Dysphagia diet Step two (1712)

Mashed or Ground Foods

What is a dysphagia diet?  

This diet is used when a child has a hard time chewing or swallowing foods. It is a 3-step diet that gradually adds textures as chewing and swallowing improve. 

The foods in this diet are moist or will dissolve so they can be mashed or ground. Foods need little or no chewing and stay together in the mouth. The diet includes liquids as described below and all pureed foods that are allowed on Dysphagia Step One Diet. 

Child may have the liquid that is circled: 

• Very thin:  Juice, water, breast milk.
• Thin:  Milk, Pediasure®, formula.          
• Nectar thick              
• Honey thick

Items in bold may not be allowed if child needs thickened liquid. Ask your speech language pathologist.

Bread/Crackers

All breads should be white bread without crust.  Bread should be moistened with syrup and/or butter. Pancakes, lightly toasted bread, French toast.Gerber puffs®, Gerber yogurt melts.
Crackers that dissolve easily such as graham crackers, or puffed Cheetos®.

Cereal

Smooth cooked cereal: cream of wheat, baby rice/oatmeal, instant oat meal. Cereal may need to be mixed with milk, formula or butter to a smooth creamy consistency.  Dry dissolvable cereals or moistened with milk then drained. 

Meats/Proteins

Ground beef with gravy; tofu; refried beans; liverwurst; soufflés (or eggs of similar light and fluffy consistency); finely ground/chopped ham/egg/chicken moistened with mayonnaise.

Potato/potato substitute

Fork mashed or finely chopped pastas with gravy, butter, margarine, alfredo, cheese or marinara sauce, Spaghetti O’s®, slightly thinned mashed potatoes with gravy, margarine or butter. Baked potato chips like baked lays®.

Vegetables

Mashed vegetables without skins. Mashed avocado. 

Fruits

Fork mashed or finely chopped peeled fruit: bananas/pears/peaches. May need to be thickened with unflavored gelatin or commercial thickener. Avoid fruits that have seeds such as strawberries. 

Milk/dairy

Small curd cottage cheese, smooth yogurt without fruit pieces, shredded cheese, American cheese slices, milk. Milk may be used in cooked cereal or mashed potatoes. 

Soups

Smooth pureed soups or broths only. Smooth or clear only - no chunks. 

Desserts

Pudding, plain cheesecake or smooth pie filling with or without graham cracker crust, frosting, Lorna Doones® cookies, Nilla Wafers®, milkshakes, ice cream, popsicles, sherbet. 

Other

Salt, pepper, catsup, mustard, salad dressings, sugar, jelly, honey.

Sample menu

Breakfast

• Fork mashed banana
• Fruit juice
•  Hot cooked cereal
• Milk
•  Soufflés 
• Pancakes with butter and syrup

Lunch

• Pureed pizza
• Mashed potatoes with butter and gravy
• Mashed carrots with margarine
• Mashed canned pears
• Pudding
• Milk

Dinner

• Taco meat with cheese sauce
• Mashed avocado
• Shredded cheese
• Chopped canned peaches
• Ice cream
• Milk

Morning snack

• Small curd cottage cheese

Afternoon snack

• Fork mashed macaroni and cheese

Evening snack

• Yogurt

To be sure your child is getting enough fluids, calories and nutrients to grow, certain amounts of foods will be needed. A dietitian can tell you how much of each food group your child needs each day.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents