Anyone have ideas/recipes for mushy food?

[laprana]

My dad has been having trouble with his jaw the past few weeks, mostly popping and pain when he moves his jaw. He went to an oral surgeon last week who gave him a bite plate to use when he's eating, but it's not helping much. He is going to have an MRI done after the holidays, and the doctor suspects he'll need surgery for TMJ disorder.

In the meantime, though, my dad has been relegated to a mushy food diet so he doesn't have to chew much. He has been eating mostly soup, pasta, ice cream, yogurt, and that kind of thing, but he's quickly running out of ideas for soft/mushy food that he can eat. My sister and I will be spending Christmas Eve with him and my step-mom, and I wanted to make some dishes that he would be able to eat and would actually enjoy! But, I really have no idea what to make! Does anyone have any ideas or recipies for soft/mushy food that's still tasty that you could pass along? Thanks in advance for any help!

[magicofdisney]

I don't know what he likes, but cottage cheese with fruit is an idea.

Some baby food might be worth looking into. I know when my kids were babies, I'd share a spoon or two of their food.

Smoothies are another option.

Eggs and pancakes are soft as are mashed potatoes. There are many ways to dress up potatoes.

If he likes eggs, quiche might be another food option.

I hope you can get him the variety he's craving. Good luck with everything.

[Dulcee]

Risotto is nice and soft and can easily be a gourmet holiday meal. You can also change it to fit anyone's taste buds.

[VWL Mom]

If you have a blender or food processor you could make a pea soup with ham. Cool it and process it and even the ham will break down. Top it with some black pepper and sour cream.

You could also saute some of his favorite vegetables and the process them to the desired texture. Maybe with some garlic mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes?

Also, flounder can be poached with seasoning for a good taste and soft consistency.

[laprana]

Thanks so much for the great ideas! I hadn't even thought about potatoes! :doh: I could do a lot with those for sure! And he loves fish, so the flounder is a great idea, as well as quiche (I've never made that before...is it hard?)! I just feel so bad for him not to be able to eat all the "normal" holiday food we usually have...but you've given me some terrific ideas to go off of! Keep 'em coming! :rocks:

[faline]

Quiche is very, very easy! And there are so many variations you can make!

[Scar]

Shepard's Pie. Break up the chop meat as fine as possible.

[PlutoToo]

Maybe canned salmon mixed with cream cheese, horseradish, wochestershire(sp?) sauce, and served on soft bread triangles for an appetizer? You could add a little milk if the cream cheese is too stiff.

[Disney4us2]

I love desserts. You could do pudding, jello, cheesecake, ice cream, popsicles. I also make pudding pies, with the pre-made graham cracker pie shells. Ice cream pie.... same idea as the pudding pie. Jello parfait with jello and whipped cream.

[laprana]

These ideas are all awesome! Thank you! I think my dad will have a lot more to enjoy at our Christmas Eve dinner! :thumbsup:

[DisneyDog]

Maybe you could do mac and cheese with really small pasta? Or couscous, which even my fussy 8 year old loves. Does he like matzoh ball soup?

[laprana]

Maybe you could do mac and cheese with really small pasta? Or couscous, which even my fussy 8 year old loves. Does he like matzoh ball soup?

I honestly don't know if he's ever had matzoh ball soup! He does really like soup though...but he's been eating lots of soup lately! :secret: The mac and cheese is a great idea! I could really "fancy" that up for him, I bet! :thumbsup:

[DisneyDog]

The easiest way to make matzoh ball soup is to get pre-made chicken broth and put in a good amount of dill. Normally I put in carrots and celery, but that might not be the best idea right now. It's the dill that really makes the flavor. You can get matzoh ball mix in any supermarket (even Walmart.) The secret to making them light and fluffy is to make the mix and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours (the box says 15 minutes, which isn't long enough.) Boil them separately from your broth, as when they expand, they will take all the liquid with them. Once they are cooked, you can put them in the broth, but I would cook it up the day before and store it overnight in the fridge, with the matzoh balls in the broth. They will be nice and soft by the next day.

[azdisneymom]

Your poor dad. Last year, on the 23rd of December my DD had sugery to move her lower jaw. No fun at all. By Christmas Day she could only eat runny mashed potatoes. I am sure your dad can eat regular consistancy. What I would say is make them flavorful - buttery or garlic. It is the flavor that makes up for anything else. DD could also manage dressing I made just for her. I used my regular recipe, just sauteed the veggies until extra soft and added a bit more liquid. No sausage or pecans. While she couldn't chew it was soft enought for her to push around with her tongue to swallow. Pick a consistancy that works for your dad. Remember it is the flavor that he will be looking for. Living in the southwest we found refriend beans, both pinto and black beans, to be a good source of protien.

Ground beef is tough to chew. Avoid that if you can. You can also google 'mechanically soft recipes' or 'mechanically soft diet'. DD found a few entrees she loved.

Best wishes!