You can usually start drinking and eating as soon as you are awake, alert, and breathing normally after surgery. Many patients are first given small amounts of liquid in the recovery room, and if they do not feel sick, they can begin regular foods soon after. Some surgery plans start fluids after anesthesia and solid food the next morning, and after some bowel surgeries, early feeding within 24 hours is common and has been linked with fewer complications. If you have a tube through your nose, you may not eat or drink until it is removed. Verify the exact plan with your surgical or anesthesia team in case they want something different for you.