Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Starch/Bread
Each of the following is one portion.
|
Food |
Type |
Amount |
|
Breakfast Cereals |
|
|
|
Bread |
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Chapati Naan Bread |
|
|
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Rice |
|
|
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Pasta |
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Starchy Vegetables |
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Misc |
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Fruit
Each of the following is one portion. Aim for 5 portions a day from a variety of fruits and vegetables.
|
Food |
Amount |
Food |
Amount |
|
Apple, pear and oranges |
1 |
Melon Pineapple |
1½ cm slice or 2 tinned slices |
|
Apricots |
4 |
Nectarine Peach |
1 |
|
Avocado Pear |
¼ of medium pear |
Kiwi Plums |
2 |
|
Banana |
1 small |
Prunes (stewed) |
9 |
|
Clementines, Satsumas and Tangerines |
2 |
Strawberries |
6oz/180g |
|
Grapes |
20 |
Currants Raisins Sultanas |
1 tablespoon |
|
Grapefruit or Mango |
½ |
1 small glass of unsweetened fruit juice |
5 fluid oz/ 150ml |
Vegetables
No limits to amounts eaten of following:
|
Asparagus |
Brussel sprouts |
Cauliflower |
|
Aubergine |
Cabbage |
Tomatoes |
|
Broccoli |
Carrots |
Courgettes |
|
Mushrooms |
Runner beans |
Leeks |
|
Onions |
Spinach |
Turnip |
|
Peppers |
Salad |
|
All other vegetables 1 portion is 2 heaped tablespoons
Meat, Fish, Egg and Beans
Each of the following is one portion.
|
Food |
Type |
Quantity (approx) Cooked Weight |
|
Meat and Poultry |
Beef, lamb, pork, ham, chicken, turkey |
2oz/60g |
|
Sausages, beefburgers chicken nuggets |
1 3 |
|
|
Fish |
White fish - cod, haddock, plaice |
Medium fillet |
|
|
Fatty fish - herring, kipper |
Small fillet |
|
|
Tinned fish - pilchards, salmon, sardines, tuna (in brine/salted water/tomato sauce) |
½ tin |
|
|
Prawns |
2oz/60g |
|
|
Fish finger (grilled) |
1 |
|
Egg |
Boiled or poached |
1 |
|
Beans and Lentils |
Aduki, baked, blackeye, broad, butter, red kidney, soya beans and chickpeas Houmous |
2oz/60g
1oz/30g |
|
Tofu and Quorn |
|
3oz/90g |
|
Nuts |
Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts Peanut butter / almond butter |
½oz/15g 1 teaspoon |
Milk and Milk Products
Each of the following is one portion.
|
Food |
Quantity (approx.) |
|
Skimmed Milk (from 5 years) |
½ pint/300ml |
|
Semi-skimmed Milk (from 2 years) |
pint/200ml |
|
Whole Milk Yoghurt |
4 tablespoons |
|
Low Fat or Low-Calorie Yoghurt |
1 carton (150g) |
|
Ice cream and sorbet |
2oz/60g |
|
Milk Puddings e.g. Angel Delight, rice pudding, custard made with semi-skimmed milk |
3oz/90g |
|
Cottage Cheese, quark and ricotta |
2oz/60g |
|
Hard Cheeses - Cheddar, Leicester, ½ cheese string |
½oz/14g |
|
Soft Cheese - Brie, Camembert, mozzarella |
1oz/30g |
|
Hard Cheese reduced/half-fat type |
1oz/30g |
Fat
|
Food |
Type |
Quantity (approx.) |
|
Cooking Fat |
Ghee, corn oil, sunflower oil, olive oil (including virgin & extra virgin) |
1 teaspoon |
|
Spreading Fat |
Butter, blended spreads |
1 teaspoon |
|
Light spreads |
2 teaspoons |
|
|
Dressings |
Salad cream, dressings and mayonnaise |
1 dessertspoon |
|
|
‘Lite’ versions of dressings |
2 dessertspoons |
Treats
These foods should be limited in the diet as they are high in fat and sugar. These should be given no more than twice a week.
|
Food |
Type |
Portion |
|
Cakes and Biscuits |
Chocolate covered biscuit and shortbread |
1 |
|
Cereal bars |
1 |
|
|
Malt loaf |
1oz/30g |
|
|
Currant bun, scone or pancake |
1 |
|
|
Swiss roll or Victoria sponge |
2oz/60g |
|
|
Sweets and Chocolate |
Individual wrapped chocolates |
2 |
|
Funsize chocolate bar |
1 |
|
|
Savoury Snacks |
Crisps, potato rings and pretzels |
1 packet (25g) |
Drinks and Free Foods
The following drinks and foods are very low in calories so can be taken freely throughout the day:
- Mineral water
- Tap water
- No added sugar squash
- Tea
- Coffee
- Herbal teas
- Sugar free jelly
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Dietetics service.
About this information
Service:
Dietetics
Reference:
DT/084
Approval date:
22 May 2026
Review date:
1 May 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.