese isn't as weird as it sounds, though!

Savory soups were honestly a lifesaver for me—way more satisfying than sweet smoothies after a while. Avocado blended pretty smoothly, but hummus got kinda gritty. Has anyone tried peanut butter? I'm tempted but worried it'll be too sticky...

Peanut butter can actually work pretty well, but it depends a lot on how you prep it. I've had patients who blended peanut butter into smoothies or shakes after jaw surgery, and the key seems to be thinning it out enough. If you're worried about stickiness, try mixing it with something like almond milk or even coconut water—this helps smooth out the texture and reduces that sticky feeling. Also, warming it slightly before blending can make a difference in consistency.

One thing to keep in mind is that peanut butter, while nutritious, can leave residue around surgical sites if it's too thick or gritty. So definitely blend thoroughly and rinse gently afterward. Have you considered powdered peanut butter? It's lighter and blends more smoothly without the stickiness issue. Might be worth giving that a shot if regular peanut butter seems daunting...

Good points about peanut butter—definitely agree on the powdered version. Regular peanut butter can be tricky, even when thinned out. Had a patient once who thought they'd blended it enough, but ended up with tiny gritty bits stuck around the surgical site. Not fun to clean out gently afterward...

Another alternative I've seen work well is cashew butter. It's naturally smoother and blends up creamier than peanut butter, plus it's less likely to leave residue. A bit pricier, sure, but might be worth it if you're struggling with texture. Also, adding a ripe banana or avocado can help smooth things out even more and give you some extra nutrients.

Just make sure whatever you try, you're rinsing gently afterward. Warm saltwater rinses are usually good enough—no need to go overboard with mouthwash or anything harsh.