One way to approach a dysphagia diet is to plan for 6 smaller meals a day that, in total, meet the daily requirements for adequate energy, protein, carbohydrate, and at least 1500mls water.
Traditional soups made with a few extra ingredients can contribute. They make complete meals an easier task when designing modified texture diets. The following soup recipes are designed to provide approximately 900-1300kJ at mealtimes with at least 17-25g protein and enough vegetable to meet healthy eating plans. Breakfast and in-between meals could be a fruit smoothie with cereal and nuts providing extra calories to meet energy requirements. See meal plan below.
Traditional soups made with a few extra ingredients can contribute. They make complete meals an easier task when designing modified texture diets. The following soup recipes are designed to provide approximately 900-1300kJ at mealtimes with at least 17-25g protein and enough vegetable to meet healthy eating plans. Breakfast and in-between meals could be a fruit smoothie with cereal and nuts providing extra calories to meet energy requirements. See meal plan below.
Example Meal Plan
Using Smoothies as Complete Meals
(Recipes from “Super Foods for Small Appetites”
(SFSA). Other recipes will be added to this blog over the next few weeks.
Breakfast: Quinoa
Porridge with cinnamon, berries (SFSA) and half a mashed banana providing 1000kJ,
10g protein, 5g fat, 30g carbohydrate, 10g fibre.
OR
High Energy
Breakfast: Oats express using a tetrapak of Dairy Farmers flavoured Oats
Express with extra oats (SFSA) with half a mashed banana providing 1500kJ, 16g
protein, 4g fat, 55g carbohydrate 10g fibre.
Morning Tea: Green
Smoothie (SFSA) made with a green vegetable, rockmelon etc. plus added sweet
potato for extra thickening if required providing 6-700kJ, 5.6g protein, 0.6g
fat, 30g carbohydrate, 6g fibre.
Lunch: Split Pea
& Ham, Lentil & Vegetable, or Minestrone Soup (recipes to follow)
providing 1100kJ, 20g protein, 6.5g fat, 30g carbohydrate, 6g fibre.
OR
High Energy Lunch:
Soup as above with approx. 20g Sustagen
(or similar) whisked in before serving. This will add 300kJ and 5g protein.
Afternoon Tea: Chocolate
and Chia Seed Smoothie (SFSA) providing 800kJ, 11.6g protein, 7.5g fat, 25g
carbohydrate, 8.5g fibre. OR Tropical
Quinoa Smoothie. (SFSA)
Dinner: Meat or
Fish based soup eg Scotch Broth (see below), Beef Daube Soup, Cream of Chicken
Soup (SFSA), Fish Bisque. These will provide 1000-1200 kJ, 20g protein, 30g
carbohydrate, variable fat and fibre content depending on recipe.
Supper: Fruit Flavoured
Beverage jelly. (SFSA). This can be made with a clear fruit supplement OR a
favourite cordial or fruit juice. Tapioca provides the stability for thickening
the jelly so melting in the mouth before a swallow is avoided.
If a fruit flavoured supplement is used for extra nutrition
up to 1500kJ would be available as well as an extra 13g protein.
My first recipe is a traditional Scotch broth with lamb and
barley. If cooked in a Slow Cooker the lamb falls off the bones easily and the
barley is soft. The meat, vegetables and barley provide small pieces that float
in a tasty broth. This constitutes a mixed texture and can be a challenge for
those with chewing and swallowing problems
where the thin broth may cause coughing. Blending the soup will create a
thick consistency that is easier to manage in the mouth.
Scotch Broth
Ingredients Serves
5
500g lamb neck chops trimmed
150g carrots
1 medium onion
2 leeks
3 sticks celery
¾ cup pearl barley
1.5 litres hot water
1 beef stock cube
salt & pepper to taste.
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Method
1. Peel carrots and onions and trim leeks. Chop into small pieces.
2. Sear lamb chops and onions in slow cooker.
3. Add washed barley, water, vegetables and stock
cube.
4. Slow cook for at least 3 hours.
5. Remove lamb chops, separate meat from bones and
chop into small pieces.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped meat
and parsley.
7. Blend the soup until smooth thick consistency is
achieved.
Nutrition Information per serve: Energy 1126 kJ, protein
20.6g, fat 6.5g, sat fat 3.2g, carbohydrate 29.7g, sugars 7.5g, fibre 5.8g,
sodium 519mg.
Scotch Broth as a Smooth Purée showing a 'figure of 8' motif to demonstrate extremely thick consistency |