Minimum Daily Requirements of Food Groups:

Milk/Milk Products—2-4 cups daily
Includes milk, buttermilk, chocolate milk, eggnog, malted milk, ice cream, yogurt, puddings, custard, and cottage cheese. (Use 2% or non-fat milk and “light” ice cream to minimize fat intake.)

Fruit/Fruit Juices—2-4 cups daily
Includes juices such as apple, orange, grape, cranberry, prune, pear, guava, tomato (V-8) and combination fruit juices. (Avoid artificially flavored, sugared drinks.) Other Pureed melons, (cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.), bananas, pears, peaches, plums. Remember: Vitamin C is an important vitamin in healing; oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes are high in vitamin C.

Vegetables—2-4 cups daily
Mashed and pureed potatoes are a basic and can be mixed with various gravies, soups and sauces to give a smooth consistency. Any canned vegetable (carrots, green beans, spinach) and many fresh vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes can be blended into juices. Corn and beans tend not to puree well and their “skins” will need to be strained.

Cereals & Breads—4-5 cups daily
Plain oatmeal, cream of rice, cream of wheat, farina, pasta are all an excellent source of nutrition but must be thinned with milk, etc. Avoid cold cereals. Cut the crust off bread before eating. Breads can be soaked in gravy or blended into other dishes.

Soups & Meats—6-8 ounces daily
Soups: Almost any soup can be blended to proper consistency and provide a tasty meal with little fuss. Creamed soups and broths can be blended into other dishes to thin the texture. Strain chowders & bean soups.
Meats: Almost any meat can be blended; stringy meats (chicken, beef) can be a hassle. Pre-grinding (e.g. hamburger instead of steak) will help minimize the problem. SMOOTH peanut butter, fish and eggs are excellent sources of protein (no raw eggs). Many can be combined and blended (wieners & sauerkraut, macaroni & cheese with milk, tuna & noodle casserole, ravioli or spaghetti with extra sauce, stuffed green peppers with gravy, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy.)

Protein/vitamin Supplements—2-4 daily
Liquid drinks such as Ensure, Boost, Carnation Instant Breakfast and Powders (Myoplex, MetRx, etc.) can help your body gets the necessary vitamins & minerals needed for good nutrition. Avoid diet drinks such as Slim Fast Plus, as they are too low in calories, proteins and certain vitamins.

Fat Sources—limited
You will get enough fat in your diet from margarine, cooking oils, gravy, etc. Too much fat is usually more of a problem than not enough!

Iinformation For Patient On A liquid Diet:

INTRODUCTION:

Your jaws have either been wired together, or your mouth has restricted opening and movement, therefore, you’re not able to chew a normal diet and must consume food that is in liquid or near-liquid state. This diet can be inconvenient and monotonous unless you take efforts to make it tasty. This pamphlet will assist you in adjusting to this new way of eating, and give you some ideas on preparing food that will ensure nutrition and variety to your meals.

The menus and recipes on the reverse side of this pamphlet have been obtained from a variety of sources, including patients who have gone through this before. As you adjust your new way of eating, you’ll become adept at working food along your cheeks and behind the teeth as you add new treats to your diet.

Your first need is an electric blender or food processor. Almost any food can be blended into a soupy liquid for better consistency. With experimentation you’ll be able to come up with tasty combinations.

FREQUENT MEALS AND SNACKS:

IMPORTANT: