Soft or Easy to Swallow Foods

accordiongirl
accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hey everyone, i'm writing on behalf of my mom.  She's having more and more difficulty with eating/swallowing foods.  It's gotta be pretty small/chopped up/etc. in order to get it down, and even then, she tends to cough up quite a bit.  She's had pudding, yogurt, ice cream, soups, eggs, and cream of wheat so much that she's tired of it.  

Are there other things we could try for her that we're not considering?  The senior living complex she lives in initially told her that they would puree the meals that she orders from the dining room (she gets 10 a month with her rent), but now they're refusing, saying that she has to be in Assisted Living in order to have her food pureed.  She doesn't need AL and isn't interested in paying the extra 2 grand a month, just to get a few meals pureed.  If and when she DOES need services, they'll be provided by her hospice team.

i did purchase some baby food for her tonight that she can try over the next week or so, but to be honest, i can't imagine that is going to be very palatable.  We also thought about a blender, but she wants to try the baby food first, as she doesn't have a lot of strength in her hands.  i also worry about her handling the sharp blades because she's started dropping things fairly regularly - we don't need her to drop those and cut herself.

If anyone has any ideas on types of foods, ways to prepare food, items to try, etc. for mom, i'd very much appreciate that.  She's especially interested in "real" foods.......all the soft items she's currently eating are more "sweets" - puddings, ice cream, etc.

Thank you for any help or advice you might be able to offer.

~ accordiongirl

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Member
    #2
    A few things

    I liked soft boiled eggs with deviled ham, baked beans, cottage cheese, and yogurt.  Things that could kind of slide down were alright like apple sauce and jello.  I clutched the kitchen counter and closed my eyes in order to swallow each bite.  I took the pain medication that was prescribed a half hour before I would eat.  Magic Mouthwash didn’t help me with swallowing one bit.  Maybe one of those things will help.

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #3
    Seige said:

    A few things

    I liked soft boiled eggs with deviled ham, baked beans, cottage cheese, and yogurt.  Things that could kind of slide down were alright like apple sauce and jello.  I clutched the kitchen counter and closed my eyes in order to swallow each bite.  I took the pain medication that was prescribed a half hour before I would eat.  Magic Mouthwash didn’t help me with swallowing one bit.  Maybe one of those things will help.

    Thanks

    Thank you for your ideas.  Mom's issue isn't pain, she just can't move the food past the growing tumor in her throat, so she coughs most things up.  Even mashed potatoes don't work - they're too "sticky" as she says.  i've encouraged her to add more milk/butter, but i think she's given up on that.  i'll suggest baked beans - that's a good idea.  The other items are already things she eats now (except cottage cheese - she's not a fan).

    Thank you for your suggestions.   Baked beans are now on my list of things to get her.

    i hope you're doing well with no pain while eating.

    ~ accordiongirl

     

  • ERomanO
    ERomanO Member Posts: 323 Member
    #4
    If your mom likes fish, how

    If your mom likes fish, how about salmon?  That was one of my staples through treatments.  It's kind of oily as it is and you don't have to cook it all thr way through (leave it a little raw in thr middle).  After you bake it cut off the crusty layer and eat it with mayo or tartar sauce.  That's some serious lubrication there.

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #5
    ERomanO said:

    If your mom likes fish, how

    If your mom likes fish, how about salmon?  That was one of my staples through treatments.  It's kind of oily as it is and you don't have to cook it all thr way through (leave it a little raw in thr middle).  After you bake it cut off the crusty layer and eat it with mayo or tartar sauce.  That's some serious lubrication there.

    Hmmm.......

    .....not being a fish eater myself, i hadn't thought of that.  i will ask her!  Thanks!

    ~ accordiongirl

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #6
    i will add

    i had a conversation with mom today and it made my heart just ache for her........she says that eating is such a chore, something she dreads as she no longer enjoys any of it (and who could blame her with all the troubles that eating presents to her?).  She also says she's just not hungry anymore.....she eats because she knows she needs it, but she hates it. 

    So hard for her to lose the pleasure that comes with eating.......i just wish i could make things better for her.  Obviously, i cannot, but i would if i could.  Cry  So finding SOMETHING, ANYTHING that i can offer her to ease this difficulty, it's all i'm hoping for at this point.

    ~ accordiongirl

  • Mavish
    Mavish Member Posts: 93 Member
    #7
    Hello, 

    Hello, 

    Since  had alot ofcomplications aftrr radiothetapy, eating was a big challenge for me mor than a year. It is very important to get enough nutrients. EveryoneEis different, I just jwanted to share my experience. 

    For a long time I could only had liquid food such as soops. We prepared vegitable soups. We add little bit of flour and lots of cream in it. Just before eating I also add protein powder. This way I was able to get hogh calori high protein food with a limited amount of food. Each swallowing was challenge.

    I have also used "nestle resource" 220 ml is 430 cal and have 20 g protein.

    I have lost all sense of taste. Taste of the food wasn't that important. As I get better, I start having smoked samon with olive oil and ocra cooked with olive oil. Feel free to reach me if you want recepies. 

     Hope your mom feels better soon.

    Blessings

  • debbiel0
    debbiel0 Member Posts: 134 Member
    #8
    accordiongirl said:

    i will add

    i had a conversation with mom today and it made my heart just ache for her........she says that eating is such a chore, something she dreads as she no longer enjoys any of it (and who could blame her with all the troubles that eating presents to her?).  She also says she's just not hungry anymore.....she eats because she knows she needs it, but she hates it. 

    So hard for her to lose the pleasure that comes with eating.......i just wish i could make things better for her.  Obviously, i cannot, but i would if i could.  Cry  So finding SOMETHING, ANYTHING that i can offer her to ease this difficulty, it's all i'm hoping for at this point.

    ~ accordiongirl

    I know how your mom feels,

    I know how your mom feels, eating can become a necessity rather than a pleasure. I found zucchini and over cooked carrots easy to get down. Avocado was also a easy swallow. Chia seed pudding was a nice treat too.

  • caregiver wife
    caregiver wife Member Posts: 234
    #9
    easy to swallow

    I have been making husband homemade custard almost every day.  It is milk, eggs, with little sugar and vanilla.  It is the most healthy thing I have been able to get him to eat on regular basis for a while.

    Crystal

  • MickeyD
    MickeyD Member Posts: 14
    #10
    Some food possibilities

    "The Dysphagia Cookbook" by Elayne Achilles has a lot of recipies that may help. She notates each one based on the form of processing necessary: soft, grind/shred/slice, puree.  Has sections on fish, meat, soups, salads, breakfast meals, veggies and my personal favorite, desserts.  I would hope your mother might find something she would like. 

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #11
    MickeyD said:

    Some food possibilities

    "The Dysphagia Cookbook" by Elayne Achilles has a lot of recipies that may help. She notates each one based on the form of processing necessary: soft, grind/shred/slice, puree.  Has sections on fish, meat, soups, salads, breakfast meals, veggies and my personal favorite, desserts.  I would hope your mother might find something she would like. 

    i will look into this

    i will look for this and see if it can help her - thank you!!  As mom gets weaker, i don't know how much she'll be able to do on her own, but we could look at things we could prepare in advance for her - assuming, of course, that she can get it down.  We know that as her cancer advances, eating will go from hard and frustrating to downright impossible or, as i suspect, she'll reach a point where she decides it's not worth the effort and struggle to bother trying anymore.  Until we reach that point, however, i'd like to be able to give her some options.  Thank you again for this resource.

    ~ accordiongirl

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #12
    caregiver wife said:

    easy to swallow

    I have been making husband homemade custard almost every day.  It is milk, eggs, with little sugar and vanilla.  It is the most healthy thing I have been able to get him to eat on regular basis for a while.

    Crystal

    Thank you

    i will mention this to mom and see if it's something she'd like.  i know she's kind of tired of puddings and yogurts and shakes.......she wants "real" food.  That may or may not be an option for her, unfortunately.

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #13
    Mavish said:

    Hello, 

    Hello, 

    Since  had alot ofcomplications aftrr radiothetapy, eating was a big challenge for me mor than a year. It is very important to get enough nutrients. EveryoneEis different, I just jwanted to share my experience. 

    For a long time I could only had liquid food such as soops. We prepared vegitable soups. We add little bit of flour and lots of cream in it. Just before eating I also add protein powder. This way I was able to get hogh calori high protein food with a limited amount of food. Each swallowing was challenge.

    I have also used "nestle resource" 220 ml is 430 cal and have 20 g protein.

    I have lost all sense of taste. Taste of the food wasn't that important. As I get better, I start having smoked samon with olive oil and ocra cooked with olive oil. Feel free to reach me if you want recepies. 

     Hope your mom feels better soon.

    Blessings

    Hadn't considered

    Protein powder.  This is something i'll definitely look into for her.  It wouldn't help in the "taste" department, but might be a great addition to the nutrition aspect of things. 

    We know that things will continue to get worse, not better, as mom did opt to not have treatment.  i just want her time left to be as good as it can possibly be. 

    i appreciate all your ideas and your good wishes.

    ~ accordiongirl

  • MickeyD
    MickeyD Member Posts: 14
    #14
    Another possibility

    I was looking through some info I was given a couple of years ago and found a reference to a web site:  www.dinnerthroughastraw.net/index.htm   The site is still active.  Maybe something she can "eat" through a straw might appeal to her if it will not require a lot of effort on her part.  Hope you can find something that works for both you and her.  Our prayers are with you.  

  • accordiongirl
    accordiongirl Member Posts: 63
    #15
    MickeyD said:

    Another possibility

    I was looking through some info I was given a couple of years ago and found a reference to a web site:  www.dinnerthroughastraw.net/index.htm   The site is still active.  Maybe something she can "eat" through a straw might appeal to her if it will not require a lot of effort on her part.  Hope you can find something that works for both you and her.  Our prayers are with you.  

    Thank you!

    Thanks for the link to that site, MickeyD - i hadn't heard of that before, but i'll be checking it out for mom.

    i really appreciate everyone here who has been so helpful and willing to take time out to give me ideas for mom.  Again, thank you so much!!

    ~ accordiongirl

  • motorcycleguy
    motorcycleguy Member Posts: 483 Member
    #16
    Foods I can eat...

    I just finished radiation a couple weeks ago. I can eat hard-boiled or scrambled eggs, hummus goes down easy (and has a lot of protein), refried beans (good protein/fiber), and my girlfriend's smoothies are a mainstay (naked whey protein, peanut butter, fruit etc.)

    I hope she's able to find enough to maintain her weight. The smoothies were my secret weapon!

  • AlanS
    AlanS Member Posts: 6
    #17
    MickeyD said:

    Some food possibilities

    "The Dysphagia Cookbook" by Elayne Achilles has a lot of recipies that may help. She notates each one based on the form of processing necessary: soft, grind/shred/slice, puree.  Has sections on fish, meat, soups, salads, breakfast meals, veggies and my personal favorite, desserts.  I would hope your mother might find something she would like. 

    Thank you for the book I will get it

     

    I lost 60 lbs and needed feeding tube. It is a little over 4 months and from hating all food I now can eat a lot of things now as long as they have sauce or I drink Yoohoo, yes yoohoo, for some reason it taste good from the start.  I have ganged 8 LBS and now look like a person again.  Thank you for the book recommendation, I need to add more to what I eat

     

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