There are several reasons why it may be difficult to chew food. You may have undergone dental surgery (such as a root canal or an extraction), a fracture of the jaw or facial bone that requires locking the jaw to the jaw with wire, or you may experience pain from the braces. Additionally, cancer treatments or surgical procedures performed in the neck or head area can interfere with the ability to chew. Although chewing is not essential to maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, when mealtime is prevented it becomes much more difficult and less enjoyable. However, with a little planning and proper food preparation, you will be able to eat and feed yourself properly.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Preparing for a Restrictive Diet
Step 1. Talk to your doctor
The doctor will be able to provide you with all the specific information regarding dietary restrictions and which foods you can eat based on their consistency (soft and creamy or semi-liquid). He will also be able to tell you how long you will need to follow this modified diet.
- Ask him to tell you exactly which foods you can eat and which ones to exclude from your diet. It is better to be very clear and have as much information as possible, rather than eat something that can cause pain or aggravate the injury.
- Also ask them if you risk suffering from nutritional deficiencies, if there are certain foods or food groups that you can eat every day or that you need to avoid completely.
- It is also important to consult a dietician or nutritionist. These experts will be able to suggest a personalized diet specific to your problem and will offer you examples of some dishes you can prepare, as well as create an appropriate diet plan for you. Ask your doctor to refer you to a qualified professional.
Step 2. Write a schedule
Having a diet plan to follow makes managing the modified or restrictive diet easier. It is best to avoid improvising meals and giving yourself time to establish an appropriate diet.
- Write down the meals and snacks for a whole week that are suitable for your specific situation, especially if you have to change your diet for a long time.
- Some suggestions for a soft food diet are: oatmeal for breakfast, beef stew for lunch, and gravy meatloaf and well-steamed broccoli for dinner.
- Some dishes suitable for a liquid or creamy diet are: yogurt with grated peaches for breakfast, a vegetable smoothie (with milk, frozen fruit, spinach and protein powder) for lunch, and black bean soup for dinner..
- Your doctor probably has a sample meal plan available for you. Ask if you can have a copy to take home as a cue or for support during the first few days.
Step 3. Go to the supermarket
Once you've written your schedule on paper and talked to your doctor, head to the grocery store to stock up on the foods that suit your problem. By having the correct dishes at hand, you will be able to follow the new diet with less difficulty.
- Remember that you can use different cooking techniques to make particularly hard or dense foods the consistency that is safe for you. For example, you can cook apples and make a puree or cream that is much easier to chew and swallow.
- Also consider buying foods or products that are already the right consistency for your needs and that require little or no cooking. If you're only allowed to consume creamy or liquid foods, you can purchase low-sodium soups, such as tomato, squash, or black bean soups, which are completely fluid creams. If you can eat raw foods, but you need to make them very soft or creamy, you can buy frozen fruit or vegetables (once cooked and heated properly they become very soft and tender) or soups or stews that you find in the rotisserie department.
Step 4. Purchase the appropriate kitchen tools
These allow you to more easily comply with a different or restrictive diet. In addition, they offer more flexibility in the choice of foods, so that you can prepare multiple dishes at home.
- The food processor is a great accessory, because it helps to mince the hardest and most consistent foods by reducing them into smaller pieces or with an almost creamy consistency. You can also use it to make fruit or vegetable liquid creams, to finely chop protein products (such as fish, chicken or red meat). It is also an ideal tool if you want to get small, finely chopped bites of food, without necessarily having to turn everything into a cream.
- The blender is worth using when you need to make food completely liquid or puree. For this purpose, you can put an infinite number of foods in the appliance. Plus, it's great because it allows you to make smoothies with lots of raw or hard foods. For example, it can make raw spinach a perfectly smooth cream.
- The slow cooker (slow cooker) is an ideal tool for those who want to prepare very soft, mushy or tender dishes. This tool cooks food slowly and at a low temperature, making it much easier to chew it lightly for ingestion.
Part 2 of 2: Plan and Cook Appropriate Meals
Step 1. Include soft protein foods in your diet
Proteins are essential nutrients for a healthy diet. It is not recommended to stay more than a day or two without them, as you may lose weight and muscle mass. Depending on your restrictions or dietary changes, it may be difficult or unpleasant to eat adequate amounts of protein when your diet is only liquid or soft.
- If you have to follow a completely liquid or creamy diet, you can incorporate proteins such as: beans blended into soup (like black beans), softened tofu in soup, hummus, creamy canned soups, and stews with a completely fluid consistency.
- You can also mince the meat (ground beef, chicken or fish) and turn it into a cream. Add a little broth or sauce to make these dishes even more liquid.
- If you can eat soft or tender foods and don't necessarily have to follow a liquid or cream-based diet, try meatloaf or mashed meatballs with gravy sauce, soft baked tuna (such as salmon or tilapia), egg and tuna salad, pureed tofu, scrambled eggs, cream of beans, stews or soups, roasted or braised meats, such as beef brisket or overcooked stew.
Step 2. Consume dairy as an alternative source of protein
Many dairy products adapt to modified or restrictive diets. They are products rich in proteins, calcium and vitamin D which help to easily respect a balanced diet.
- Incorporate regular or Greek yogurt every day. It is a perfect smooth food and suitable for creamy or semi-liquid diets. Regular yogurt may be easier to ingest, as it is more fluid than Greek yogurt. Choose the strain that's right for you.
- Cottage cheese is another very protein-rich dairy product that can be part of liquid or soft diets. If your dishes need to be completely reduced to cream, put the ricotta in a blender or food processor and work it to the desired consistency.
- By drinking milk or adding it to various foods (soups, stews, smoothies) you can consume an easy-to-ingest source of protein.
- If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk, try plant-based alternatives such as yogurt, cheese, and soy or almond milk.
Step 3. Cook and prepare the fruit and vegetables until soft
Many vegetables and fruits, especially raw or just steamed, are too hard and firm to chew or swallow. In most cases they need to be modified through cooking until they reach the correct consistency.
- Try frozen vegetables and fruit. When defrosting, cooking or reheating, these foods often become mushy and fluffy. Here are some examples: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or berries all frozen.
- Steam the vegetables until you can mash them with the convex part of the fork or they have turned into a puree. Often, overcooked vegetables (such as broccoli) take on the right consistency. Try mashed potatoes or squash, steamed carrots or peas, or overcooked vegetables.
Step 4. Pay attention to the choice of grains
Foods like bread, rice and pasta are often not suitable for creamy or soft diets; they can become slightly sticky or slimy and require more chewing work than other foods. Choose wisely which ones to include in your diet.
- Oatmeal, semolina, and other hot grains are a good solution for both liquid and soft diets. You will need to squeeze them a little to make them more liquid or fluid.
- You can also incorporate some grains, such as oats, into smoothies.
Step 5. Make soups or smoothies
Homemade versions of these dishes are perfect for people who only need to eat creamy or soft foods. They are highly customizable to include several foods and nutrients.
- When making soup or smoothie, try to add different fruits and vegetables. By blending them you get some very nutritious portions of food.
- Soups are perfect for consuming lean proteins and vegetables. Cook all the ingredients until they are as soft as you like.
- Smoothies can be made with many products, including dairy products, fruit, vegetables, and even nut butter. Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend it until you get a smooth and fluid mixture.
- You can also incorporate tasteless protein powders into both soups and smoothies to fill up on these valuable nutrients.
Step 6. Purchase meal replacements
If you're short on time or need a quick meal, consider purchasing these products. Many of them guarantee an adequate supply of proteins, vitamins and calories.
- There are many products on the market. Choose drinks that fit your diet plan in regards to calories and protein.
- Many meal replacements are ready-made, others are sold in powder form. You can add powdered ones to smoothies to make them more nutritious.
- Be aware that these products are high in added sugar or rather caloric; they could make you fat if you don't pay attention.
Step 7. Purchase liquid vitamin supplements
Depending on the length of the modified or restrictive diet, you may want to consider taking a liquid multivitamin. In this way, you can meet your nutritional needs even in the long term.
- Choose liquid supplements that contain only vitamins and minerals, to guarantee you a complete product.
- You can add vitamins to meals, drinks, or take them as they are.
- Always ask your doctor for advice before taking supplements.
Advice
- Always talk to your doctor before starting any type of diet. Also try to get as much information as possible from your doctor about your dietary restrictions.
- Without careful planning, it is very difficult to follow a nutritionally balanced diet on a liquid diet. Take the time to develop a good meal plan to ensure you have all the essentials.
- Try different recipes or do some research to find new tips and advice online about liquid and soft food diets.
- Always be very careful when you search the web for ideas about liquid or soft food diets and creams. Many sites are untrustworthy and offer unbalanced or dangerous eating plans.
