Malnutrition is an important risk factor of postoperative complications which are commonly seen in surgical patients especially those with gastrointestinal surgeries. Perioperative nutrition especially early feeding after surgery is recommended to enhance postoperative recovery improve patients′ prognosis and quality of life. In order to carry out perioperative nutritional therapy standardly and rationally European Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition ESPEN has released ESPEN Practical Guideline Clinical Nutrition in Surgery on 1 st July 2021. The new guideline is shortened and transformed based on the formal one for easier use in clinical practice. Ranging from general principle to specific diseases the guideline provides 37 recommendations on nutrition treatment for surgical patients and is complemented with flow charts. Therefore this ESPEN guideline is a practical tool for all professionals including physicians dieticians nutritionists and nurses during clinical practice.