Softfood diet help needed

This one is pretty damn good if you like lentils. It's got 19 g Protein and about the same in fiber. You can adjust the heat to taste.

http://www.kitchentreaty.com/crock-pot-pumpkin-red-lentil-chili/#recipe

I recently had all 4 wisdom teeth removed and then got an infection. I lived on soups for 5 weeks. And lost 10 pounds. Lotsa different chicken soups. Taco soup. Chili. Veggie soup. I found cooking in the crockpot made for more mushy meals.

I wear top dentures and don't keep them in all the time when sitting around the house. I love my fresh fruit smoothies with whey protein powder but there's lots of regular food you can manage. I like cheeses, peanut butter (on very thinly sliced apples), eggs including hard-boiled eggs (egg salad sandwiches!), quesodillas and cheese enchiladas; steamed cauliflower and cheese, ground turkey and black bean burritos, ground turkey chili; crab (fake crab), tuna fish and lots of yummy fish (salmon, tilapia, etc) .. just broil with seasoning. Even salad if I finely chop the lettuce and bell pepper. I find lots of things I can still eat with one set of teeth. It's not so bad really and I've improved my diet, counted calories on MFP and lost 40 lbs along the way.

If you can't handle anything but soft soft food, there's light greek yogurt (alone or in smoothie), cottage cheese (not my fave but others like it with some fruit on top), sugar-free pudding and jello and, of course, soup).

You've got this!

The protein powder I add to fruit smoothies:

I had some laser treatment on my gums and had a month of soft foods. I ate a lot of soup and smoothies at first, but then went on to softer stuff like:
- polenta (add cheese and milk for more cals and extra deliciousness). You could serve it with a nice gravy type sauce or chilli or curry (puree if you need it smoother).
- mashed potatoes, add broccoli and cauliflower puree for something different.
- I could eat fish if it was well cooked and kind of squish it against the roof of my mouth with my tongue rather than chew it.
- scrambled eggs are great
- add nuts to veggie soups before you puree for extra goodness and flavour. Broccoli, chicken and cashew is really delicious.
- dahl is great - spicy and delicious but doens't need chewing. Google Jamie Oliver's cauliflower dalh with coconut milk - yum!

Good luck with your treatment.

jsiricos wrote: »

This is a bit different. I am not supposed to "diet" right now, besides, a lot of my favorite diet foods (salads) are just not a happening thing.

I found a lump before Christmas, on my neck, I chased down a diagnosis, and I have throat cancer. So, I no longer have any teeth in my lower jaw (radiation turns them into prunes) - its far better to suck it up and get false teeth after than deal with nubs, because once the radiation starts, nothing can be done with teeth, not even removal.

Part of my weight problem was not eating enough (as the calorie counter liked to tell me every day) - and I sure don't have much appetite now.

I need good recipes of soft foods, (not red meat please) - higher on protein, not total smoothies, as part of the whole deal is to keep your throat muscles working, and not let them atrophy. Apparently my throat and mouth are going to be wrecked, so its all about what I can deal with without pain meds.

I'll have a lesser dose of chemo, to enhance the radiation, for7 weeks, and to be honest, I could happily lose just over 100 pounds!

So I'm looking for healthy softer foods, fish, some smoothies, (I have been craving a fish that my Mum used to make with a yellow sauce)... that kind of thing, I can mash down.

So, and good suggestions?

Not trying to be rude or make a bad situation worse but you got some bad information there. Not eating eating enough did not lead to you needing to lose 100lbs. Not eating enough would result in too fast of weight loss, not weight gain.

Advice I got here when I needed softer food was everything can be blended. It sounds disgusting but it's true. I ate everything I normally ate, just blended, and sometimes with a little rice flour added for texture.

Talk to your oncologist and nurse before you attempt any weight loss right now. They may want you to wait until your treatment is over and your body has recovered. Your body needs fuel right now and food is fuel. Especially protein!

Cottage cheese, full fat Greek yogurt, milk, milk shakes with protein powder added. Steamed carrots, avocado, baked sweet potato (cut it up small and keep the skin on after cooking) canned tuna (once a week), canned salmon, hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs (always fully cook eggs and egg yolks) steel cut oats, bananas, ripe pears, steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower, steamed, chopped kale.

There are a lot of foods you can enjoy as long as they agree with your stomach. Avoid acidic foods like citrus fruits, mango and pineapple. Avoid spicy foods and hot food. Warm to cold-ish food would be best. If you get acid reflux, let your docs know and they can get you medication for it.



Food safety is going to be one of your priorities with food consumption.

Please read this and follow all of the suggestions. I know it may seem like a pain in the butt, but, it'll help keep you healthy during treatment.

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/staying-active/nutrition/nutrition-during-treatment/weak-immune-system.html

I'm going to add a couple of things as well.
Avoid packaged spinach, lettuce and salad mixes. There have been quite a few recalls on them over the years.

Do not eat from a salad bar or buffet. My nurse said, "Quite frankly, even healthy people shouldn't eat from them!"

Do not share food or drinks with anyone. Not even family or your best friend.

Wash all of your fruits and veggies for at least 30 seconds. Including bananas, avocados, melons and anything that you'll be peeling. (There was a listeria outbreak from contaminated Rocky Ford Cantaloupe a few years back. Experts believe if people had washed their cantaloupe before cutting in to them, less people would've gotten sick.

Wash eggs before cracking them.

Wash with hot soapy water, the lids of any canned goods before you use a can opener to open them. Wash your can opener too.
Wash with hot soapy water, any drink cans or bottles before you drink from them. Hand sanitizer works in a pinch, just let it evaporate for a few minutes first.

If you've read all of this, Thank you! I know you didn't ask about food safety, but I wanted to mention it because it isn't always discussed very well before and during treatment. And it's extremely important to help keep you healthy before, during and after treatment.