Full liquid stage

I keep looking over this and confusing myself. This is the suggested meal plan for the full liquid stage. I thought the protein shakes would be considered my meals, but it seems that they are separate from my meals. Does anyone else follow something similar, or is this what I should be following (yes, I will follow since my nutritionist says so) but it just seems like a lot!! 

depends on what they consider full liquid, mine allows strained cream soup, jello , milk protein , just about anything that you could drink with a straw

My plan had separate meals as well, almost so that I didn't include the protein shakes in my meals so that I remembered how important they were by themselves. During the liquid phase I was drinking something almost every hour, or 1.5 hours. Other then that my plan had things like 2 tablespoons of fat free cottage cheese/ fat free sugar free pudding, etc. All liquids counted towards my liquid goal though.

Great question!  I am struggling with this after surgery.  During pre-op I had protein as my meals and anything else was extra.  I will say in the clear liquid stage SF jell-o was my best friend.  I guess I just figure protein should be your meal as when your back on regular foods, your meals will be protein first, so to me it makes sense that proteins be your meals.