Easier Swallowing Texture C
Consistencies You have been found to have difficulties with eating and drinking. It has been recommended that you follow a consistency modified diet and the one that has been recommended for you is Texture C. Reproduced with the kind permission of Birmingham Speech and Language Therapy Dysphagia Service for people with Adult Learning Disabilities Texture C Carrot Mince gravy Broccoli Potato 1
So what does that mean for you? Thick purée Food should be cooked until it is soft and puréed/liquidized to a smooth consistency. Your purée should resemble instant mashed potato or smooth set yoghurt. Some foods will require sieving to remove any lumps, particles or stringy bits. You should be able to eat this consistency with either a fork or a spoon. You may need to add thickener to some puréed foods which tend to separate on standing. You should not need to chew food of this consistency. Food of this texture can be moulded or piped to improve presentation. Remember to avoid high risk foods see the leaflet An Intorduction to Easier Swallowing for a list of these foods 2
Sample meal pattern suitable for Texture C All food must be cooked until it is soft, and then puréed/ liquidized to a smooth consistency. Some foods may need to be thickened. All your drinks should be thickened to consistency... Breakfast Mid-morning Lunch Puréed fruit or fruit juice, porridge made with milk, Oats so Simple (not apple), Ready Brek or Weetabix. See ideas for snacks. Soup. Sandwiches crusts removed (bread prepared with soaking solution see page 7). Tender meat casserole, mince, fish in sauce, egg or cheese dish. Creamed potato, pasta in sauce. Soft cooked vegetables e.g. carrots. AVOID coarse vegetables and stalks. Mid-afternoon See ideas for snacks. Evening meal Bedtime Tender meat casserole, mince, fish in sauce, egg or cheese dish. Creamed potato. Soft cooked vegetables. AVOID coarse vegetables and stalks. Milk pudding, smooth yoghurt, mousse or whip with stewed fruit, or soft fresh or tinned fruit (skinned and pipped). Milky drink such as Horlicks, Ovaltine, hot chocolate. Fruit juice/fruit purée/smoothie. Foods may need to be fortified your dietitian will advise. 3
Ideas for meals Texture C Remember to purée/liquidize all foods to the correct consistency. All your drinks should be thickened to consistency... Fish Fish in a sauce. Fish pie (potato). Tuna in mayonnaise and mashed potato. Vegetarian Macaroni cheese. Baked egg custard/scrambled egg. Cheese and potato pie (no pastry). Cauliflower cheese. Lentil casserole. Haricot bean casserole. Soft omelette. Root vegetable curry and potato. Soup All varieties breadcrumbs can be added before liquidizing. Meat/chicken Corned beef hash/stovies. Beef stew, chicken casserole. Beef stew, chicken casserole. Shepherd s pie/mince and potatoes. Tender roasted meat (in gravy). Tender roasted meat (in gravy). Meat/chicken curry and potato. Chicken in a white wine sauce. Chicken in a white wine sauce. Black pudding (skin removed) and baked beans. 4
Vegetables and fruit Tinned chopped tomatoes (sieved). Carrots. Turnip. Broccoli tops no stalks. Cauliflower tops no stalks. Baked beans. Mushy peas. Bananas (mash don t purée). Tinned pears/peaches/apricots. Stewed apples/rhubarb. Melon. Strawberries/raspberries/kiwi fruit (sieved to remove seeds). Desserts Ice cream melted & thickened. Smooth yoghurt. Smooth fromage frais. Trifle with soft fruit. Custard. Rice pudding & seedless jam. Semolina. Mousse or whips. Crème caramel. Plain sponge and custard. Cheesecake and cream (no base). Flaked rice. 5
Ideas for snacks Texture C Mousse Instant whip Yoghurt Ice cream Puréed fruit Custard pot Cake Crackers Bread Any flavour. Made to appropriate consistency. Smooth or sieved, or smooth fromage frais. If you require thickened fluids, allow ice cream to melt at room temperature and thicken with appropriate thickener to a pudding consistency. Add pouring ice cream sauces e.g. strawberry or chocolate. Soft tinned fruits can be puréed and thickener added, if required. For example, peaches, pears, or tinned puréed fruit. Any flavour. Prepare a soaking solution (see page 7) using fruit juice. Use soaking solution (see page 7) made with water, Oxo, Bovril, or stock cubes. Use soaking solution (see page 7) made with water, Oxo, Bovril, or stock cubes. Savoury snacks Smooth peanut butter, cheese spread, smooth pâté, hummus, meat paste. These can be eaten on their own or with bread or crackers that have been soaked in soaking solution (see page 7). 6
Soaking solution A soaking solution is made by blending food thickener with water, fruit juice, Oxo, Bovril, or stock cubes, according to the manufacturers instructions. The resulting solution can then be used to soak foods such as bread (crusts removed), cakes, crackers and biscuits to alter their consistency without puréeing. Foods are immersed or covered in the liquid and then put in the fridge to allow the food to absorb all the solution and become soft and moist. 7
8 Notes
Contact numbers Dietitian s name: Dietitian s number: Speech and Language Therapist s name: Speech and Language Therapist s number: Useful addresses This information has been produced for SNDRi by State Registered Dietitians and other relevant health professionals. At the time of publication the information contained within the leaflet was, to the best of our knowledge, correct and up to date. Always consult a suitably qualified Dietitian and/or your GP on health problems. SNDRi cannot be held responsible for how clients/patients interpret and use the information within this resource. Hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University and funded by the Scottish Government. A Registered Dietitians project, in partnership with other agencies. To re-order visit www.caledonian.ac.uk/sndri and follow instructions Ref: 9353 12/05 SNDRI