Dysphagia, which means difficulty swallowing, can happen to a person for any number of medical reasons. For a person with dysphagia, altering the diet to an appropriate texture and consistency is important to avoid choking and aspiration; for people with severe dysphagia, this may mean consuming a pureed diet. For this reason, the person should be immediately evaluated by a doctor or speech language pathologist to determine the safest way to give her food and nutrition.
Grains
Grains that are allowed as-is on a pureed diet include farina and cream of wheat. In addition, you can puree your own grains at home. Try adding milk or water to breads, crackers, pastries, pasta and muffins and blending until smooth. Avoid grains that have small seeds or nuts, such as multigrain breads or poppy seed bagels, as the seeds may not puree properly and can become stuck in the throat.
Fruits and Vegetables
Smooth mashed potatoes and tomato sauce without seeds are both allowed on a pureed diet. Fruits and vegetables that have fully removable seeds can also be blended and consumed on a pureed diet. This means fruits such as strawberries and raspberries are not allowed. Try blending fruits with yogurt to make a smoothie or cooked vegetables with cooked potatoes to make flavored mashed potatoes.
Meat and Protein
All meats and protein sources must be pureed to be considered acceptable for this diet. Cook all meats thoroughly; moist heat cooking methods are recommended to ensure tenderness. Add meat with sauce or gravy to the blender and puree until smooth. Beans and peanut butter are also sources of protein that can also be pureed. Include peanut butter in a fruit smoothie, or just add milk to it to thin it out. Beans should be cooked until tender and then blended smooth.
Other Considerations
On a pureed diet, it is often difficult to consume enough calories and a wide variety of food that includes all food groups. However, it is important to keep in mind that you can still eat most of the foods that you love, within the restrictions noted above, by blending them into a pureed consistency. For extra calories or thickness, add dried milk powder or protein powder to your pureed meals; add milk, water or gravy to a mixture that needs to be thinned. If daily blending of your foods is difficult, blend in larger quantities and freeze individual portions. Thaw in refrigerator a few hours before using. Dysphagia is a condition that can change quickly, so follow up with your doctor or dietitian often to best manage it.
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