The Pureed Diet
RHIANNON BARNES – Dietitian-Nutritionist
BchHlthSc(Nut&Diet), APD, AN
MIDBAND Puree Diet
This food texture includes foods which are smooth and lump free. They should be moist and cohesive enough to hold their shape on a spoon. A blender, vitamiser, or food processor will be required to produce foods of this texture. When blending or mashing food, you will need to add liquid to achieve a moist, smooth texture. For example, when pureeing meat, add gravy or stock when blending and add fruit juice or skim milk to fruit when mashing.
It is important that texture modified diets are well balanced. This will ensure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs. Choose a variety of foods for your meals from each of the five food groups:
- Breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles
- Vegetables, legumes and pulses
- Fruit
- Dairy
- Meat and meat alternatives
Use foods of different colours to make your meals look more appealing and where possible, try not to blend all your foods together as this may be unappetising. You may also use herbs when preparing food to add interest to your meals.
Try to use the food that the rest of your household is eating to make your pureed food. This will save you time and money.
Sample meal plan
Breakfast :
- Pureed porridge made on skim milk OR pureed baked beans
- Pureed fruit and diet yoghurt
Lunch :
- Pureed casserole (meat/chicken/fish/legumes/lentils)
- Pureed vegetables and/or soup
- Custard
Dinner :
- Pureed meat/chicken/fish/legumes/lentils with stock or gravy
- Pureed potato/rice/pasta
- Pureed vegetables
- Custard/yoghurt
Morning Tea & Afternoon Tea :
- Pureed fruit or fruit smoothie made on skim milk
Pureed Diet Food Group Guide
Food Group |
Foods to Choose |
Foods to Avoid |
| Breads, Cereals, Rice, Pasta, Noodles |
- Smooth, lump free cereals such as pureed porridge or pureed weet-bix soaked in hot water
- Well cooked rice, pasta or noodles that have been pureed with sauce to achieve the desired texture
|
- Breads and cereals that have not been pureed to the recommended texture
|
| Vegetables & Legumes |
- Pureed or well mashed vegetables without chunks, lumps, pulp or seeds. You may need to remove the skin in order to achieve the desired texture.
- Vegetable juices
- Pureed vegetable soups
|
- Vegetables that have not been pureed or mashed to the recommended texture
- Creamy vegetable soups
|
| Fruit |
- Pureed or well mashed stewed or tinned fruit without chunks, lumps, pulp or seeds. You may need to remove the skin in order to achieve the desired texture.
- Puree fruit packs
- Fruit juices
- Fruit smoothies
|
- Foods that have not been pureed or mashed to the recommended texture
- Full fat fruit smoothies
|
| Milk, yoghurt, cheese |
- Milk, milkshakes, smoothies
- Plain, vanilla or flavoured yoghurts with no fruit pieces or lumps
- Smooth cheese pastes eg. smooth ricotta cheese
|
- Yoghurt with fruit or nuts
- Solid or semi-solid cheeses
- Course or textured dairy desserts
- Full fat dairy products
|
| Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts, legumes |
- Meat/chicken/fish/legumes/ lentils blended with gravy or sauce. Serve with extra gravy or sauce.
- Pureed scrambled eggs
|
- Meat and meat alternatives that have not been pureed to the recommended texture
- Nuts and seeds
|
|
References: www.health.qld.gov.au/nutrition/nemo_materials.asp
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