Bariatric-Friendly Kitchen Gadgets: Essential Tools for a Healthier Post-Surgery Lifestyle
I always ask my bariatric patients during their follow-up visit how you feel after having your meals; when, what and how you are eating, and are you complying to the suggested diet behavior advice of eating slowly, chewing well, taking small bites, and avoiding distractions like watching TV, talking on phone or use of other screens during eating to avoid discomforts, if any, and are you using bariatric-friendly kitchen gadgets to prepare your meals.
Importance of Portion Control
I always suggest my patients to serve their own meals to keep control over the portion size because if someone else serves you and puts more food on your plate you are then more likely to push it to try to finish and land-up having nausea, vomiting, difficulty in breathing, bloating or dumping.
Bariatric-Friendly Kitchen Gadgets
Kitchen gadgets are excellent tools to help you prepare your meals to aid in weight loss after bariatric surgery. The correct tools can help you achieve your health goals and sustain them for the long term!! Here are some of my favorite tools you must have in your kitchen to make meal prep more fun, easy, quick, interesting, and healthful.
Let’s know about my favorite bariatric-friendly kitchen gadgets!!
Water infuser
People sometimes feel difficulty in drinking plain water after undergoing bariatric surgery. Water infuser helps you to add various flavors and aromas to the water such as mint, lemon, lime, apple, berries, and basil, etc. to build up your liquid intake to stay hydrated.
Steamer
Steamed veggies make a healthy snack or mid-meal. You may enjoy your favorite vegetables with hung curd dip, hummus, or guacamole to add lots of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, flavors, and colours to your meals.
Bariatric Plate
The bariatric plate is an 8-inch diameter portion perfect plate having markings to help you structure your main course meals. The instructions written around the plate relate to all the diet behaviors required to get the best food tolerance with your surgery.
Bariatric Bowl
The bariatric bowl gives you the exact measurement of your portion size, starting from 1/4th cup to 1½ cup in it. You may pour in your cereals, soups, lentils, curd, or even desserts straight to the intended serve and easily control your meal portion and calorie intake.
Meat tenderizing mallet
The meat mallet relaxes the meat fibers and makes it softer to chew and delicious to eat. You may marinate your pounded meats with lemon, curd, spices, and condiments and grill it to enjoy the goodness of protein.
Shaker Cups/Travel mugs
These are made to mix protein powders with different fluids like water, vegetable juices, buttermilk, low-fat milk, and soy or almond milk. These shaker cups are easy to carry and great for traveling as they are designed to fit in cup holders in your vehicle, they usually have a small opening on the side to sip from which helps in avoiding straws.
Insulated Tumblers
As you are advised to drink at a slow pace after undergoing bariatric surgery to avoid nausea or vomiting, maintaining food temperature and taste of the food/palatability is a task for most of my patients. Insulated cups are a great tool to help you keep your protein drinks cold or soups hot for longer to assist in eating or drinking slowly.
Air fryers
These are essentially countertop-size convection ovens. You may use them to air fry, bake and grill, roast, or steam your favorite dishes. With air frying, you may reduce oil usage by up to 80% and may afford to eat your temptations and enjoy oil-free versatile meals.
Spiralizer
If you are a noodle lover, a spiralizer is a great tool for you to create mock noodles out of vegetables like zucchini, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and carrots. This can be a great way to add back your favorite noodles in your diet with a healthful twist. You may toss your noodles with your favorite oil-free sauce and seasonings.
Small spoons
Eating with a small or dessert spoon helps you abide by the advice to have small bites, so you may chew it well and don’t land-up puking later.
Oil Mister
Oil misters help you control the use of oil while cooking. These special misters are helpful in lightly and evenly coating pans to make pancakes, omelets, cheelas, uttapams, dosa, and sauté veggies, etc.
Conclusion: Kitchen as the Starting Point for Weight Loss
The kitchen is the perfect place from where your weight loss journey should kick start, not the gym because weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise!! It’s a fact that when you do meal planning and meal prep in advance and cook your own meals with the help of these super kitchen gadgets, you are more likely to consume much nutritious food having fewer calories. Self-cooking is the best way to ensure that your meals are bariatric-friendly and aren’t full of fat, salt, and sugar. However, for some of us, everyday cooking can be a task, however, using the right variety of kitchen gadgets would make it a simple and enjoyable experience!!
For those considering weight loss surgery in Delhi, we at Smart Cliniqs offer effective solutions and surgical options to help you achieve your weight loss goals.