A mechanical soft diet is a texture-modified diet that restricts foods that are difficult to chew or swallow. It’s considered Level 2 of the National Dysphagia Diet in the United States ( 1 , 2 ). Foods can be pureed, finely chopped, blended, or ground to make them smaller, softer, and easier to chew.

What foods are not allowed on a mechanical soft diet?

Mechanical soft food diet foods to avoid at this level include dry bread, toast, crackers, coarse cereal like shredded wheat, foods with nuts, fruits that are hard to chew (such as apples), seeds, chunky peanut butter, and meats that are tough and dry.

What are examples of soft foods?

Soft Food Diet

  • Mush or porridge-type hot cereals like oatmeal, grits and Cream-of-Wheat.
  • Cereals that soften easily in milk like Rice Krispies and Corn Flakes.
  • Soft breads and muffins.
  • Pasta cooked to a soft consistency.
  • Potatoes and sweet potatoes without skin.
  • Soft fruits like ripe bananas and melon.

Can a mechanical soft diet have bread?

The foods in this diet are easy to eat and do not need a lot of chewing to swallow safely. This diet is helpful if you are missing teeth or have just had surgery and cannot chew hard foods. This diet does include soft breads and rice, so it is important that you can move food in your mouth and can swallow safely.

What are mechanical foods?

A mechanical soft diet consists of any foods that can be blended, mashed, pureed, or chopped using a kitchen tool such as a knife, a grinder, a blender, or a food processor. These processes break down the structure of foods to make them soft and easy to eat without biting or chewing.

Is ground hamburger mechanical soft diet?

As long as the foods you eat are cooked, shredded, blended, chopped, or ground you’re usually good to go. Here are some examples of foods you can eat while on a mechanical soft diet: All dairy products except non-shredded hard cheeses. Ground meats.

How do you make mechanical soft food?

Use gravy and sauce to moisten the meat and help prevent it from becoming tough. Ground meat can also be puréed. Soften canned tuna with mayonnaise or water. Soft-cooked, poached, or scrambled eggs, egg whites, and egg substitutes are also a good choice for a mechanical soft diet.

What can I eat on a soft diet?

Foods to Eat on the Soft Food Diet

  • Applesauce.
  • Canned fruit.
  • Steamed or soft-cooked vegetables.
  • Soft, skinless fruits, like bananas, stone fruits, and melons.
  • Baked fruits.
  • Salad greens.

What are some soft foods that are easy to swallow?

Cottage cheese, yogurt, custard, pudding, cream cheese, ricotta cheese and other soft cheeses are all relatively easy and safe to swallow. You should, however, avoid pieces of hard cheeses, like cubes of cheddar or Swiss cheese, and any product that has added nuts, seeds or granola, such as certain varieties of yogurt.

Is cottage cheese mechanical soft?

Dairy: Dairy products like yogurt, soft cheese, and cottage cheese are already suitable for a mechanical soft diet without any additional prep. Protein: Meat is allowed on a mechanical soft diet with special prep. Remove fat or gristle and cook the meat until tender.

What are 3 indications for a mechanical soft diet?

The mechanical soft diet is appropriate for patients who are recovering from head, neck, or mouth surgery, who have dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), narrowing of the esophagus (food tube), or who are too ill or weak to chew.

What are soft solid foods?

What are some soft foods to eat after oral surgery (or otherwise)?

  • Smoothies and shakes.
  • Yogurt, pudding and ice cream.
  • Avocado.
  • Smooth soups, or those with very soft chunks.
  • Mashed potatoes, or a soft baked potato without the skin.
  • Cooked fruits, like applesauce.
  • Ripe fruits, like bananas or peaches without the skin.

What are some mechanical soft foods?

The main goal of the mechanical soft diet is avoiding foods that require a lot of chewing, such as tough meat, raw veggies, bread with a thick crust, nuts, seeds, and hard or crunchy snacks. Some foods, such as pudding, are safe for a mechanical soft diet as is. Other foods, like vegetables, require a little more work.

What are three indications for a mechanical soft diet?

You may have to follow a puréed or mechanical soft diet if you: Have trouble chewing or swallowing Had mouth surgery Have trouble moving or have lost feeling in parts of your mouth, such as your lips or tongue

What is an example of a mechanical soft diet?

Mechanical Soft Foods. Foods that are considered to be in the mechanical soft diet category include foods that do not require much chewing and are soft on the mouth. Examples include ground meats with gravy, mashed potatoes and soft-cooked noodles.