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Daily menus - vegetarians

TiaLi

Active Member
When I did my research prior to surgery I read through several long threads on here where people added their daily menus post surgery. They were all very enlightening in terms of quantities people ate at various stages, and also good for inspiration. One thing I struggled to find however, was the same but for vegetarians/vegans/pescaterians. With so much focus on protein, most menu ideas tend to be very heavy on meat and poultry.

So - I thought I'd try and start my own! I'd love for others to join in as I (and probably many others) could use the inspiration! Especially those who did not follow a vegetarian diet before, but are now finding meat a bit difficult post surgery.

A quick list of some of the best (i.e. with the highest concentration) non-meat protein sources from each food category:


Eggs & Dairy
· Eggs
· Cottage cheese (Arla Protein has the highest concentration, at 12.3g per 100g)
· Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0% Fat is a great low-cal alternative, 10.3g protein per 100g)
· Milk
· Cheese (Babybel Light is an excellent low-cal/high protein snack, at 5g protein but only 43 calories)

Beans & Pulses
· Lentils (any)
· Beans (any)
· Chickpeas
· Soy
· Tofu (made from soy)
· Tempeh (made from soy)

Nuts & Seeds
· Chia seeds
· Pumpkin seeds
· Peanuts
· Pistachios
· Cashews
· Almonds
· Sunflower seeds

Grains
· Spelt
· Quinoa
· Teff

Vegetables
· Edamame
· Mushrooms
· Peas
· Kale
· Spinach
· Broccoli

Meat substitutes
· Soy-based meat substitutes
· Quorn (mycoprotein derived from fungi)
 
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TiaLi

Active Member
Thursday
Breakfast: 3 melba toast crackers, 2 cherry tomatoes and Arla Protein Cottage Cheese
Lunch: 2 small Cauldron falafels with Greek yogurt dip
Dinner: 200 ml Broccoli & Stilton soup

Snack: 25g Protein-enhanced soy snacks (15g protein, 100 cals)
Drinks: 1.2 litres of water

Friday
Breakfast: Scrambled egg
Lunch: Homemade zucchini fritter with puy lentils, crumbled feta cheese, 2 cherry tomatoes and Greek yogurt dip
Dinner: Homemade zucchini fritter with puy lentils, crumbled feta cheese, 2 cherry tomatoes and Greek yogurt dip

Snack: 2 Babybel Light
Drinks: 1.3 litres of water (I WILL manage 2 litres one of these days!)
Total cals/protein: App 600 calories and 60g protein
 
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TiaLi

Active Member
Had no appetite at all yesterday, so intake stopped at 319 calories and 32g protein. Far too little, I know.

Breakfast: Nothing
Lunch: 3 melba toast crackers with 30g of reduced fat hummus
Dinner: 2 Quorn Swedish style balls with lentil salad and some cottage cheese

Snack: 1 Babybel Light
Drinks: 1.1 litres of water (need to up this too)
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's menu:

Breakfast: Mushroom omelette
Lunch: Caprese salad (mozzarella, tomatoes and fresh basil)
Dinner: Homemade chickpea and spinach curry (no rice or anything with it, just the curry. Don't dare to try rice yet, and am focusing on protein at this stage)

Snacks: 32 g roasted edamame beans (136 calories, 14g of protein) + 2 grapes
Drinks: 1.3 litres water

Photo: My lunch, in a ramekin. Half a pack mozzarella (Tesco's 50% less fat), a couple of cherry tomatoes and torn fresh basil. Seasoned with 2 sprays olive oil and some herbal salt. 108 calories and 12.5g protein.
klkhhk.jpg
 
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TiaLi

Active Member
Surely I can't be the only vegetarian here? Yesterday's menu:

Breakfast: Scrambled egg (1 whole medium egg+ one egg white) with cheese, oregano and cherry tomatoes (15g protein, 125 cals)
Lunch: 4 strawberries (ok, not much of a lunch...)
Dinner: Grilled half fat halloumi with spinach & watercress salad, 2 cherry tomatoes and a splash of honey/mustard dressing (the halloumi is quite salty so the dressing balances it out a bit). (14g protein, 162 cals - plus the salad, but that is virtually nothing)

Drinks: 1.2litres of water
Snacks: 2 Babybel Light cheese (10g protein, 84 cals)

Photos: Breakfast and dinner, both on side plates.
IMG_20170524_110347_014a.jpg IMG_20170525_132351_322a.jpg
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's menu:

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with light cheese (108 cals, 12g protein)
Lunch: 1 rosemary & red onion veggie soy sausage, 1 butternut squash & spinach croquette, spinach and watercress salad, Greek yogurt dip (158 calories, 13g protein)
Dinner: 2 small Indian-spiced lentil, spinach & carrot koftas, puy lentils, 2 cherry tomatoes, paprika/garlic yogurt dip (132 calories, 10g protein)

Snack: Protein-enhanced soy snacks and 2 strawberries (126 calories, 15g protein)
Drinks: 1.3 litres of water

Photos: Lunch and dinner, both on side plates

IMG_20170526_160620_524a.jpg IMG_20170527_180050_830a.jpg
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's menu:

Breakfast: 1 fried egg and 1 ryvita with cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes and thyme
Lunch: Salad made of pearl barley, spinach, feta cheese, spring onion, cherry tomatoes and pomegranate seeds
Dinner: Same as lunch

Snacks: 2 grapes, 1 apple slice
Drinks: 1.3 litres water, 300ml of no added sugar pomegranate & aronia juice

Photos: Breakfast and lunch/dinner

IMG_20170610_130112_325a.jpg IMG_20170610_125850_417a.jpg
 
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Nearly there-1

Active Member
You know when my problems sorted out I think vegi is the way to go. Your meals look very tasty and light on the digestion.
I have not eaten meat in nearly three years and have not missed it at all!
Thanks for you suggestions it will be something to look forward to once I can eat properly .
 

TiaLi

Active Member
You know when my problems sorted out I think vegi is the way to go. Your meals look very tasty and light on the digestion.
I have not eaten meat in nearly three years and have not missed it at all!
Thanks for you suggestions it will be something to look forward to once I can eat properly .

Glad you found it helpful. I haven't had any issues at all in terms of reacting badly to things I've eaten (not counting the issues I had with eating and drinking in general for the first two months), but to be fair that could just be down to my pouch being quite hardy as opposed to my meals being vegetarian, who knows. I have made sure to stay away from some things that are harder to digest such as sweetcorn though (can't wait to be able to eat that, I love sweetcorn).
 

TiaLi

Active Member
3 months out today - 5.1 stones down since surgery! Yesterday's food:

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with light cheese and chives + one ramekin of my home-made protein boost smoothie (1/4 of a frozen banana, frozen blueberries, raspberries, unsweetened almond milk and vanilla-flavoured protein powder) topped with chia seeds and toasted almond flakes (185 cals, 24g protein)
Lunch: Salad made of quinoa, bulgur, yellow pepper, peas, spring onion, feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. Mustard vinaigrette.
Dinner: Same as lunch (will have enough for tomorrow as well)

Snacks: Half a pack (15g) of protein-enhanced soy puff snacks (63 cals, 7.5g protein)
Drinks: 1.5 litres of water, 200ml no added sugar pomegranate/aronia juice

Photos: breakfast and lunch/dinner

IMG_20170613_105550_534a.jpg IMG_20170612_181942_758a.jpg
 
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Maria61

Well-Known Member
3 months out today - 5.1 stones down since surgery! Yesterday's food:

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with light cheese and chives + one ramekin of my home-made protein boost smoothie (1/4 of a frozen banana, frozen blueberries, raspberries, unsweetened almond milk and vanilla-flavoured protein powder) topped with chia seeds and toasted almond flakes (185 cals, 24g protein)
Lunch: Salad made of quinoa, bulgur, yellow pepper, peas, spring onion, feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. Mustard vinaigrette.
Dinner: Same as lunch (will have enough for tomorrow as well)

Snacks: Half a pack (15g) of protein-enhanced soy puff snacks (63 cals, 7.5g protein)
Drinks: 1.5 litres of water, 200ml no added sugar pomegranate/aronia juice

Photos: breakfast and lunch/dinner

View attachment 20011 View attachment 20012
Looks yummy, fantastic weight loss too
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with chives and light cheese + one ramekin with home-made thick "tropical frozen protein shake" (frozen banana, frozen pineapple, frozen papaya, frozen mango, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla flavoured protein powder) topped with toasted almond flakes and chia seeds
Lunch: Vegetarian "Cobb salad" (shredded iceberg lettuce, spinach, avocado, tomato, egg, blue cheese and a light French dressing)
Dinner: Same as lunch

Snacks: None
Drinks: 1.5 litres water

IMG_20170614_102330_773a.jpg IMG_20170615_224324_673a.jpg
 
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TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast: 1 ramekin home-made thick berry protein shake (frozen banana, frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, unsweetened almond milk and protein powder)
Lunch: 2 ryvita with cottage cheese, egg and chives
Dinner: 2 spinach and feta filo triangles, lettuce, 1 cherry tomato and 1 mozzarella pearl

Snacks: Pomegranate seeds
Drinks: 1 litre water, 500ml no added sugar lemon squash (have an immense craving for acidic, almost sour things post surgery! Lemon squash with loads of ice and a few extra lemon slices - heaven!)

Photos: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

IMG_20170619_114318_689a.jpg IMG_20170618_202615_308a.jpg IMG_20170610_130010_896a.jpg
 

ItsmePaula

Active Member
Wow these do look delish. I am not a veggie but I do eat like one at times. I can take it or leave it depending on the day what I fancy.

Thank you TiaLi for sharing your meal idea's they are super dooper. And also it's nice to know that there is a light at the end of the LSD lol :)
 

Nearly there-1

Active Member
Well done with the weight loss, amazing!!
Just lying here watching my feed go in and eating with my eyes!!
Thanks for the amazing food ideas, looking forward to trying a few once I am sorted.
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Wow these do look delish. I am not a veggie but I do eat like one at times. I can take it or leave it depending on the day what I fancy.

Thank you TiaLi for sharing your meal idea's they are super dooper. And also it's nice to know that there is a light at the end of the LSD lol :)
Thanks @ItsmePaula , glad you like them. Yes, don't worry - there is light at the end of the LSD tunnel! Your surgery date is getting closer, you must be excited!

Well done with the weight loss, amazing!!
Just lying here watching my feed go in and eating with my eyes!!
Thanks for the amazing food ideas, looking forward to trying a few once I am sorted.
Thank you! I have a long way to go still, but it's a good start. Keeping my fingers crossed that you'll get a date for your revision surgery soon!
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Yesterday's meals:

Breakfast:
1 ramekin with thick, home-made tropical fruit (pineapple/mango/papaya) protein shake topped with almond flakes. I decreased the amount of almond milk and added more frozen banana this time, to get an almost ice cream like consistency - lovely, in this hot weather.
Lunch: Nothing. The heat made my appetite disappear completely, and as I was drinking more than usual I felt really full.
Dinner: Warm salad with puy lentils, grilled half-fat halloumi, cherry tomatoes, rocket, chives and red onion (+ a splash of low-fat honey/mustard dressing)

Snacks: None
Drinks: 1 litre water and 1.5 litres sugar free lemon squash

Photos: Breakfast and dinner

IMG_20170617_151106_826a.jpg IMG_20170619_181447_248a.jpg
 

missymoo

New Member
Thank you for taking the time to post. Everything looks amazing and very tasty. Do you have a wls fb page ?
 

TiaLi

Active Member
Thank you for taking the time to post. Everything looks amazing and very tasty. Do you have a wls fb page ?
Glad you find it useful! It helps me track what I eat as well. I don't have a wls fb page, but I'm on this forum pretty much every day. Most of my family and friends don't know about my surgery, so it really helps to have this site as support. Plus, I think even if they did know, there are some things that only other people who have been through the process can really understand.

Love that your surgeon's name is Dr Super btw! :D
 
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