Mesothelioma Aid

Caregiving > Nutrition & Diet > Soft Diet

Soft diets may be recommended when the patient is ready for more than liquid nutrition, but still can not tolerate regular solid food. This type of diet is often used when the patient is suffering the side effects of chemotherapy or radiation therapy when the mouth, throat, esophagus or stomach may be sore. All necessary nutrients are supplied with a "Soft" diet, therefore, it may be used over longer periods of time. Foods are generally bland, lower fat foods, softened by cooking, mashing, pureeing or blending.

Examples of "Soft" diet foods include:

 

Beverages	All
Breads	French, Vienna, Italian, seedless rye, white, refined whole wheat (excluding whole-grain), cornbread; muffins, French toast, crackers, biscuits, rolls, pancakes, and waffles, if tolerated.
Cereals	Refined, cooked, or ready-to-eat such as cream of wheat, farina, hominy grits, corn meal, oatmeal, puffed rice.
Cheeses	All, except those that are sharp or strongly flavored or those containing whole seeds and/or spices.
Desserts	Ice milk, ice cream, sherbet, ices, custards, gelatins with allowed fruits.
Eggs	All, except raw or fried.
Fats	Butter, cream, cream substitutes, vegetable shortening and oils, margarine, mayonnaise, sour cream, commercial French dressing.
Fish	Cooked, fresh, or frozen fish without bones; tuna, salmon.
Fruits and Fruit Juices	All juices and nectars; avocado, banana, canned or cooked apples, apricots, cherries, grapefruit and orange sections without membrane, peaches, pears, seedless grapes, tomatoes; soft melons, such as watermelon, if tolerated.
Meat	Tender beef, lamb, veal, or liver that is baked, broiled, creamed, roasted, or stewed; roasted or stewed pork.
Milk / Milk Products	All.
Nuts/Legumes	Creamy peanut butter.
Potatoes	Baked, boiled, creamed, scalloped, mashed, au gratin; mashed sweet potatoes; dumplings; noodles; brown or white rice; spaghetti.
Poultry	Chicken, Cornish game hen, turkey, chicken livers.
Rice/Pasta/Soups	Bouillon, broth, consommé, strained cream and vegetable soups.
Sweets	Apple butter, butterscotch candy, caramels, chocolate, fondant, plain fudge, lollipops, marshmallows, mints; honey, jelly, syrups, sugar in small amounts.
Vegetables	Canned or cooked asparagus, carrots, beets, eggplant, mushrooms, parsley, pumpkin, spinach, squash, vegetable juice cocktail, raw lettuce, if tolerated.
Miscellaneous	Aspic, catsup, gelatin, gravy, pretzels, soy sauce, vinegar; cheese, cream, tomato, brown and white cream sauces; all finely chopped or ground leaf herbs and spices.

An example of a Soft Diet would be:

Breakfast
½ cup fruit juice
2 eggs, scrambled
1 slice toast
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
Jelly
Sugar and cream
Beverage

Snack
½ cup to 1 cup cereal
1 cup milk
Sugar

Lunch
½ cup fruit juice
2 ounces meat, fish or poultry
½ cup vegetable
2 slices bread
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 cup milk

Snack
Banana
2 teaspoons creamy peanut butter

Dinner
4 ounces meat, fish or poultry
1 cup potato
½ cup vegetable
1 slice bread or roll
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 serving fruit or allowed dessert
Beverage

Snack
½ cup fruit or allowed dessert
1 cup milk, milkshake or pasteurized eggnog

Click the following links for:

• Full liquid recipes
• Soft food recipes
• Recipes for mesothelioma patients and caregivers
• Nutrition information for mesothelioma patients undergoing aggressive treatments
• Glossary of terms related to cancer nutrition.