Introduction
People are struggling with “Which food or diet plan should I try to feed to my grandparents because of their inability to chew?” Also, they are working with the same for people having abdominal issues. So, I would suggest a “pureed diet!”
But, to be precise, it’s hard to find the proper and best quality pureed diet food for them. Suppose you find it, then it is tough to change their food habits from solids to pureed ones.
Then, why should I’ve suggested feeding this pureed food to old-aged people?
Because there are many health benefits involved that are crucial for old-aged people.
In this article, I will release a few of them! Also, you will learn that pureed food is a blessing in disguise for elders and people with abdominal issues. So, keep your ocean eyes on it and read carefully,
What is a Pureed Diet?
A pureed diet food is known as a texture-modified diet. People struggling with eating problems or stomach issues can eat them. Newborn baby food is also included in this category, and elders or adults can eat the same.
In other words, the pureed food diet involves all the soft, pudding-like consistency elements. It is beneficial for those having chewing issues or digesting issues with solid foods. Pureed diet makes a mixture of various advantageous foods and helps stop hunger.
You may argue that liquid diets are also best for them. Yes, I agree!
But, when it comes to a pureed food diet, you will get more nutrition elements than liquid diets.
Now, it is time to tell you about the key benefits of this pureed diet. So, let’s get going.
Key Benefits Of Pureed Diet
You have an idea that pureed food involves many benefits by now. But, you don’t know about that. Isn’t that correct? Therefore, here are the following vital benefits involved in pureed foods.
1) Best For People With Dysphagia
Swallowing disorders are called Dysphagia in medical terms. I’ve seen many people with such conditions fail to make food pills at the time of eating or delay in swallowing. Therefore, there is a higher chance of the risk of breathing in food, choking, and lungs.
The pureed diet helps people dealing with Dysphagia to complete their nutritional needs. Also, it lowers the risk of breathing in food and choking.
2) Boost Up The Functions Of the Digestive System
If you are dealing with gastroparesis, you can use pureed diets. Digestive disorders reduce the speed of food passage from the stomach into the gut.
Most doctors and health experts suggest these pureed foods to their clients dealing with such issues. Pureed food is an ideal source of nutrition and health benefits for them.
3) Great For People Having Chewing Difficulties
People with low chewing or no chewing habits can rely on pureed foods because it does not include chewing. That’s why the food is always better, smooth, and edible for them. You can have it if you have a painful tooth and suppose you have undergone surgery on your jaw.
4) Wide Nutrient Contents
When you can’t eat solid foods, you can look up pureed foods to get your daily nutrient intake. Also, the fact is that the nature of pureed foods is helpful to be absorbed into the body faster than solid ones. Therefore, you can boost your energy then and there. How nice it is!
5) Muscles
Do you know that a pureed or mechanical soft diet is helpful to your muscles? These pureed foods contain minerals and vitamins like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Therefore, this type of food is beneficial to increase healthy muscle mass. That means a fitness streak can also be this one. What do you say?
6) Immunity Power
You can make pureed diet food using any food type, including any components depending on their nutrient contents. Therefore, your body can be managed by getting better immune power.
So, you can imagine it is the best of both worlds for all of them dealing with swallowing and other issues. Now, are you excited to know the tips on how you can puree foods? I have the following section for you on that. So, you can take the idea or puree as it is.
How can you make puree foods?
You can use the food processor or blender to puree any food you like and add the necessary amount of water while you start to puree. You can also use the same water to make it thin if it is thick or do it with another water.
I want to suggest using another liquid form like plant-based milk or dairy milk for nourishing. People also add vegetable sauce if they need extra nutrients in their meals.
While making them, don’t forget that purees should be thicker than the other liquid forms. Even though you can have them with an eating spoon, your purees should have a shape to pour like you pour liquids.
If your puree is thinner than needed, you can add up a few substances. These are potato flakes, cornstarch, arrowroot powder, and pectin.
Is pureed food good for adults?
Pureed food for adults is essential when they cannot chew. Even a person who lost the capacity to eat because of abdominal issues or other damages can use this. Also, it is helpful for those having throat issues through surgery, brain damage, or anything else.
A recent survey shows that patients with such issues have poor nutrition and delayed wound healing, boosting infections. In addition to that, they strike a balance in the immune power system.
As a result, pureed food helps prevent health complications increasing because of low nutrition content in the body. Now, let’s move on to my favorite pureed food recipes from the following.
Best Homemade Pureed Diet Recipes
Many pureed diet recipes are available with nutrients, vitamins, and many ingredients. Out of them, you can check out a few of my favorites.
1) Sweet Potato Pie
People having a mechanical soft diet can choose this sweet potato pie. So, let’s see how to make it.
Ingredients:
- Cooked mashed sweet potatoes (1 ½ cups.)
- Skim milk (1 can)
- Nutmeg (½ teaspoon)
- Cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
- Sugar (½ cup)
- Cornmeal
How to make:
- Turn on the gas and heat the oven to 350° F.
- Make the mixture of sweet potatoes with dried-up milk and other species.
- Now, put sugar and mix it well.
- Get a 9-inch pie pan and butter it with oil.
- Then trickle the pan with cornmeal and cover it.
- You can sprinkle the extra cornmeal and cook for almost 45 minutes.
- After that, you can taste whether it is cooked or not by pulling it out with a toothpick from the center.
When it comes out dry, your sweet potato pie is ready.
2) Butternut Squash Puree
It is one of the best puree side dishes you can give to your elder ones or grandparents. They will surely love the taste and want this again and again.
Ingredients
- Butternut squash (1 large)
- Maple syrup (1 tablespoon)
- Butter or margarine (1 tablespoon)
Recipe Steps
- Cut squash into short pieces after peeling.
- Boil until it gets mild.
- Get the fork and crush the squash.
- Now, the only thing remaining is to mix it with maple syrup, butter, or margarine.
It is the most accessible pureed food to cook you will ever see. So, cook this and make your people happy.
3) Choco-Banana Swirl
I assure you that making the choco-banana swirl with your own hands is fun, and it is the best drink to refresh yourself with comfort.
Ingredients
- Vanilla yogurt (⅔ cups)
- Vanilla ice cream (⅔ cups) or frozen yogurt
- Sliced and chilled lush banana (¼ cup)
- Chocolate flavored syrup (2 teaspoons)
Steps
- Take a blender and add all the ingredients.
- Mix it well until your mixture is smooth.
- Now, serve with ease.
So, if you are a sweet dish lover like me and do not get a chance to eat it because of the above issues, you can taste this one.
4) Cottage Cheese Pie
You may be surprised that pureed food involves this kind of authentic taste. But, that’s true! Although it is suitable for a mechanical soft diet only, the taste is mouth-watering, and one cannot refuse to have it.
Ingredients
- Medium eggs (3 are enough)
- Chopped parsley pigs (2 are enough)
- Cottage cheese (1 pound)
- Parmesan cheese (½ cup)
- Diced or grated mozzarella cheese (½ cup)
- Salt and pepper as per the need
- Cornmeal
- Onion
Recipe
- Turn on the gas and heat the oven to 350° F.
- Make a mixture of eggs, onion, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, and parmesan cheese in a bowl.
- Get a 9-inch pie pan and butter it with oil.
- Then trickle the entire pan with cornmeal
- Now take the pie pan and stream all the mixture.
- Then, cook well for 45 minutes.
- After that, you can taste whether it is cooked or not by pulling it out with a toothpick from the center.
Suppose it comes out dry; your cottage cheese pie is ready. It is just like sweet potato pie but a bit different.
5) Chicken Tamale Pie
If you miss non-veg during those conditions, you should try this chicken tamale pie. You will get the sizzling hot taste of chicken here and more.
Ingredients
- Cornmeal (½ cup)
- Chicken broth (2 cups)
- Sliced cooked chicken (1 or 2 cups)
- Tomato sauce (8-ounce can)
- Garlic powder dash
- Oregano dash
- Thyme dash
- Parmesan or Cheddar cheese (grated)
Recipe
- Turn on the gas and heat the oven to 350° F.
- Take cornmeal and bake it with the chicken broth until it gets thick.
- Let it cool and then spread it over to a greased casserole dish.
- Now, you can puree or pound the chicken as per your needs.
- Get the cornmeal mixture and spread the chicken on the upper side.
- Use the garlic, thyme, and oregano to season.
- Now, get back to the chicken and spread the tomato sauce on the upper side.
- Add cheese to the tomato sauce layers.
- Now, cook for 30 minutes. Or cook until the cheese melts completely.
This way, you can make the non-veg puree diet dish to serve them if they desire.
6) Quiche
As I said, pureed foods come with many essential elements; here, quiche custard is also full of them. You will get the vitamins, minerals, and vitamin B-12 with eggs.
Ingredients
- A finely chopped onion (¼)
- Butter (1 tablespoon)
- Parmesan cheese (1 tablespoon)
- Use soy milk or fortified milk (¼ cup)
- Heavy cream (¼ cup)
- 1 egg
- Cheese (¼ mozzarella or swiss)
- Salt as per taste
- Nutmeg as per taste
Recipe
- Turn on the gas and heat the oven to 350° F.
- Take the onion, and until the butter melts, fry it.
- Take a blender, add onion, milk, and eggs, and cream it.
- Mix it well in such a way that the onion is pureed entirely.
- Now, take the greased casserole dish and add cheese to it.
- On the cheese, stream the egg mixture and seasonings.
- Then, take the hot water and add the casserole dish into a large pan.
- Your mixture will be ready in 25 to 30 minutes.
So, this is what you need if you want to serve an egg-pureed dish to your elder loved ones.
Conclusion
Pureed food is helpful when dealing with chewing, swallowing, or digesting problems. So, you can rely on the pureed recipes to eat safer when you need food during the above situations. This way, you can get the nutrition elements, and your health can be more unassailable.
Therefore, I have mentioned a complete detail of the pureed diet in this blog, including a few recipes.
Here, I’ve suggested my favorite recipes to eat while dealing with the above issues. However, I am waiting to see your favorite ones. So, comment below and tell me yours once you finish reading this blog.
In the end, I hope this blog will help you make your grandparents or elder ones happy through the given recipes.
