Food in bag?

I had a regular end stoma for 6 months. And I have to tell you, most days I could recognize what was coming out from what meal it was from. Some things just don't completely break down like you may have thought it did before. I think it is okay. I've seen other people with stomas much older than mine mention the same experience.
I'm experiencing it more with my loop stoma now.

For instance, I could/can always recognize in my bag pickles, corn---of course, lettuce, and sometimes even the little bits of chicken or the ham from a chef's salad. (among other things.. this is just what I can think of off the top of my head)

You seem to be okay compared to what I experienced and what others have said they experienced. And laughed about...

Just make sure you are chewing everything, a lot.

You just have a much more intimate relationship w/your food on both ends w/a stoma..... as Shaz said, chew, chew, chew, but then don't be surprised if some of that food regroups on the way out.

I once accidentally swallowed a bay leaf -- don't recommend that.... I was eating a spicy soup and I coughed and it went down... in any case, came out whole on the other end .... amazing what our bodies can (and can't) do.

Yes totally normal. My son once came out of the loo shouting.. 'mum why is there some salad floating in the toilet??" If only I could eat salad now. Anyway that's another story! but yes.. essentially normal

so I notice stuff coming out in its chewed form as well.. I wonder how much benefit we are getting from eating these foods? Lentals come out whole for the most part.. so how can we be getting any value from them? I had huge issues with malnutrition before this ostomy .. and I am freaked out at getting vitamins in my body.. minerals too.. and protein..

Thanks for all your replies. I just get worried about absorbing the nutrients, and of course blockages. That's interesting that it still happens after many years with an ostomy. I would think your small intestine would learn to absorb the food better.

Oh well, just wanted to make sure it,was normal.

As others have already said, yes, it's completely normal. Don't worry about the nutrition end of it. As long as you are not having diarrhea, your small intestine is fully capable of absorbing all the nutrients your body needs. In fact that's always been it's job; the only thing the colon did was absorb fluids for the most part.