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Thinly sliced deli meat can be a great protein option after gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or lap band surgery. It can be eaten on it’s own, as part of a meal, or as a snack. Deli meat can vary in protein amounts based on the meat and the portion size, but according to the USDA 1 cup of sliced deli ham or turkey offers around 185 calories, 1 gram carbohydrates, and 27 grams protein.
If you’ve got a pile of freshly sliced deli meat in your refrigerator, you might be wondering how to incorporate it all into your diet without getting bored or sick of eating the same thing. Certainly, you could just roll it up and eat it at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack. It would be a tasty way to work toward your post-op protein goal of 60-80 grams of protein daily after gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, or lap band surgery. As thinly sliced deli meats are often well tolerated after bariatric surgery, it would be a good choice.
For many people who have had weight loss surgery, the beginning phases of eating solid foods (Stages 4 and 5 in Dr. Shillingford’s post op diet) can be tricky to find foods that are well tolerated. If you find something that you tolerate well and enjoy, feel free to stick with it.
But as people progress in their post-op diets and advance to accommodate more food options, sometimes meals can become boring. If you are tolerating foods well, and looking to expand your palate without adding much in the way of carbohydrates, we’ve got a few good options to help inspire you to elevate your protein-rich meals or snack options to add some variety to your post-op diet while still sticking to the guidelines for weight loss.
- Ham/Swiss/Pickle- Try rolling your ham slice up with a slice of swiss. To add some flavor, slice a pickle slice into matchstick size pieces and lay in the center of your ham and swiss, then roll up the meat and cheese around the pickles for a Cuban-inspired roll up.
- Ham/Egg- IF you can tolerate eggs (many post bariatric surgery patients have a hard time with eggs), a ham and egg roll up can make a good meal. Scramble an egg, but cook it really thin and flat to use as a wrap. Some stores even sell pre-made ones. Roll the thin egg and ham slices up together for a protein rich meal or snack.
- Ham/Cheddar/red pepper strip/ranch- For post surgical bariatric patients who have progressed to eating fresh, raw vegetables, this roll up provides a nice little crunch in your roll up. By adding a thinly sliced red pepper strip and a drizzle of light ranch dressing to your ham and cheddar roll up, you get a burst of fresh flavor in your protein packed meal. If you’re feeling up to it, you could add a lettuce leaf or a few spinach leaves for added crunch and color.
- Ham/Cheddar/red pepper strip/ranch- For post surgical bariatric patients who have progressed to eating fresh, raw vegetables, this roll up provides a nice little crunch in your roll up. By adding a thinly sliced red pepper strip and a drizzle of light ranch dressing to your ham and cheddar roll up, you get a burst of fresh flavor in your protein packed meal. If you’re feeling up to it, you could add a lettuce leaf or a few spinach leaves for added crunch and color.
- Ham/Cream cheese/green onion- This roll up makes a good snack or if you cut it into a pinwheel can make an appealing protein based appetizer for company. Smear a little light whipped cream cheese on your ham slice and sprinkle with minced green onion, then roll up. Simple.
- Ham/cheddar/thin sliced green apple- Not everyone is going to like this roll up suggestion, but it’s worth a try. Green apple sliced thin or cut into matchsticks can add a nice sweet tang to an otherwise savory ham and cheddar wrap. Apples do provide carbohydrates, but the amount of apple used can be small enough to still easily accommodate the recommended 50 gram of carbohydrate daily limit.
These are a few suggestions for low carb ham roll up ideas but feel free to concoct your own! There’s no limit to the possibilities. Just make sure to follow the guidelines of high protein, low carbohydrate choices. Take small bites and chew them well. Take your time to eat. And separate your meals and your fluids.
Dr. Shillingford, MD, PA is a board-certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic, robotic, and bariatric surgery. His Boca Raton office is conveniently located close to Northwest Medical Center. While Dr. Shillingford is seeing patients via Telemedicine at this time, his office is conveniently located for future follow up appointments from patients in the Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Delray, and even Orlando areas. His gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients are often looking for high protein, low carbohydrate meal and snack ideas for their post bariatric surgery lifestyle. Check out Dr. Shillingford’s Facebook page, Instagram, and Pinterest for more gastric sleeve recipe ideas.