What Foods Can You Eat on a Pureed Diet, and Which Foods Should Not Be Pureed?

A pureed diet is one that requires you to eat foods that have a similar consistency to mousse or pudding. Foods you can eat on a pureed diet include vegetables, potatoes, applesauce, and others.

In a world that pushes a thousand different kinds of diets, it may be hard to choose one that is right for you. Sometimes, though, a diet is needed for something other than weight loss. A pureed diet, for instance, is made for a very specific audience. Read on to learn more. 

A pureed diet is one that requires you to eat foods that have a similar consistency to mousse or pudding. Pureed food should be smooth, moist, and unified, with no separation by water. The final product should not be runny, lumpy, or thin. 

A pureed diet will contain most of the same foods as your regular diet, just with a smooth liquid texture. It is usually prescribed to people with poor dentition who are unable to chew normally. 

This difficulty can occur for many reasons. Some include ill-fitting dentures, missing teeth, and mouth pain. Kids who are growing teeth may experience similar issues and have to use this diet. 

Many times, food will be thinned down so it can be consumed with a straw. This can help those with problems like dysphagia and swallowing. 

The proper way to puree food in a blender is very simple:

• Take small pieces of cooked food and place them in a blender
• Add some fluid, up to ¼ a cup
• Blend your food until it is smooth and pureed without lumps
• If you find that your puree mixture is too thin, you can add thickening agents like cream, flour, sour cream, or yogurt. If the mixture is too thick, blend in more liquids so that it is creamier and smoother. 

It should be noted that butter and other solid fats will blend better if they are melted first. 

Salad dressing, oil, and cream can be added directly to the puree. 

Foods that you should choose to puree include:

• Frozen and canned vegetables or fruits (strain, though, before eating)  
• Soft-cooked vegetables like broccoli,  green beans, or celery (strain before eating)  
• Stewed pitted prunes
• Mashed and smooth potatoes or squash 
• Applesauce and other fruit sauces 
• Berries like blueberries and strawberries (strain before eating)  
• Skinless, soft fruit like ripe bananas
• Softer meats and proteins
• Softer types of bread and pastries

The liquid consistency of your food should be recommended by your doctor. Foods on this diet should be easy to manipulate and move around in the mouth, which will lessen the risk of food going down the wrong tube. 

This diet should have foods that are pudding-like in texture. Eating food that is not allowed on a pureed diet will increase the risk of swallowing problems that can result in items entering your airway instead of your esophagus. If food gets into your lungs instead of your stomach, that will increase your risk of choking, malnutrition, or pneumonia. 

There are several foods you should avoid when on a pureed diet, including:

• Whole flax seeds 
• Cooked cereals that contain seeds 
• Cranberries, coconuts, raisins, and other dried fruit
• Cold cereals  
• Loose, dry rice
• Grain products that contain any hard food pieces
• Chocolate chips 
• Fruits and vegetables with skins, membranes, hulls, or seeds
• Any form of pineapple 

In order to maintain good nutrition while on a pureed diet, your body needs a variety of foods. It will need fats, fiber, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. You should also drink a normal amount of fluids, with a goal of around 8 glasses of water daily. Your doctor will provide more specific guidance. 

Many of your calories likely come from fat. Some fats are needed in our diets and are healthy. These may include fats from sources like dairy, meat, coconut, cream, or coconut milk. Nuts and nut butter, vegetable oils, olives, and avocados are also good sources. You will find 45 calories in one teaspoon of oil.

Meanwhile, there are two types of fiber that are both beneficial. One is soluble and the other is insoluble. Foods like fresh skinless fruits are good sources of pureed soluble fiber, which will soften your bowel movements. Insoluble fiber is found in vegetable and fruit skins, and in beans, whole grains, and seeds. It will not be broken down in your digestive system and will add bulk to your stool, helping to make your bowel movements more regular. Even in juice form, fiber is still present in vegetables and fruit. Your body needs both types of fiber. 

Protein builds body tissues and helps with recovery after surgery. Meat, poultry, fish, milk, and cheese are all rich in protein. 

Another term for sugars and starches is carbohydrates. They should typically make up half or more of your calories. Your carbohydrates should come from potatoes, squash, green beans, and other starch vegetables.