Are you struggling to find soft foods to eat when chewing hurts? Look no further! In this article, we provide you with a fantastic list of 101 different soft food ideas. Plus, we have a free PDF download available for you! We’ll also share some valuable information about a soft foods diet or a no-chew diet.
Why Follow a Soft Foods Diet?
A soft foods diet, also known as a no-chew diet, can be incredibly helpful for easing the discomfort of chewing. Most people follow this type of diet temporarily, while others, such as those without teeth or dentures, may need to follow it long term.
Let’s delve into the reasons why you should consider a soft foods diet.
Soft Foods for Mouth Pain
Mouth pain can make it challenging to eat and enjoy meals. If you’re experiencing mouth pain due to dental issues like untreated cavities or gingivitis, finding foods that don’t require chewing can provide relief. Instead of biting down, you can gently mush the food in your mouth before swallowing.
Soft Foods After Dental Surgery
If you’ve recently undergone mouth or dental surgery, you may experience temporary pain that necessitates a soft foods diet. From having your wisdom teeth removed to getting braces, these procedures can make it difficult to chew. Opting for soft foods during the initial days and weeks after dental surgery can help you get through this challenging period. As the pain subsides, you can gradually transition back to a regular diet.
Caution with Mouth Pain
If chewing is causing you pain, it’s crucial to address the underlying issues. Even though dental and oral healthcare can be expensive, leaving problems untreated can lead to significant health issues. Your body uses pain as a signal that something is wrong, and it’s important to identify the cause of your mouth pain. By treating the underlying issue, you can return to a regular diet sooner. It’s worth noting that although rare, mouth pain can also be a sign of oral cancer. Furthermore, untreated cavities or mouth sores can lead to infections or heart problems. Make sure to work closely with your healthcare team to resolve any ongoing mouth pain issues.
Tips for Selecting Soft Foods to Eat
Now, let’s discuss some helpful tips for selecting soft foods to eat when chewing hurts. Each person’s situation is unique, and while some people may require completely smooth or pureed foods, others may be able to tolerate some texture as long as it’s soft.
The key to making foods easier to eat when chewing is to choose soft, tender, and moist options.
Tender and Moist
When following a soft foods diet, it’s essential to ensure that your food is tender. If you’re eating grains, make sure to cook them for an extended period until they become soft and mushy. When preparing meat, opt for low and slow cooking methods like using a crockpot. This will result in meat that easily falls apart with a fork. Adding extra moisture or cutting the meat into smaller pieces can further enhance its ease of consumption. Additionally, adding more liquid during the cooking process or while serving can significantly improve the texture of the food. Consider adding gravy to mashed potatoes or a splash of cream to oatmeal.
Remember, even if a food is soft, it can be difficult to eat if it lacks moisture.
Premade Soft Foods
You can make foods soft by blending, mashing, cooking them slowly, or adding liquid. Alternatively, you can also choose foods that are naturally soft.
Canned foods are a great example of premade soft foods. The canning process involves heat and liquid, resulting in soft and easy-to-eat food. However, it’s important to note that not all canned foods are soft and easy to consume. For example, canned pineapple can be slightly challenging due to its texture. On the other hand, canned mandarin oranges or diced peaches are quite soft and effortless to eat.
Remember, everyone’s tolerance for soft foods varies based on their individual circumstances. The soft food ideas listed below are meant to provide you with inspiration. Over time, you’ll discover your favorite soft foods that make eating less painful.
101 Soft Foods to Eat List When Chewing Hurts
Without further ado, here’s our extensive list of 101 soft foods to eat when chewing hurts. Please note that this list doesn’t cover every single soft food available, but it serves as a starting point to inspire you. The foods are listed in alphabetical order, without any particular ranking since everyone has different tolerances for soft foods.
- Almond butter
- Apples (well-cooked & soft)
- Applesauce
- Apple juice
- Avocados
- Banana (ripe)
- Bean dip (smooth)
- Beans (well-cooked)
- Beef stew (well-cooked)
- Brie (without the skin)
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Broth (beef, chicken, vegetable)
- Cantaloupe (very ripe)
- Carrots (canned)
- Carrots (well-cooked)
- Cashew butter
- Cheese spread
- Cheesecake
- Chicken noodle soup
- Cottage Cheese
- Cheese (Cream Cheese)
- Cranberry juice
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Cream of Wheat
- Creamed spinach
- Custard
- Egg salad
- Fettuccine
- Flan
- Frozen yogurt
- Fruit cocktail (canned)
- Fudge bars
- Grape juice
- Green beans (canned)
- Grits
- Guacamole
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Hot cereal (cool before eating)
- Hummus
- Ice cream
- Jam
- Jelly
- Jell-O
- Kefir
- Lentil soup
- Lentils
- Macaroni and cheese
- Mandarin oranges (canned)
- Mango (ripe)
- Mashed cauliflower
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Mashed white potatoes
- Meatloaf
- Milk
- Milkshake
- Mousse
- Nutrition supplement drinks
- Oatmeal (well-cooked)
- Orange juice
- Pancakes
- Papaya
- Pasta
- Peaches (canned)
- Peaches (very ripe)
- Peanut butter
- Pears (canned)
- Pears (very ripe)
- Peas (well-cooked)
- Pita bread (soft)
- Poached eggs
- Polenta
- Pomegranate juice
- Popsicles
- Potato soup
- Protein shakes
- Pudding
- Rice (well-cooked & moist)
- Salmon
- Scrambled eggs
- Shakes
- Sherbet
- Shredded beef (tender & moist)
- Shredded chicken (tender & moist)
- Shredded turkey (tender & moist)
- Sloppy Joes
- Smoothies
- Soft bread
- Sorbet
- Soufflé
- Spaghetti
- Squash (well-cooked)
- Tapioca
- Tilapia
- Tofu (soft)
- Tomatoes
- Tomatoes (canned)
- Tomato soup
- Tortilla
- Tuna
- Tuna salad
- Yogurt (smooth)
Infographic: 101 Soft Foods to Eat List When Chewing Hurts
Remember to grab your free PDF or click the image above to download it!
Sample No Chew Meal Plan
Now, let’s see what a soft foods or no-chew meal plan might look like for a day.
Soft Foods Breakfast
Breakfast offers numerous options to incorporate soft foods. From eggs and soft-cooked grains to yogurt and smoothies, you have plenty of choices. In fact, many of these foods are commonly eaten for breakfast.
Sample Soft Foods Breakfast:
- 2 scrambled eggs
- Canned diced peaches
- 1 glass of milk
Soft Foods Lunch
Soup is a classic choice for a soft foods lunch. Soups and stews are excellent because their extended cooking time makes the ingredients soft. Additionally, the liquid in soups makes them easy to consume.
Sample Soft Foods Lunch:
- Beef and vegetable stew
- Applesauce
- Iced tea
Soft Foods Dinner
Dinner can sometimes be the most challenging meal to find soft foods for. However, here’s a delicious soft foods dinner idea for you.
Sample Soft Foods Dinner:
- Meatloaf with gravy
- Mashed potatoes with gravy
- Canned green beans
Soft Foods Snacks
Apart from three solid meals, you may also wish to have some soft foods snacks throughout the day. Here are a few tasty ideas for soft food snacks.
Sample Soft Food Snacks:
- Yogurt topped with jam
- Cottage cheese with canned peaches
- Egg salad
- High Calorie Smoothies
Soft Foods to Eat Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with plenty of ideas for soft foods to eat when chewing hurts. Whatever the reason for your mouth pain, we genuinely hope it resolves soon.
Don’t forget to check out our article: 15 Best Foods You Can Eat Without Chewing.
Best of luck to you on your soft foods journey!