Easier Swallowing Texture E
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 E. Texture E Reproduced with the kind permission of Birmingham Speech and Language Therapy Dysphagia Service for people with Adult Learning Disabilities Mince gravy Carrot Broccoli Potato 1
So what does that mean for you? Soft and easily chewed Some chewing may be required. Food should be soft and moist and may have some variation in texture. It is not necessary to purée or sieve. You may eat solids and liquids together, such as a stew served with thick gravy or jelly with soft tinned fruit. Suitable examples include tender meat casserole, sandwiches (crusts removed) with soft moist fillings, sponge and custard. It should be easy to break food into pieces with a fork. Avoid foods which are dry or crisp, as they may cause choking e.g. baked pasta dishes can sometimes have hard crusts. Remember to avoid high risk foods see main leaflet for list 2
Sample meal pattern suitable for Texture E All food must be prepared and cooked until soft and moist. It does not require to be puréed or sieved. All your drinks should be thickened to consistency... Breakfast Soft fruit or fruit juice Cornflakes or Rice Krispies (well soaked in milk) Cooked porridge made with milk. Oats so Simple (not apple), Ready Brek or Weetabix Tea or coffee Mid-morning See ideas for snacks Lunch Soup Sandwich with soft filling crusts removed and bread prepared in a soaking solution (see page 7) if necessary Tender roast meat in gravy, fish in sauce, egg or cheese dish Potato, pasta in sauce or rice in sauce or gravy Soft cooked vegetables e.g. carrots AVOID coarse vegetables and stalks. Mid-afternoon See ideas for snacks Evening Meal Tender roast meat in gravy, fish in sauce, egg or cheese dish or sandwich with soft filling Potato, pasta in sauce or rice in sauce or gravy Soft cooked vegetables e.g. broccoli tops AVOID coarse vegetables and stalks. Soft fruit and cream, milk pudding and soft fresh or tinned fruit or trifle Bedtime Milky drinks such as Horlicks, Ovaltine, hot chocolate. Fruit juice, fruit purée or smoothie. Foods may need to be fortified your dietitian will advise. 3
Ideas for meals Texture E Remember that any foods you eat should be soft and moist and may have some variation in texture. All your drinks should be thickened to consistency... Fish Fish in a sauce Fish pie (potato) Fish cakes and sauce Tuna in mayonnaise and mashed potatoes Vegetarian When cooking rice, ensure it is soft, well soaked, well cooked and mixed with sauce or gravy. Macaroni cheese Baked egg custard/ scrambled egg Cheese and potato pie (no pastry) Boiled egg Cauliflower cheese Lentil casserole Pasta and tomato sauce Haricot bean casserole Soft omelette Potato waffles and baked beans Root vegetable curry and rice Vegetable risotto Soups All varieties 4
Meat/chicken When cooking rice, ensure it is soft, well soaked, well cooked and mixed with sauce or gravy. Corned beef hash/stovies Casseroled meat/stews Shepherds pie/mince and potatoes Chicken and pasta in a sauce Tender roast meats and gravy Black pudding (skin removed) and baked beans Pasta dishes with meat/cheese/tomato sauce Curry and rice Risotto Sweet and sour dishes with rice Vegetables and fruit All cooked vegetables Any soft fresh or tinned fruit Desserts Ice cream Yoghurt Fromage frais Trifle with soft fruit Custard Rice pudding and jam Semolina Mousse or whip Crème caramel Sponge and custard Cheesecake and cream (no base) Jelly Flaked rice 5
Ideas for snacks Texture E Mousse Instant whip Yoghurt Ice cream Fruit Biscuits Cake Crackers Any flavour. Made to appropriate consistency. Soft fruit yoghurt or fromage frais. If you require thickened fluids, allow ice cream to melt at room temperature, thicken with appropriate thickener to a pudding consistency. Add pouring ice cream sauces e.g. strawberry or chocolate. Stewed fruit e.g. apple, rhubarb or soft tinned fruits. These may require a soaking solution (see page 7). Use plain biscuits (avoid chocolate covered biscuits or biscuits containing nuts or dried fruits). Some people may be able to manage cake with custard or cream. It may need to be prepared using a soaking solution (see page 7). You can use fruit juice in place of water. Use a soaking solution (see page 7), made with water, Oxo, Bovril or stock cubes. Bread Some people may be able to manage soft, moist sandwiches. The bread may need to be prepared using a soaking solution made with water, Oxo, Bovril or stock cubes. Meat paste Meat paste can be piped/spread on to bread or crackers. Sandwich fillings These should be soft and moist e.g. tuna or egg mayonnaise, meat spreads or smooth paté. 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 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: 9355 12/05 SNDRI