A soft diet includes only soft foods that are easy to chew or swallow. It is usually prescribed for people recovering from illness or a surgery, according to the Jackson Siegelbaum gastroenterology website. A soft diet may be prescribed to people recovering from radiation therapy to the abdominal, neck or head area; those having difficulty chewing due to extreme weakness or dental problems; or those with throat problems that make swallowing painful or difficult.
Preparation
Those following a soft diet either soften, cook or mash food that they eat. Those following a "mechanical" soft diet grind, cut or blend their food to make it easier to chew and swallow. Unlike a soft diet, a person following a mechanical diet may include limited amounts of fiber, spices, seasonings or fat in their diet. Meats may be moistened with gravy or sauces to make chewing or swallowing easier. According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, or UPMC, food tolerable on a soft diet varies from one person to the next. A person should work with his dietitian or doctor to determine which foods he can tolerate.
Dairy
A soft diet may include low-fat milk, yogurt without nuts or seeds, mild cheese and cottage cheese. Strong or sharp cheese or cheese with spices or whole seeds should be avoided.
Fruits and Vegetables
Cooked or canned fruit is allowed on a soft diet, as is fruit juice. Fresh avocados or bananas may be eaten, but all other raw or dried fruit should be avoided. Vegetables may be soft-cooked or canned. Fresh tomatoes, lettuce or potatoes that are mashed, boiled, baked or creamed may be eaten. A person on a soft diet should avoid hard vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, turnips or green peppers. He should also avoid whole kernel corn, raw or fried vegetables and hash browns.
Meats/Proteins
Meats and other protein foods that can be eaten on a soft diet include poultry and other moist, tender meats; fish; scrambled or boiled eggs; and creamy peanut butter. Fried meats, fish with bones or shellfish, salted or smoked meats, sausage and cold cuts, dried beans, seeds and nuts should be avoided.
Grains
A soft diet may include grains such as refined ready-to-eat or cooked cereals; refined white, rye or wheat bread; crackers or rolls; pasta; and plain white rice. Whole-grain bread and cereals or rolls or breads with nuts, seeds, coconuts or raisins should be avoided.
Desserts/Sweets
Smooth ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, custards, puddings and cookies or cakes without nuts or coconut may be eaten on a soft diet. Desserts or pastries with nuts, dried or candied fruit, as well as peanut brittle, should be avoided.
