Have you tried freezing the barley separately and adding it back in after reheating the soup? Wonder if that would help keep the texture from turning into mush. Also curious—did you find blended soups easier to eat after surgery compared to chunkier ones? I've heard mixed things from patients about what feels comfortable post-op, so always looking for more real-world input...
Freezing barley separately is actually a pretty smart idea—I haven't tried it myself, but logically it should help keep the texture intact. From what I've seen with patients, blended soups generally seem easier right after surgery because there's less risk of bits getting stuck or irritating the surgical site. Chunkier soups can be okay after a few days, but initially, smoother textures tend to be safer and more comfortable. I'd probably stick with blended at first just to be cautious...
Freezing barley separately sounds clever, but knowing me, I'd probably forget it's in there and find it months later covered in freezer burn, lol. I'm definitely leaning toward blended soups at first—no way am I risking a rogue veggie chunk sabotaging my recovery. But speaking of texture, has anyone tried smoothies with oats or chia seeds post-surgery? Wondering if those tiny seeds are sneaky troublemakers or if they're safe enough to blend in...
Haha, freezer burn barley sounds exactly like something I'd do too. I swear my freezer is like a black hole—stuff goes in and never comes out again until it's unrecognizable. Anyway, about the chia seeds and oats...I actually tried both after my wisdom teeth removal last year. Oats were totally fine as long as I blended them really well. They made smoothies thicker and more filling, which was great since I was starving all the time but couldn't chew anything solid.
Chia seeds, though...ehhh, I'm a bit on the fence. Even blended, they still had that tiny gritty texture, and I was paranoid they'd get stuck in the healing sockets. Probably just me being overly cautious, but I ended up skipping them until I was fully healed. If you're worried about texture, maybe try ground flaxseed instead? It's smoother and blends in better without leaving those sneaky little seed bits behind.
Also, random tip: frozen bananas were my lifesaver. They made smoothies creamy and cold enough to soothe the swelling without needing ice cubes (which can water things down). Plus, bananas are gentle on the stomach if you're taking pain meds.
Now you've got me curious—has anyone experimented with protein powders post-surgery? I debated it but chickened out because I wasn't sure if they'd irritate the healing areas or not.
Protein powders are totally doable after surgery, at least in my experience. I used a plant-based one (pea protein, I think?) and blended it really well with almond milk and frozen fruit—no irritation or issues at all. But yeah, chia seeds...I feel you on that paranoia. Those tiny suckers get everywhere, and the last thing you want is to find one stuck days later. Flaxseed was my go-to also—way smoother and less anxiety-inducing, haha.
