Surviving the Liquid Food Life After Jaw Surgery

Haha, spinach smoothies...been there, done that. I found blending leafy greens with frozen bananas or avocados helped smooth things out a lot. Also, straining the smoothie through a fine mesh sieve made a huge difference—got rid of those pesky little flecks completely. Only downside is cleaning the sieve afterward, but honestly, worth it to avoid the "swamp mouth" look post-surgery.

"Only downside is cleaning the sieve afterward, but honestly, worth it to avoid the 'swamp mouth' look post-surgery."

Hmm, I get the appeal of straining smoothies, but honestly, isn't that extra step kind of a hassle when you're already dealing with recovery? I found that using a high-powered blender (borrowed my sister's Vitamix for a bit) pretty much eliminated those leafy bits without needing to strain. Plus, less cleanup afterward—always a win when you're tired and sore. Also, avocado definitely helps texture-wise, but did anyone else find it made smoothies feel heavier? I ended up preferring frozen mango chunks instead; they smoothed things out nicely without feeling too thick or heavy.

Totally get the Vitamix love, but man, those things are pricey. I borrowed one from a friend for a week and it was amazing—but definitely out of my budget, especially after surgery bills piled up. I ended up getting by just fine with my trusty old NutriBullet. Sure, it wasn't quite as silky smooth, but honestly, it was good enough to avoid the dreaded swamp mouth without having to strain anything.

And yeah, avocado smoothies felt like drinking pudding sometimes. Tasty at first, but after a few days it was just too heavy for me. Frozen bananas and berries became my go-to—cheap, easy, and gave me that creamy texture without feeling like I swallowed cement. Plus, cleanup was literally just rinsing the cup and blade under hot water. Can't beat that when you're exhausted and sore from surgery...

NutriBullet's decent, but have you tried one of those cheap immersion blenders? I snagged one for like 20 bucks on sale and honestly, it was a lifesaver. Sure, it's not Vitamix-level smoothness, but way easier to clean than even the NutriBullet—just rinse the stick part under water and done. Also, avocado smoothies are overrated anyway... ever try blending peanut butter into your banana-berry mix? Game changer.

Totally agree about immersion blenders being underrated. I borrowed one from my sister after surgery, and honestly, it made soups way easier. NutriBullet's great for smoothies, but blending hot stuff in it always felt sketchy to me... like the pressure buildup or something? Anyway, peanut butter is a solid tip—also, if you're into chocolate, a spoonful of cocoa powder with banana and PB is pretty much dessert-level good. Makes the liquid diet thing feel less like punishment, haha.