17 Clear Liquid Diet Ideas and Recipes After Surgery or for Weight Loss

Whether you’re following a liquid diet for weight loss, for digestive health, or for other medical reasons, you still want to have food that’s delicious. From soups, to juices and smoothies, there are lots of liquid meals to choose from.

Collage of clear liquid diet recipes and ideas suitable for after surgery or medical procedures

What is a Clear Liquid Diet?

Clear liquids can be water, plain jello, some fruit juices without pulp, and broths. Liquid diets are easy to digest and don’t leave any undigested food behind in the digestive tract. Clear liquid diets do not contain many nutrients and should only be followed for a very short time. 

What Can I Eat on a Liquid Diet?

There are actually many options for liquid diets. In addition to soups, broths, jello, and juices, you can also enjoy foods like smoothies, milkshakes, popsicles, and puddings. 

Easy Liquid Diet Recipes

Celery Juice

A juicer will make easy work of juicing raw celery but you can also use a high-powered blender. 

Tomato Basil Soup

Serve this delicious soup when it’s cold or when you’re craving something warm and creamy! It’s ready to enjoy in just 15 minutes. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Soup

This velvety smooth soup will leave you feeling satisfied. It has a touch of sweetness, and is delicately seasoned with sage. 

Creamy and Healthy Spinach Soup

Bright green and delicious, this spinach soup has 2 different kinds of cheese. Enjoy it as a snack or for a light lunch! 

Healthy Chocolate Mousse

Treat yourself to a healthy dessert! This recipe is low-carb, sugar-free, and has just 145 calories per serving. 

Healthy Dragon Fruit Smoothie

You’ll love the vibrant colors of this creamy smoothie bowl. If you can’t find fresh dragon fruit, frozen will work just as well. 

Homemade Chicken Broth

There’s nothing like the flavor of homemade chicken broth. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen to use later. 

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Make this delicious soup when asparagus is in season! It has a beautiful vibrant green color and is velvety smooth. 

Thai Coconut Curry Lentil Soup

This hearty soup is packed with fiber and protein! Add a crisp green salad for a complete meal. 

Yogurt Soup

With just a handful of ingredients, this soup comes together in just 25 minutes! Serve it with warm crusty rolls for a satisfying meal. 

Banana Coconut Chia Pudding

You’ll love the flavors of this chia pudding and it takes just 10 minutes to make! Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours and then enjoy. This would be a wonderful healthy dessert to serve at brunch. 

Pureed Mushroom Soup

Hearty and full of earthy flavors, don’t hesitate to serve this delicious soup to your guests! Add a drizzle of sour cream and you’re good to go! 

Green Smoothie Recipe

Don’t let the color fool you, this dazzling green smoothie is full of sweet pineapple and mango! It takes 5 minutes to make and has just 203 calories per serving! 

Key Lime Mousse

Your guests will never know that this zesty and lush dessert is keto-friendly! It takes just 10 minutes of prep time and then chills in the fridge until it’s time to enjoy!

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This creamy soup couldn’t be easier. It’s made with basic ingredients and turns out perfect every time! 

Lemon Vanilla Bean Custard

Enjoy this sweet dessert when you’re craving something rich and creamy! It takes just 15 minutes to make! 

Sugar-free Apple Sauce

Make this sugar-free apple sauce the next you have some extra apples on hand. Enjoy it on its own, or serve it with your favorite pork dish!

About Izzy Yu

Izzy Yu is the recipe developer, food photographer, and founder of IzzyCooking, a leading food blog reaching millions of home cooks monthly. Since 2010, Izzy has created over 1,300 kitchen-tested recipes specializing in Asian cuisine, sushi, Instant Pot, sous vide, and approachable weeknight meals. Her work has been featured in Food & Wine, BuzzFeed, and Yahoo!, and she has developed recipes for major brands including General Mills, Kellogg's, Yoplait, Ritz Crackers, and ACE Bakery. Based in Toronto, Izzy is dedicated to making restaurant-quality cooking accessible to everyone through detailed step-by-step instructions and photography.

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3 Comments

  1. The title is for CLEAR liquid diet. The recipes in the article are for ALL liquid diet or a soft diet because the foods are not see through/ CLEAR and they contain seeds and solid forms that SHOULD NOT be in a CLEAR liquid diet. The only recipe that would would work is the chicken soup that could be strained to make it CLEAR.

  2. As someone preparing for surgery and needing to be on an actual clear-liquid diet, the homemade chicken broth is the only recipe that falls in this diet.