99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (2024)

  • Soft food diets are useful in many situations, such as after oral surgery, tooth extractions, or head, neck, or stomach surgeries, as well as for people with chronic issues that make chewing and swallowing difficult.
  • There are many nutritious soft foods that can be eaten, such as eggs, soft fruits, cooked vegetables, and certain types of protein, but foods that are hard, crunchy, or sticky should be avoided.
  • Soft foods can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as by cutting them into small pieces, using sauces or gravies to moisten them, or pureeing or mashing them. Additionally, there are many soft food recipes available to make the diet more varied and enjoyable.
  • Need to make a dentist appointment this week? Use Authority Dental to find a 24 hour dentists who take your insurance. It’s simple, fast and free.

When exactly you'll need a soft-food diet? Here's everything you need to know.

When you should eat a soft food diet

Eating only soft foods comes in handy in many situations. In fact, this diet is good if you have had any type of mouth, tooth, head, neck, or stomach surgery. Also, you may need to follow this diet if you have a chronic issue that makes it difficult to chew and swallow.

For example, if you have gotten a dental implant placed or any type of oral surgery (wisdom teeth, braces, tooth extractions, etc.), your dentist may recommend a soft food diet. That’s a smart option because, first of all, you’ll have pain and discomfort in your mouth after the procedure. Secondly, it allows the surgical sites to heal better and quicker.

What foods to eat

Before you groan at the idea of a soft food diet, you should know there are plenty of soft foods you can eat.

Here are just a few ideas for this type of diet:

Grains

  • Bread, some cereals, muffins, pancakes, or waffle

  • Some cereals (soft and/or moist)

  • Pasta/noodles, rice

  • Saltine crackers in soup

Fruits and vegetables

  • Applesauce

  • Canned fruit

  • Cooked/baked fruits

  • Soft fruits with no skin (bananas, peaches, watermelon)

  • Soft, cooked veggies

Proteins

  • Eggs (poached, scrambled, or hard/soft boiled)

  • Easy to chew meat, like fish, chopped/ground poultry

  • Small pieces of meat in soup

  • Tofu

  • Baked beans

Dairy

  • Cheese (thinly sliced, melted)

  • Cottage or ricotta cheese

  • Milk and milkshakes

  • Ice cream

  • Yogurt

You should eat food that have a soft texture and are nutritious while on the soft food diet.

What foods to avoid

Yes, there are also plenty of foods you shouldn’t eat. And you should be aware of what they are before you bite into anything.

Here are some off-limits foods for those on a soft food diet:

Starches

  • Toast, crackers, and hard cereal

  • Anything with dried fruits, nuts or other seeds

  • Corn on the cob, uncooked potatoes, hard chips

  • Bagels, French bread, sourdough bread

  • Popcorn

Vegetables

  • Corn on the cob

  • Peas

  • Hard, unmashed, raw vegetables

Fruits

  • Hard fruits, like whole apples, raw carrots

  • Stringy fruits, like pineapple and mango

  • Any skin of a fruit

Proteins

  • Steak

  • Beef jerky

  • Bacon

  • Sausage

  • Hot dogs

  • Peanut butter (both creamy and crunchy)

You should avoid any food that’s tough, crunchy, hard, or sticky while on the soft-food diet. You should also avoid eating foods that are spicy, these can upset your stomach and cause bloating.

How to prepare soft foods

So now that you have the list of foods to eat and not to eat, how can you prepare these foods?

Below are some ideas for how to do just that:

  • Cut food into small pieces.

  • Use broth, gravy, or sauce to moisten food.

  • Soup is a healthy and safe option in a soft food diet.

  • Grind or puree foods.

  • Mash foods, like potatoes, veggies, and fruits.

Recipes for the soft food diet

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with this new diet, that’s normal with anyone who begins eating only soft foods.

But don’t worry. This is not the end of the world. In fact, it’s the perfect time to try something new.

You will be able to swallow most of this food without chewing, including meat. Just shred it into tiny pieces using a good food processor.

Here’s the ultimate list of soft food recipes. These are hand-picked, absolutely the best recipes I could find online.

This page will be updated with new recipes, so make sure to pin it for your further reference.

Your teeth will love this food – guaranteed!

Mashed

Herb and garlic mashed potatoes

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99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (11)99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (12)

https://vikalinka.com/garlic-mashed-potatoes/

Eggs

High protein egg scramble with quinoa

99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (25)

99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (26)99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (27)

https://krollskorner.com/recipes/quinoa-egg-scramble/

Rice

Baked casseroles, lasagnas and more

Soups

Pasta

Instant pot garlic parmesan noodles

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99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (113)99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (114)

https://nourishplate.com/instant-pot-noodles/

Salads

Spicy mashed buffalo chickpea salad

99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (121)

99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (122)99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (123)

https://eatwithclarity.com/buffalo-chickpea-salad/

Moist breads

Meat and fish

Pancakes and omelettes

Moist cakes

Fruits and vegetables

Mousses

Smoothies

Sherbets

99 soft food diet recipes | Authority Dental (2024)

FAQs

What does a dental soft diet consist of? ›

Cream or pureed soups. Soft scrambled eggs. Cottage cheese and soft cheeses. Smoothies and shakes.

What soft food is good for no teeth? ›

Meals like soft-cooked risotto, mashed potatoes with gravy, well-cooked pasta dishes, and pureed soups are both nutritious and easy to eat. These meals can be enriched with minced meat, pureed vegetables, or dairy products to enhance their nutritional value.

What is considered soft food after tooth extraction? ›

27 Soft foods to eat after oral surgery and dental work:

Eggs. Jell-O. Mushed up fruits such as bananas or avocados. Well cooked vegetables.

Is spaghetti considered a soft food? ›

Which foods should I include? Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta: Breads, muffins, pancakes, or waffles moistened with syrup, jelly, margarine or butter. Moist dry or cooked cereal.

Can you eat a hamburger on a soft diet? ›

The main rule is to avoid all foods that are difficult to chew,including tough meats, raw vegetables bread with thick,crusts,nuts,seeds or anything crunchy. You can eat cooked fruits and vegetables ,ground meats SOFT cheese,and other dairy products and softened bread and cereals.

Is pizza considered a soft food? ›

Peanut butter. Fried Foods Sandwiches. Pizza. Soups with easy-to-chew or easy-to-swallow meats or vegetables Soups with chunky meat or vegetables Well-cooked, moistened, boiled, baked, or mashed pota- toes.

Are pancakes soft food? ›

Cold cereal softened in milk (for mechanical soft diets). Scrambled eggs or chopped, hard-boiled eggs for mechanical soft diets. Soft breads, such as muffins and pancakes, soaked in liquid to soften them for mechanical soft diets. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

Is meatloaf a soft food? ›

Meatloaf is both delicious and tender, making it one of the good soft foods for after oral surgery.

Can you eat spaghetti with no teeth? ›

Pasta: Pasta is a great option for denture wearers. There's also so much variety with types and sauces. Eggs: Unfortunately, certain breakfast foods like bacon, toast, and bagels are difficult for denture wearers to eat. Eggs are a good, protein-filled breakfast option that shouldn't be hard to eat.

Can you eat pizza without teeth? ›

Missing teeth can have devastating effects. For instance, eating certain foods like pizza and steak can make it difficult, leading to malnutrition and ingestion problems. Tooth gaps can also make you feel embarrassed about your smile, affect your speech, and make you look older.

What soups are good for soft food diet? ›

Some soft food diets recommend soups with clear broth, like Chicken Noodle Soup or Italian Wedding Soup, while other patients are free to eat cream-based soups, like Creamy Corn Chowder or Broccoli Cheddar.

Can I eat soft French fries after tooth extraction? ›

While indulging in French fries may not be advisable in the early stages of recovery, there are plenty of gentle alternatives to consider. Soft, easy-to-chew foods such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and smoothies are typically well-tolerated and provide essential nutrients necessary for healing.

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