35 Liquid Diet Recipes (Food Ideas After Surgery)

When you’re recovering from certain surgeries, you may be advised to stick to a liquid diet for a specific amount of time. 

For foodies, this can be a disheartening experience to go through. After all, what liquid food actually tastes good?

Well, there are actually plenty of dishes that taste good, even when they are in softer or liquid forms. 

Below, we have listed 35 liquid diet recipes that we already know you are going to fall in love with. Not only are they tasty, but they are so easy to make at home!

RECIPE	CALORIES	PREP TIME
Apple Sauce	70 kcal per serving	5 mins
Banana Almond Milk Smoothie	312 kcal	5 mins
Beer Cheese Soup	630 kcal	10 mins
Berry Banana Shake	120 kcal	10 mins
Buttermilk Citrus Shake	317 calories	5 mins
Chicken Consommé	250 calories *	30 mins
Coconut Banana Chia Pudding	235 calories *	15 mins
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake	98 calories *	10 mins
Cream of Mushroom Soup	194 calories *	10 mins
Cream of Pea Soup	160 kcal	10 mins

*These calorie intakes are estimates.

1. Apple Sauce

Apple sauce may be fairly cheap to purchase ready-made at the store, but trust us when we say that there is nothing better than a batch of homemade apple sauce. Plus, it is so easy to make at home!

You may satisfy your appetites and give yourself some nutrition by creating this apple sauce. 

You may be sure that the sauce will be of exceptional quality and flavor because fresh apples were used to produce it.

This recipe just calls for a small amount of additional ingredients, such as butter, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. 

It takes barely any time to cook, and if you prefer your apple sauce smooth, you can use a potato masher to get rid of any lumps.

2. Banana Almond Milk Smoothie

Although it tastes like a milkshake, this nutritious banana almond milk smoothie with flax, vanilla, and a dash of cinnamon is healthy and full enough to keep you going for hours. 

It almost seems impossible to think that this beverage is healthful enough to serve in place of a balanced meal.

This smoothie with bananas and almond milk could be the ideal addition to your liquid morning regimen. It has a high quantity of protein and is velvety and sweet.

This delicious milkshake, which has flavors of bananas, almonds, and even a dash of cinnamon, is the perfect solution if you’re looking for something to sate your sweet tooth while you’re recovering after surgery.

3. Beer Cheese Soup

You might believe that beer and cheese are an odd pairing, especially in a soup. Actually, this is a very well-known classic that was born in Wisconsin.

Our soup is very nutritious compared to some of the other options on this list and has a texture and flavor that are both balanced.

Additionally, it is wonderfully hearty and filling, giving you energy for the remainder of the day.

In addition to beer and cheese, this soup also needs broth, cream, and a tonne of fresh vegetables to become the rich, nutrient-rich, flavor-packed delight that it is. 

If you’re unsure whether beer and cheese go along well, you should give it a try. Smooth, zesty, and mouthwatering describes this soup.

4. Berry Banana Shake

Especially if you depend on a liquid diet for a prolonged period of time, super shakes are one of the diets you need to include in your plan. 

These incredible shakes are loaded with vitamins, proteins, minerals, and good fats.

This particular berry-filled shake provides you with high-quality liquid nourishment and can be compared to a feast in a cup. 

Fruits, water, protein powder, and good fats are used to make it. Surprisingly, you wouldn’t know from the taste that it even has two hidden vegetables in it.

This is just one of the many tasty, nutrient-dense shakes that you can make at home, and we encourage you to give them all a try.

5. Buttermilk Citrus Shake

Refreshing orange and lemon juice make a fantastic pairing in these buttermilk citrus shakes. 

The balance of fruits offers its consumer with enough energy to take on the day, while being light on their stomach.

In addition to providing this shake a tart, zingy flavor, the buttermilk also reduces its fat content while giving it a fruity thickness that you won’t find in a straightforward fruit smoothie.

Citrus liquids are used to give this beverage a fruit juice flavor, but with many more flavors.

By adding and blending up some ice cubes, this shake is the perfect cool-down beverage for a hot summer’s day. We recommend this for the warmer months of the year.

6. Chicken Consommé (with Chicken Cilantro Gyoza)

Whether or not you’ve had this recipe before, we’re sure it will become one of your new favorite comfort foods. It has savory flavors that will warm and comfort you on the inside.

A form of broth called chicken consommé is created by clarifying homemade chicken stock, adding some foamy egg whites, and cooking it with a tonne of delectable, healthy vegetables.

This recipe is not only delicious and filling, but it is also quite healthy.

The only drawback to this recipe is that cooking it might take up to four hours, so you might want to start early.

7. Coconut Banana Chia Pudding

A fantastic combo is always produced by banana and coconut, as both fruits are loaded with nutritional content and offer deep, traditional flavors. 

This coconut banana chia pudding makes the ideal breakfast or treat to prepare ahead of time.  It’s wonderful, substantial, and also vegan.

Chia seeds are high in fiber, and coconut milk gives a delightful hint of coconut flavor while making it creamy.

They are an excellent source of protein and oxidants, which aid in the body’s removal of free radicals. When combined, the components can keep you full for a very long time.

This pudding is really adaptable; you can customize it by adding whatever toppings you choose. We recommend including some coconut shreds or pieces of extra fruit.

8. Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

The recipe that comes next is actually much healthier than you might think.

This delightful shake with flavors of peanut butter and chocolate will fill you up and give you the energy you need to face the day ahead of you.

This delicious milkshake is ideal for vegans and vegetarians because it contains Vega One protein powder and some non-dairy milk. Here is a beverage that is suitable for everyone!

Be sure to bookmark and add this dish to your diet list if you’re seeking for a lot of protein in your liquid diet, or you’re always attempting to sate your sweet craving.

9. Cream Of Mushroom Soup

This Cream of Mushroom Soup dish is great for particularly cold winter evenings, and even better for those on a liquid diet. It is thick and silky while somehow remaining light. It is filling and substantial.

Big pieces of creamy mushrooms and roasted onions add to the deep mushroom taste of this soup.

To liven up the dish and enhance the flavor, incorporate in some fresh vegetables, and if you desire, set aside a few toasted mushrooms as a topping.

This soup is a fantastic main dish for a light lunch, or the ideal first meal for a lively dinner party. Even better, you can simply make it entirely from scratch in about 20 minutes from start to finish.

10. Cream Of Pea Soup

Smooth, nutritious, and simple to prepare on the stove top is this lovely green soup. You can make this delicious soup in less than an hour, including the time for both preparation and cooking.

Three cups of peas and vegetable broth are used to make this rich, luxuriously soft soup. There isn’t much else you really need because this soup lets the flavor of the organic peas show through.

On chilly, dreary nights when you crave home cooking, it is the ideal liquid diet.

You can easily prepare this soup at home as long as you have a blender, heavy whipping cream, and a tonne of vegetables, including peas.

11. Creamy Asparagus Soup

This asparagus soup is smooth, fragrant, and rich, and it’s also easy to make. Make sure you have plenty for further servings because the silky texture melts in your mouth and leaves you craving more.

This soft, flavorful, and creamy asparagus soup is simple to make, full of interesting tastes.

For this dish, utilizing fresh ingredients is highly advised because they simply elevate the flavors and textures to an entirely new level.

You should reheat this soup when you are ready to eat it, as it is best served warm and hot. Therefore, don’t be scared to prepare a sizable quantity and save a few portions in the refrigerator for later.

12. Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This robust broccoli cheddar soup employs common ingredients that you probably already have in your home and is packed with delectable flavors.

The ingredients used in this dish are nothing remarkable, yet they taste amazing anyway.

This dinner may be entirely prepared and cooked in only 30 minutes. To make this soup thick and smooth, use a blender.

Make sure not to add the dairy product when making the soup if you intend to freeze it; instead, add it when you are reheating it.

You can’t go wrong using this recipe because it is so delightfully velvety, substantial, and rich, has the ideal balance of creaminess and consistency, and is packed with broccoli cheesy flavors.

13. Dark Chocolate Mousse

This chocolate mousse will be an excellent choice for you if you have a sugar craving and are in the mood for something chocolaty and velvety smooth.

Dark chocolate is used to make this smooth, luscious chocolate mousse, which gives the dessert its flavor.

Simple ingredients like chocolate, cream, sugar, and a few more that you probably already have in your home are all that are required for this recipe.

The production of this recipe is not as difficult as you might imagine, and the dish is wonderful, chocolaty, and almost impossible to resist.

In actuality, preparing and eating this cuisine only takes about 15 minutes. In little to no time, you can sit down and enjoy this dessert.

14. Eggnog

Who said you had to wait until the holiday season to appreciate one of these rich drinks? According to us, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of them during the entire year.

Eggnog is a sugary, frothy drink that is especially beneficial to people who do not have any lactose ingredient sensitivities.

Depending on your particular requirements, you can serve this beverage warm or cold, and it tastes great either way.

Although this drink is particularly popular around Christmas, as we already explained, you can still include it in your liquid diet even though Christmas hasn’t yet arrived.

Actually, it functions quite well as a summer beverage to keep you cool in the sun.

15. Fruit Punch

Next, we’ll discuss a clever approach to use your fruits, so they don’t waste away in your fruit bowl when you’re unable to eat solid things.

This amazing fruit punch recipe is so unbelievably tasty and easy to make thanks to the delicious blend of cranberry, lime, orange, and pineapple. It has a core of four different fruit flavors with a dash of ginger ale on top.

This non-alcoholic fruit punch is suitable for anyone who dislikes alcohol.

However, there is no reason why you couldn’t add a little vodka and serve at your next family gathering if you wanted to save this dish for a later date.

16. Gelatin

Jell-o is one of those sweets that you can never go wrong with when it comes to selecting dishes that are appropriate for people who are unable to chew their food. 

Even while it might not be the healthiest food you can eat, it can still give you the energy and calories you need to get through the day.

These recipes are more inclusive for a significant section of our readers since all three of these gelatin recipes are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

The preparation of this gelatin will require patience since it will take approximately four hours to complete, but the wait will be insignificant given the quality of the end result.

17. Ginger Ale

This recipe makes a delicious, healthy soft drink substitute that is also quick and easy to make.

If you want to reduce weight, you might enjoy this ginger ale as part of a light liquid diet. With a few ice cubes to keep it cold, this ginger ale is especially cool and refreshing for a hot summer afternoon.

Grab some fresh ginger if you have any in your refrigerator and take advantage of the situation. To make delicious ginger ale, make your own homemade ginger syrup and blend it with water and lemon juice.

18. Green Smoothie

You’ve probably either tried one yourself or heard about how effective green smoothies are for weight loss, whether you like the idea of them or not.

Many green vegetables blended together in a smoothie may seem awful to some people, but they in fact pair rather well.

Since there are only a few cups of vegetables and about 2 cups of fruit in this recipe, the fruit’s sweetness provides the majority of the flavor. The taste of the veggies, especially spinach, is rather weak.

Try sipping one of these smoothies once a day if you’re having trouble getting enough fruit and vegetables in your diet every day. 

19. Hot Chocolate

For individuals who adore chocolate, hot chocolate will be added to the list of liquid diets.

Even though it might not be the healthiest thing on this list, it’s undoubtedly one of the tastiest, especially if you have a sweet craving.

This hot chocolate has a fruitful, strong chocolate flavor and is silky, smooth, and created with two types of chocolate. To make this sweet beverage, all you need are five easy ingredients and five minutes.

This chocolate beverage keeps well in the refrigerator for five days when made in big batches and maintained in an airtight container.

Within minutes, you can enjoy the beverage in your preferred mug after simply heating it.

20. Marshmallows

Consider whipping up some homemade marshmallows to top off any hot chocolate you plan to make, as we stated in the last chapter.

Due to the use of agar-agar, a seaweed product, in place of gelatin in the recipe, these marshmallows are fully dairy-free and vegan friendly.

These marshmallows taste and burn identically to standard marshmallows.

When following a liquid diet, marshmallows are an excellent option for small snacks because they are so simple to consume. For these silky, puffed snacks, chewing is not necessary.

21. Mashed Cauliflower With Caramelized Onions And Mushrooms

More people are becoming aware that cauliflower may be used in place of, well, pretty much everything in recent years. You can use this vegetable to create pizza crusts, grains of rice, and even some desserts.

This dish uses this very adaptable vegetable to produce a dish that is strikingly similar to mashed potatoes.

The lack of carbohydrates makes it significantly healthier, and some people may even claim that it tastes better than mashed potatoes.

A dish of mashed cauliflower can be consumed on its own or with the addition of sauce, e.g., gravy, to give it some additional taste.

22. Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Who said you couldn’t have a large bowl of creamy mashed sweet potatoes without waiting until Thanksgiving?

We believe there is no excuse for you not to eat this dish at any time of the year, particularly if you are currently following a liquid diet.

You can still enjoy mashed sweet potatoes as a dinner or side dish even if you are not currently on a liquid diet. We think that mashed sweet potatoes with maple and cinnamon are much better than plain white potatoes.

Mash the ingredients up, and eat it while it’s still warm. What are you waiting for?

23. Mineral Broth

Next is this nutritionally superior vegetable broth, which is rich in magnesium and potassium. It is created with a variety of veggies that have been cut up but not peeled.

This nutrient- and mineral-rich Magic Mineral Broth can be consumed on its own or as a foundation for a number of other recipes, including soups, curries, and stews.

Making a big batch of this deliciousness to freeze and use later in various recipes is advised.

The goal is to slowly boil a variety of nutrient and mineral-rich veggies to incorporate them into the broth. The end product is a flavorful, nutrient-rich soup.

24. Mixed Berry Smoothie

This 5-minute Mixed Berry Smoothie recipe combines yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries with a touch of honey.

This delicious smoothie just requires three ingredients, all of which are wonderfully healthy and sweet, to come together.

These include a variety of berries, honey, and natural yogurt. If you use frozen berries, the smoothie will be much smoother and thicker, so either buy them frozen or freeze the berries first.

You can use non-dairy milk, such as almond milk or coconut water, if you want to add a non-dairy liquid to the smoothie.

25. Pumpkin Chai Latte

On colder days, this warming, cozy, and nutritious pumpkin chai latte is the ideal liquid diet. 

This latte is so delicious, and it is also devoid of all gluten, sugar, lactose, and other additives, and paleo-friendly, making it incredibly adaptable and suitable for persons with a variety of sensitivities. 

Pumpkin is a good source of vitamins A, C, and E, which together give your system antioxidants and strengthen the immune system. Nutrients like thiamine, folate, and vitamin B-complex are also present.

Additional components like salt, and honey give this pumpkin latte a deep flavor.

Depending on whether you prefer your beverage to be saltier or sweeter, you can add or omit any of these components. It is all down to your own personal preference.

26. Purin (Japanese Flan)

In essence, purin is a baked custard dessert that is also known as crème caramel or a flan. In Japan, purin are so widely available that you can buy them anywhere, including pâtisseries and grocery stores.

Silky, scrumptious, and sugary best describe this caramel custard. This velvety soft pudding drenched in caramel sauce won’t let you resist it.

Due to its creamy smoothness, it is not only fantastic for anyone following a liquid diet, but it also tastes amazing, especially when made from scratch.

You shouldn’t have any trouble cooking this recipe at home, since it doesn’t call for any complicated ingredients or many steps.

27. Refried Black Beans

There is nothing quite like home cooking, even though you could just as easily grab a can of refried black beans from your cupboard and heat them up in a few minutes.

Although it does take around an hour and a half to complete, we promise that the wait is worth it.

These black beans will provide you with all the protein you require if you’re seeking for a quality source to include in your liquid diet.

You won’t have to worry about chewing, and it is creamy, healthful, and flavorful.

As a result, we advise trying this recipe rather than utilizing one of the cans that are already in the kitchen.

28. Spinach Soup

Next, we’ll add another delectable soup to your collection of comfort foods. Even though the idea of spinach soup might not be everyone’s idea of ‘tasty’, we assure you that it is flavorful.

Without using spinach leaves, this recipe for Clear Spinach Soup provides a flavorful and nutritious soup.

Spinach stalks that would normally be discarded in the trash are used to make this dish, so this recipe will help you reduce the amount of waste you toss away.

Without the use of dairy or other ingredients, this soup is produced purely from veggies and spices. This soup might be one of the healthiest, purest meals you’ve ever had if you consume it.

29. Spinach Vegetable Barley Bean Soup

This nourishing and substantial soup spinach vegetable barley bean soup is ideal for the colder months of the year. This vegetarian soup is a great source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

The soup is created with a flavorful broth made with miraculous minerals.

The wonderful part is that you can either savor the vegetable bits in this soup or purée it into a silky, velvety soup. You have complete control over it.

You wouldn’t have to stress yourself eating this comfort food because the components are so delicate and simple to swallow.

This nutrient-dense vegetable soup serves as a filling and nutritious meal in a bowl, giving you all the beneficial nutrients you require in liquid form.

30. Thai Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Thai red curry, coconut milk, and some fresh lime juice are used to make this filling, creamy soup.

This creamy, soothing, and tasty Thai coconut curry lentil soup is ideal for gluten-sensitive people, vegetarians, and vegans.

This soup adds variety to your diet plan and is livened up. Furthermore, it only takes thirty minutes to prepare and is so simple to throw together.

You may prepare this soup in massive amounts and store it in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days because it tastes so much better the next day. In this manner, preparing lunch the following day will be simple.

31. Tofu Ricotta

The following dish is also delicious and acceptable for vegetarians and vegans. Although tofu may not be everyone’s favorite food, we promise that this dish makes the most of the product.

This flavorful tofu ricotta is made with only 8 straightforward ingredients.

Unbelievably, despite being entirely dairy-free, this recipe does a fantastic job at simulating the texture of actual ricotta cheese. Try it for yourself if you don’t believe us.

This dish is excellent for a wide range of people because it is devoid of dairy, oil, and gluten in addition to being vegan-friendly.

32. Tomato Soup

One of those delectably warming dinners, tomato soup is especially great when paired with grilled cheese sandwiches that have been cut up.

If you’re on a liquid-only diet, you might have to forgo the grilled cheese, though.

We’re sorry! At least, you may save the recipe and use it again after your surgery to prepare some delectable ooey sandwiches to go with the soup.

This tomato soup is everything a soup should be: filling, flavorful, nutritious, and all-around pleasant.

Additionally, this dish just has to be prepared for 5 minutes and cooked for 25 minutes, so you can sit down to a nice meal right away.

33. Vanilla Bean Custard

You may easily get trifles, éclairs, and other pastries and treats packed with delectable, creamy custard.

Although this is a crucial ingredient in many desserts, it also tastes fantastic on its own, and can be enjoyed in a simple bowl alone.

This custard with genuine vanilla flavor is simple to make and requires about the same amount of time as regular custard.

It has a particular and delicious vanilla flavor and is so, so smooth. You can enjoy a bowl of custard by itself or with some delicious, fresh fruit chunks.

This vanilla bean custard is exactly what it says it is; it has the ideal ratio of light and creamy to heady vanilla bean flavor, which tastes so delectable when combined into one smooth product.

34. Vegetable Broth

Next, we have another recipe that makes use of vegetable scraps that would otherwise be discarded in the trash. This dish utilizes every component of the veggie and still tastes stunning.

Your leftover vegetable scraps can produce a broth with incredible flavor, as long as they have enough quantity and range.

Making broth is so simple; all you have to do is essentially dump all the scraps into a pot with some stock. This is its best feature. The heat from your stove will do all the hard work for you.

For people on liquid diets, broth is a blessing. They taste remarkable while providing you with all the nutrients you require.

35. Zucchini Cashew Thyme Soup

Last, but certainly not least, we have one more flavorful and nutritious soup for you to cook at home.

The heavy whipped cream in this recipe can be replaced with blended cashews, making it vegan-friendly as well.

Surprisingly, the smoothness of conventional soup may be perfectly re-created with these blended nuts. The thyme also adds a wonderful flavor to the soup that you will not want to overlook.

This soup is smooth, tasty, and bursting with unique tastes. It is also quite simple to make, taking less than an hour from start to finish. We wholeheartedly urge you to try this flavorful, nutritious soup.

Final Thoughts

So, there we have it: those were our top 35 picks for creamy foods that’ll keep anyone on a liquid diet full and satisfied. 

Whether you’re looking for a main meal, a side dish, or even a yummy dessert, there is something for everyone in our list above.

We hope you found this article helpful.