So just had partial glossectomy and neck dissection. Last week on nov 13. Thanksgiving is coming up and i want to make sure everything is normal as possible for my young kids. I won’t be cooking this year—this will possibly even get me out of cleaning!!! But also can’t eat much. I have found that smoothies and mashed potatoes are my new friends these days, but was hoping to switch it up even just a little bit to participate in the holiday. Any tips/recipes/links would be greatly appreciated!

Kala, Ive found sweet potatoes are easy to eat along with the old staple of mashed potatoes. You could mix mashed potatoes with stuffing so its easier to eat, maybe add a little gravy too. You could try some of the dark meat turkey with gravy. How about a roll with lots of butter dipped in a little gravy? Ive found sauces, butter, gravy, etc all make things easier to swallow. For Thanksgiving, you could try dipping things in cranberry sauce too. Also many canned vegetables or overcooking fresh or frozen ones like peas, carrots, cauliflower if you mash them up a little may be something you can try. Thanksgiving is a great holiday where you can take very small portions and give things a try. Take your time eating, concentrate on what you're chewing and avoid talking when trying to eat. You dont want to have any issues with your stitches or the very tender areas where you just had surgery.

Below is a link to a list I made up to help people who have trouble eating. I thought of this to help OC patients who were going thru radiation or in their recovery afterwards. But it applies to anyone who is unable to eat like they were prior to their cancer diagnosis. Many other members posted their ideas and tips. When reading thru the thread's pages, you'll find some recipes mixed in there too.

Happy Thanksgiving

List of Easy to Eat Foods