How To Make Soft Food For Elderly And Its Benefits + 20 Recommended Soft Foods For Elderly
Introduction
Elderly people are known to have some level of difficulty eating food that can be hard to chew. This can become a problem for elders who are at risk of malnutrition, which is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and even death.
This article will teach you how to make soft food for them that will not only taste good but also be easier on their teeth. These meal choices are great for anyone with lots of different types of diets.
Soft foods are low in calories and high in fiber, making them perfect options when trying to reduce weight or eat healthier without feeling guilty. Many elderly people have difficulty eating foods that are not soft or that need to be chewed. Making homemade food for the elderly is a way of providing encouragement, comfort, companionship, and nourishment.
There are a lot of people in the world that suffer from a disease or condition that makes it difficult for them to eat. Whether it’s dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or another debilitating illness, most people have been there. It is difficult to give up something as basic as food and has been called one of the most challenging efforts in life. The following article will give you some tips on how best to handle feeding those who need soft foods rather than hard ones.
Process In Making Soft Food
1. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have the right equipment. Unless you know how to modify hard food into soft, you will need a kitchen appliance that can work with the hard food and make it soft. Once you purchase this, you can use it on all of your food and turn anything into a soft and mushy masterpiece.
2. Start out with some vegetables like onions and celery. Begin by peeling the outer layer off of them so there is only the soft inside remaining. Add some water to a saucepan and cook until all of the taste has been washed out of them, leaving only the mushy texture behind. This will be used as your base for everything else that is to come.
3. After you have the mushy vegetable mixture ready, you can add some sauces and flavoring to get a better taste. Most of these soft foods will need a sour or sweet taste so get creative and add some citrus or vanilla flavors to get the right taste. With this method, you can do so much experimenting with your food that you might need to write down what each new recipe is before trying it.
3. After adding in the flavors, it’s time to add in the meats. Meats are well known for being very difficult to chew and swallow, but when turned into a soft mushy texture, they become much easier to deal with. When you are done, you will have a nice flavor that is not only delicious but also very easy to swallow.
4. From here, it’s time to boil it all down. The last step is to slowly cook the mixture down so it becomes very soft, much like mushy peas. This is much easier for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s because they won’t have any trouble swallowing these treats. They might even enjoy them because they can now eat foods that before wouldn’t even be considered edible or fit into their diets.
Benefits Of Soft Food For Elderly
1. Soft foods are usually high in protein but low in calories. This makes sense for elders who want to put on some weight or stick to a high protein diet.
2. Soft foods are usually made out of fresh ingredients that are easier on the digestive system than hard, processed foods.
3. Soft foods can be great for people with dysphagia, which is a condition that makes it difficult or impossible to eat solid food.
4. Soft food is also recommended for people with dementia because it might make them feel like they can eat more independently and still meet their dietary requirements.
5. Soft foods are a good option for people with a diminished sense of taste. When they can’t feel what they’re eating, this is a good way to get the nutrients in their diet.
6. Soft foods are also appealing to elderly people because it’s a way to add in some flavor without having to add in huge amounts of fat. This can be very beneficial because when someone is getting older, they need all the nutrients they can get without having to add up on calories from extra oil or butter.
7. As mentioned before, many elderly people have difficulty chewing so it’s important that soft foods don’t include too much fiber that might cause health problems like constipation and gas pains.
8. Finally, soft foods are great for people who are suffering from an illness of the throat or mouth. This helps them to enjoy all of the flavors they love but without any of the chewing.
9. The general purpose includes all of the above reasons and it’s a good reason to start making soft food as soon as possible!
10. Soft food is much easier for seniors and those with disabilities to eat without any feeding assistance; therefore, making it a much more viable option for those who need it most.
20 Recommended Soft Food For Elderly
1. Mashed potatoes with gravy
2. Cream of tomato soup
3. Vegetable hotdogs with mayonnaise and relish
4. Vegetables in a creamy dip with a sweet or sour sauce
5. Tuna salad made from canned tuna packed in oil
6. Cheerios with milk and honey
7. Corn chips dipped in salsa or guacamole
8. Angel food cake with pudding on top and some garnishes like pineapple chunks and strawberries at the bottom for color and taste
9. Honey and peanut butter sandwiches
10. Misc. Jello-like desserts
11. Popsicles
12. Candy
13. Ice cream
14. Rice cakes with fruit filling
15. Apple sauce with cinnamon and raisins
16. Peanut butter cups
17. Pretzels with mustard or honey
18. Salsa-type dips
19. Dip in the mashed banana with the mashed applesauce on top for the mint flavor
20. Cereal with fruit flavoring mixed in
Conclusion
The instructions that have been provided in this article should provide you with a very good run when it comes to the problems of eating when you are very elderly. By using these recipes and making your own food so people can eat foods that they used to love, you will see a world of difference in the way people eat.
It is not easy to give up eating anything or anything that tastes good and we really need to be grateful for what we have and not wish we could change it. By making food ourselves, even if for ourselves, we will be helping others by providing them with something they like and might even enjoy. As people get older, it is important to keep them nourished emotionally as well as physically. If you want to be of assistance, make sure to make food for them. You will be helping in the best way possible and in the process find great joy in cooking for others.