Soft Food Suggestions

Posted by Adrienne, Alumna Mentor @adriennef, Nov 30, 2017

Head and neck cancer patients have a unique challenge in dealing with limited food options. I had such a struggle finding food that was soft enough to eat, but also tasted good. There is only so much soup a person can stand, right??? I had a feeding tube during several rounds of treatment, but had to eat by mouth during my first few diagnoses. Did anyone land on some food that worked really well post-surgically or during treatment? I ate way too many of my mom's peanut butter pies. It has a smooth texture, and I would make it without the crust 🙂 Pudding and cheesecake were also winners in my book. Definitely not a low sugar diet, but it worked for me. What about you?

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I would also like to have suggestions on soft foods and smoothies. I have sjogrens and Gi issues with an ileostomy with very difficult swallowing issues. I have been told I might have to consider in future a feeding tube but I would like to put that off as long as possible. I worked with a nice dietitian prior to covid but it was so expensive and no coverage with insurance. I am milk intolerant so I am drinking Orgain but tying to find foods to blend low in fiber that I can get the best nutrition. Thank you any help would be appreciated. Most fruit and vegetables are to high in pulp.

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I had Stage 4 esophageal cancer & lost 1/3 of it to the cancer so my stomach had to be detached and moved higher up in my chest to be sewn in to the remains of the esophagus. Was on a feeding tube for 7 mo. & only food I could eat was yogurt & apple sauce, I've since been able to eat pasta if it has a creamy sauce on it to make it easier to swallow. Also lots of chicken noodle soup. Ice cream, popsicles, puddings, & protein shakes.

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@bea4me

I had Stage 4 esophageal cancer & lost 1/3 of it to the cancer so my stomach had to be detached and moved higher up in my chest to be sewn in to the remains of the esophagus. Was on a feeding tube for 7 mo. & only food I could eat was yogurt & apple sauce, I've since been able to eat pasta if it has a creamy sauce on it to make it easier to swallow. Also lots of chicken noodle soup. Ice cream, popsicles, puddings, & protein shakes.

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Hey,

I was diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus last year. I am taking pantoprazole 1 a day. I will have to go back in and check on the lining.

Please let me know what you went through. Thank you so much!

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@rexsan20

Hey,

I was diagnosed with Barretts Esophagus last year. I am taking pantoprazole 1 a day. I will have to go back in and check on the lining.

Please let me know what you went through. Thank you so much!

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I've tried every gerd drug out there (over the counter & Rx) & so far none has worked at all. Wasted a lot of $. Ant-acid chews help a bit. Liquid Sucralfate helps some people but not me. It requires an Rx. I'm concerned about damage being caused to the remains of my esophagus from the 24/7 gerd flow because the essential valve between the stomach & the esophagus was removed in surgery. It's the only way to prevent the flow of stomach acid into the esophagus.

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@bea4me

I've tried every gerd drug out there (over the counter & Rx) & so far none has worked at all. Wasted a lot of $. Ant-acid chews help a bit. Liquid Sucralfate helps some people but not me. It requires an Rx. I'm concerned about damage being caused to the remains of my esophagus from the 24/7 gerd flow because the essential valve between the stomach & the esophagus was removed in surgery. It's the only way to prevent the flow of stomach acid into the esophagus.

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I do not have heartburn at all or reflux. I may have the silent!

Just not sure what is going on.

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Nunja bullet and ninja foodie is how I get nourishment in. I buy 4oz containers with lids. I puree mangos, pineapple,apples,plums, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, peas, apricot, melons, I do the spinach and veg fresh put in fridge after food prep. I freeze dozens of those containers. When I running low, I prepare, fill and restock.
I do all meats like this, I do ground chicken and turkey, cook them together and after cooked in oven I throw it in blender and fill in different kind of container, more stronger like Tupperware with twist lid (Target) 4oz and put them in there. Freeze them. I do tuna fish, ham, hotdogs, beef, I sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. You can use any seasoning but anything more is rough on my throat or digestion. Cheerios and similar are soft enough to dissolve in my mouth. I eat plain yogurt a lot and love lactaid free milk. I use little Splenda if I want a dash of sweetness. Anyway I had to learn to be creative in order to enjoy food and get nurishment in as my body is struggling to survive in my conditions. It seems like a lot of work but you adjust. It's worth it.

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Here are a few suggestions for soft foods to eat. Room temperature or warm is the easiest to swallow, I find. Applesauce; Sugarless (& no sweetener), Hummus with soft pita or gyro bread, Pasta with melted cheese, pasta & ground meat sauce, Salmon, Meal Replacement drinks (Boost or Ensure for example), Scrambled eggs or fluffy omelette, Mushrooms softened by cooking to add to other foods, Carrots; grated & cooked, Sweet Potatoes; orange flesh, pierced & microwaved until soft (Potato setting & "More"), Oatmeal cereal; warm with milk & a little golden/brown sugar, Banana bread; moist & homemade or from a mix with extra banana added, Sushi (but not crispy Tempura), Rice pudding, Potatoes; mashed, Water, lots for cleansing the system of toxins.
Also try: Chicken; roast or rotisserie - very moist, skinless chicken cut into small pieces and added to a cooked soup. Vegetable soups or purees with chicken stock; homemade and not boiled, to maximize nutritional value, Breads & cakes; soft inside & without crust, even Italian Panettone is manageable and of course, Ice Cream, softened and (frozen) yoghurt. My understanding is that we should avoid acidic foods like lemons/limes, vinegar, raw tomatoes (I don't know if cooked tomatoes are acidic) & perhaps lactic acid in milk? After we have eaten we need to brush and rinse with room temperature water then swish/rinse/gargle with warm salted water &/or the prescription rinse in order to help heal tissue around the where the biopsies were excised or the sores still linger. I hope this is helpful to others. It is based on my own experience. Check with your navigator or oncologist to make sure foods are appropriate for your condition.

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