The fact of not being able to chew well makes it impossible for us to eat with the same normality as always. It seems silly, but sometimes we believe that if we cannot chew well, the possibilities of eating well are reduced, but we are very wrong, since in this text we are going to see all the foods that we have within our reach and that are easy to eat. chewing.
Easy-chew diets do exist, and they’re not just for older people who wear dentures or are in the middle of dental work to place teeth like implants. But this type of food can be used for many occasions, as we will see below.
What is an easy chew diet
It is a type of diet that is normally taken in a timely manner, due to operations on the mouth, nose, throat, braces, missing teeth, tooth extraction, mouth injuries, infection, sore throat, etc. This type of diet must be adjusted to the needs of each one, for example, if we are allergic to bananas, that we recommend bananas does not mean that it is mandatory to consume this fruit.
They are foods that are not solid or that do not require much effort in the mouth, so chewing is fast or almost non-existent. Experts recommend chewing about 30 times each bite, but sometimes, due to pain or medical advice, it is better not to chew.
Throughout this text we are going to learn a multitude of foods and ideas that we can take on those days when it is very difficult for us to chew. We are going to try to create a variety of foods so that we can all take advantage of the ideas, so there will also be foods suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets.
allowed foods
There are many foods allowed for those days when we need to eat varied and healthy, but chew as little as possible. Throughout this section we are going to see a series of foods and within them some ideas of how we can eat them to make them more varied.
Puree, broths and soups
Everything that is pureed vegetables or legs, are welcome, as well as soups, creams, consommés, broths and the like. This will help us stay hydrated and nourished, although if this diet goes on for a long time, it is likely that we will lose a lot of weight and a lot of muscle mass if we only eat these options. This is why we recommend adding consistent elements such as shredded meat or fish, bread, steamed vegetables, etc.
This type of food, given that we cannot chew well, and it is likely that we have some type of damage to the mouth or throat, it is recommended that it be at a pleasant temperature that does not harm us or delay healing.
Eggs
Eggs are a perfect ally, since it is very easy to chew. In addition, we can eat them with almost any other food, such as mashed potatoes or some type of healthy fry. Fried, steamed, soft-boiled, scrambled eggs, in omelettes, etc. all these forms are perfectly adapted to our needs.
If we want it with the raw yolk to dip the bread, let it be very soft sliced bread and very small crumbs to further facilitate the chewing process and that there is no risk of suffocation in the elderly or children.
Cereal with milk
Of the best options, in addition, we can use vegetable milk or animal milk, be it cow, sheep or goat. There are many types of cereals on the market, for children and not so children. It is best to choose one that is low in sugar, since it is one thing to need an easy-to-chew diet and another to double the amounts of daily sugar.
This can be mixed with fruit, or even with yogurt, as we will see in another section, except that yogurt does not soften cereals as much or as quickly. And the fruit must always be chosen without seeds or skin and that is easy to chew, such as pear, watermelon, grape, strawberries, peach, banana, etc.
soft breads
Crunchy breads are ruled out, unless we dip it in milk, chocolate or coffee, which is another perfectly valid option, just like we can do with cookies or muffins, but it is that very healthy pastries are not, so better continue with soft breads, such as thinly sliced multigrain bread.
On top of the bread we can put whatever we want, as long as it suits our needs for easy chewing such as scrambled egg, cooked ham, crushed tomato, butter, avocado, ham, etc. In case of having many things, we will have to have a lot of patience to help ourselves with a fork and chew one by one.
Mince
Minced meat, as well as meatballs, hamburgers and other options, whether with animal meat or vegetable meat, can be a good option if we can chew something better, albeit slightly. They are a good option because we can shred them with a fork or cut very small pieces and put them in the back of our mouth to chew little by little.
Not only to make dishes like the ones we have already said, but the minced meat is used to make it back and forth in the pan and we can add eggs, vegetables or add it to the pasta. This way we can eat more forceful things and avoid excessive weight loss if our postoperative process is long-term, that is, more than 1 month.
shredded fish
Shredded fish is a great option and especially if it is oily fish, since we get important nutrients and thus improve the nutritional values of our diet while complying with the easy-to-chew diet. The best fish are those that have few bones, such as salmon, which can be baked, steamed, and accompanied by all kinds of vegetables and sauces.
In addition, except for people allergic to fish, everyone, large and small, can and should consume these foods to complete their diet and get the necessary nutrients for the body to function properly.
macaroni and pasta
All kinds of macaroni, including stuffed pasta, noodles, spaghetti, etc. if we cook them a lot they stay soft, although it is appropriate that they stay al dente. The smaller they are, the less you have to chew, but be very careful, since some people may try to swallow them and it can cause choking risks, so you have to be very careful.
The good thing about this is that it can be combined with vegetables, meat and sauces of all kinds, including spices and hot sauces, but that is where the option of the experts comes in, since there may be ingredients that are not suitable for healing wounds.
Milk and other dairy
Vegetable or animal milk, as well as soft and spreadable cheeses, yogurts, butter and the like, are also excellent options to complete the dishes in this easy-to-chew diet. In addition, depending on the dairy, it can be mixed with other foods such as pasta, meat, vegetables, etc. The point is not to close yourself off to eating only soups for fear of hurting yourself. It is important to clarify any doubts with the doctors, so we can feed ourselves better, and in a more varied and complete way.
Steamed vegetables
One of the most used options in easy-to-chew diets, both in young children and adults. Steamed vegetables retain their nutrients and flavors. In addition, they can be combined with all the foods on this list, including soups, creams, pasta, cream, cheese, meat, rice, eggs, etc.
We can include this type of vegetables every day, in the easy-to-chew diet, just like fruits, but always trying to have variety, not always using the same vegetables.
Vegetables
All legumes, if well cooked, are easy to chew, for example chickpeas, rice, lentils, beans, broad beans, etc. In addition, we can create combined dishes with pasta and steamed vegetables, so that we create very complete dishes and maintain the objective of making them very easy to chew.
What will have to be controlled are the doses and amounts, since an adult needs about 30 grams of fiber per day, while a child only needs about 15 grams. You have to be careful with the portions, as there could be unwanted side effects.
Ice cream and other desserts
Ice creams, yogurts, flans, creams, pancakes, pancakes, cream, rice pudding, tiramisu, cakes, biscuits, all of this is usually easy to chew, of course, but you have to be careful with the amounts of fat, calories and sugar , since all these foods must be adapted to our usual diet, and if we are diabetic, or something similar, we will have to be careful.
Ice creams are the best option, or homemade yogurt cakes with little sugar, both for children, adults and older adults. In addition, we can accompany it with fruit purees such as strawberries to add that sweet touch and thus avoid the use of sugar or reduce the use of artificial sweeteners such as erythritol.
Advice
It is true that, depending on the ailment of each one, the degree of chewing can be increased or decreased to the point of eating only soups. There are countless foods today that are easy to chew, but when there is a shortage of teeth, we are in the postoperative period, our braces have been tightened and such, they no longer seem so easy to us.
- Make the food as tender as possible.
- Everything that enters the mouth should be at a comfortable temperature, as it could worsen wound healing.
- We must avoid easily chewed foods such as nuts, popcorn, wheat cakes, and others, since, in a hurry, we can swallow them quickly and cause blockages in the throat.
- Fruits with large seeds such as cherimoya, it is best to clean everything well before eating it.
- Instead of biting the food directly, it is better to help ourselves with a spoon or fork and take the food directly to the back of the mouth and to the side with which we can chew a little.
- Avoid pulling if we have just had our braces tightened.
