The document discusses various modified texture diets including minced, soft chew, and blended diets. These diets are used for patients who have difficulty chewing or swallowing due to issues like surgery, illness, or dysphagia. The minced diet involves foods chopped to less than 1/2 cm, the soft chew diet uses soft, moist foods, and the blended diet blends foods until thin enough to drink through a straw. Guidelines, sample menus, and cooking techniques are provided for each diet type to help patients get proper nutrition while healing.

1. NUTR 252
Assignment #2 Diversity
Menu/Diets
Modified Texture Diets-
Minced Diet, Soft Chew Diets, Blended Diet
Kerri Cloutier
Tiana Tzogas
Monday, February 8, 2016

2. Modified Texture Diets- Minced Diet, soft chew diets, blended diet
Indication for use:
Modified texture diets such as minced diets, soft chew diet, mechanical soft chew diet and
blended diets are used to assist patients who have difficulty chewing food due to a surgery,
broken jaw, long term illness, or Dysphagia. According to McMaster University “Oropharyngeal
dysphagia has high morbidity, mortality, and cost in health” (McMaster University, 2015).
Within Canada it is estimated 12% of short term patients within hospitals and up to 60% of
nursing home patients have feeding difficulties (McMaster University, 2015). “People who
experience head injuries, cerebrovascular accidents or Parkinson’s disease may have a 20% to
40% prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia” (McMaster University, 2015). It is important to
understand the limits of each patient and use the correct diet to prevent malnutrition, choking or
in extreme cases death.
The diets listed below are an escalation of a normal food diet. They are used for therapeutic
purposes if the patient has had oral surgery, dental work such as a tooth extraction or a broken
jaw. The patient may also be put on one of the diets below if they are sick with a disease such as
cancer and require chemo therapy. These are also used as lifestyle changes mostly seen in the
elderly population the most common diets being soft chew or minced.
Diet Diet usage Guidelines of Diet Degree Of Risk
Minced Diet  Prescribed to
Patients who
have difficulty
chewing or
swallowing
whole foods
(Alberta Health
Services, 2012).
 Patients may eat
solid foods that are
chopped, grated or
ground (Alberta
Health Services,
2012).
 Size must be less
than ½ cm (Alberta
Health Services,
2012).
 Patients should
follow the Canada
Food Guide to ensure
a balanced diet
(Health Canada,
2011).
 If food is larger than
½ cm patient is at
risk for choking,
coughing or food

3.  “All foods should be
soft with no liquid
separation” (Alberta
Health Services,
2012).
getting stuck in their
throats (Vancouver
Coastal Health,
2014).
Soft and
mechanical soft
chew diet
 Used for
patients who are
unable to break
down raw food
(Vancouver
Coastal Health,
2014).
 Used commonly
for tooth
abstraction, oral
surgery, long
term illness or
elderly (Jackson,
2016).
 Used to
transition
patients from a
minced or
blended diet to a
normal food diet
(Jackson, 2016)
 Food must be soft,
moist and easy to
chew (Vancouver
Coastal Health,
2014).
 All Food groups are
allowed, patient
should eat within
CFG guidelines
(Jackson, 2016).
 Foods may be
softened by cooking
or mashing (Jackson,
2016).
 High-fiber foods
such as whole-grain
breads and cereals
and “gas-forming”
vegetables should be
limited or not served
(Jackson, 2016).
 Avoid foods with a
mixed consistency
should be avoided to
prevent choking
(Vancouver Coastal
Health, 2014).
 If the patient is weak
and unable to eat
enough food they
could become
deficient in calories,
protein, vitamins and
Minerals (Jackson,
2016).
 Gas or bloating can
occur, it is important
to eat smaller meal
more frequently
(Jackson, 2016).
Blended Food
Diet/ wired jaw
Diet
 This diet is used
for post oral
surgery
(Hamilton
Health Sciences,
2003)
 Also used for
patients who
have their jaw
closed by wires
or elastics
(Hamilton
Health Sciences,
2003).
 Food should be
blended up to six
weeks until the wires
or elastics have been
taken out and the
bone has healed
(Hamilton Health
Sciences, 2003).
 Food should be
blended thin enough
to pass through a
straw (Hamilton
Health Sciences,
2003).
 Baby food,
powdered
milkshakes and
smoothies are
allowed to be
consumed (Hamilton
 Eat a well-balanced
day in accordance
with the CFG (Health
Canada, 2011) not
following CFG can
result in malnutrition
(Hamilton Health
Sciences, 2003),
 Patient could
experience weight
loss if they are
deficient in caloric
intake; it is important
to weigh themselves
weekly (Hamilton
Health Sciences,
2003).
 If fluid is too thick it
can result in pain and
discomfort (Hamilton

4. Health Sciences,
2003).
 Include high energy
foods if weight loss
occurs (Hamilton
Health Sciences,
2003).
Health Sciences,
2003).
Minced Diet
Foods to Consider Foods to Avoid
Milk and Alternatives
 Plain or flavoured milk, fortified soy
beverage or milkshake
 Smooth yogurt
 Creamed cottage cheese
 Soft cheeses (processed) or grated cheeses
Meat and Alternatives
 Moist casseroles made with allowed
ingredients (tuna macaroni casserole)
 Tender, boneless fish
 Smooth nut butters
 Scrambled eggs
Fruits and Vegetables
 mashed ripe banana, crushed pineapple
 vegetable or fruit juices
 minced canned or cooked vegetables
 mashed potatoes
Grain Products
 moist bread, buttered toast
 soft, moist baked goods like biscuits or
muffins
 rice pudding or bread pudding
 all smooth, cooked cereals like oatmeal,
cream of wheat, oat bran
 minced or bite sized pasta
 softened crackers
Milk and Alternatives
 Milk products with chocolate chips, nuts,
seeds or hard particles like granola
Meat and Alternatives
 Breaded or battered fish, poultry or other
meets
 Bacon bits or beef jerky
 Hot dogs or hamburgers on a bun or
sausages in casings
 Processed luncheon meats
 All nuts and seeds, and crunch nut butters
Fruits and Vegetables
 Cooked vegetables that are rubbery or
don’t mince well (broccoli stalk, cabbage,
celery)
 Raw vegetables and salads
 Fried potatoes or crunchy hash browns
Grain Products
 Dry, crusty or chewy breads
 Grain products or cereals with chocolate
chips, dried fruits or nuts
 All cold cereals
 Hard crackers or croutons
 Hard and chewy granola bars
 Dry, loose rice (steamed, wild, brown)
All foods listed in the chart above were retrieved from (Alberta Health Services, 2012).
Soft and Mechanical Soft Chew Diet
Foods to Consider Foods to Avoid
Milk and Alternatives Milk and Alternatives

5.  Low fat milk products, smooth yogurt,
mild-flavoured cheese, cottage cheese
Meat and Alternatives
 Any moist or tender meats, fish or poultry
 Eggs- soft scrambled
Fruits and Vegetables
 Cooked or canned fruit, soft fresh banana
or avocado, fruit juice
 Soft-cooked or canned vegetables, potatoes
mashed, baked or boiled, fresh lettuce or
tomato
Grain Products
 Refined cooked or ready-to-eat cereal,
white or whole wheat bread, plain crackers
 Yogurts with nuts and seeds, sharp or
strong cheeses, cheeses with whole nuts or
spices
Meat and Alternatives
 Fried chicken or fish, fish with bones,
shellfish, fried or salted or smoked meats,
dried beans, nuts and seeds, raw or fried
eggs
Fruits and Vegetables
 All raw fruit except banana or avocado,
dried fruit
 Gas forming vegetables- broccoli, Brussel
sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower
 Whole kernel corn, raw vegetables (except
lettuce and tomato)
 Fried potatoes or hash browns
Grain Products
Whole-grain breads and cereals, breads or
rolls with coconut, raisins, nuts or seeds
The information in the above chart was collected from (Jackson, 2016).
Blended Food Diet/ Wired Jaw Diet
Foods to Consider Foods to Avoid
Milk and Alternatives
 2% milk, milkshake, soy beverage, cream
soup
 yogurt, melted ice cream, pudding thinned
with milk
 blenderized cottage cheese
Meat and Alternatives
 blenderized cooked beef, pork, chicken or
fish
 cooked eggs (blenderized)
 blenderized casseroles (shepherd’s pie,
chili, pasta dishes)
Fruits and Vegetables
 blenderized cooked vegetables (potatoes,
peas, broccoli, vegetable soup)
 blenderized fresh, peeled fruits or canned
fruits or juices
Grain Products
 cooked cereals ex: Cream of Wheat, oat
bran or blenderized oatmeal
 blenderized pasta
 Avoid foods that are not blenderized to the
consistency of liquid easily able to be fed
through a straw (Hamilton Health Sciences,
2003).

6. Foods to Consider were retrieved from (Hamilton Health Sciences, 2003).
Please make sure to reference the Canada’s Food Guide to ensure that you are receiving
the proper nutrition while on a texture modified diet.
The following chart will explain the machinery or techniques and tips needed to be used to
achieve the appropriate texture for each individual diet:
Minced Diet Soft Chew/ Soft Mechanical
Chew Diet
Blended Food Diet/ Wired
Jaw Diet
 Some foods may be soft
enough to mince with a
fork, pastry blender or
potato masher (Alberta
Health Services, 2012).
 Foods that need to be
minced should be less than
½ cm (Alberta Health
Services, 2012).
 Mince harder foods with a
hand blender with a
chopper attachment, mini
chopper, food processor or
blender (Alberta Health
Services, 2012).
 Foods may be softened by
cooking or mashing
(Jackson, 2016).
 Canned or soft-cooked
fruits or vegetables will
replace raw or dried
varieties (Jackson, 2016).
 High fibre foods and ‘gas
forming’ vegetables may
be restricted to ease
digestion (Jackson, 2016).
 Steps for blenderizing
your food:
1. Cook food until tender
2. Put in blender or food
processor
3. Add the recommended
amount of liquid
4. Cover and blend
(Hamilton Health Sciences,
2003).
 Blend or process food until
it is thin enough to pass
through a straw (Hamilton
Health Sciences, 2003).
The following chart displays a 1 day sample meal plan that follows each of the diet’s
recommendations as well as follows recommended servings according to Canada’s Food Guide
(Health Canada, 2011).
Minced Diet Soft Chew/ Soft Mechanical
Chew Diet
Blended Food Diet/ Wired
Jaw Diet
Breakfast
½ cup minced fresh fruit
2 hard-boiled eggs, minced
1 slice wheat bread, minced
¾ cup vanilla yogurt
Lunch
½ cup minced rice
2.5 oz minced chicken
Breakfast
½ cup apple juice
1 cup cream of wheat
1 cup 1% milk
Lunch
1.5 cups ground pasta with
ground meat sauce
½ cup ground broccoli
Breakfast
½ cup orange juice
1 cup cream of wheat
¾ cup greek yogurt thinned
with milk
Lunch
2 cups Blenderized shepherd’s
pie

7. 1 cup minced broccoli,
steamed
1 cup 1% milk
Dinner
1 cup minced cauliflower
½ cup minced pasta
2.5 oz minced ground beef in
tomato sauce
1 cup 1% milk
(Alberta Health Services,
2012).
1 cup 1% milk
Dinner
2 oz ground chicken breast
1 cup ground zuchinni
½ cup ground pasta salad
½ cup ice cream
(Jackson, 2016).
½ cup Apple sauce thinned
with juice
1 cup vegetable juice
Dinner
2 cups blenderized spaghetti
and meat sauce
1 cup vegetable juice
½ cup Pudding thinned with
milk
(Hamilton Health Sciences,
2003)
To learn more about the diets spoken about, please visit the following links:
Minced Diet:
Alberta Health Services
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-minced-diet.pdf
Soft Chew Diet:
Nova Scotia Health Authority
http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/patientinformation/nshealthnet/1440.pdf
Blended Diet:
Hamilton Health Sciences
http://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/documents/Patient%20Education/WiredJawDiet-trh.pdf

8. References
Alberta Health Services. (2012). Minced Diets. Retrieved from Alberta Health Services:
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-minced-diet.pdf
Hamilton Health Sciences. (2003). Wired Jaw Diet. Retrieved from
http://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/documents/Patient%20Education/WiredJawDiet-
trh.pdf
Health Canada. (2011). Canada Food Guide. Retrieved from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-
guide-aliment/index-eng.php
Jackson, F. (2016). Purpose. Retrieved from Soft and Mechanical Soft Food Diet:
http://gicare.com/diets/soft-and-mechanical-soft-diet/
McMaster University. (2015). Incidence and prevalence. Retrieved from Swollowing Clinic:
http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/swallowing-clinic/
Nova Scotia Health Authority. (2015). Esophageal Soft Diet. Retrieved from Nova Scotia Health
Authority: http://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/patientinformation/nshealthnet/1440.pdf
Vancouver Coastal Health. (2014). Dysphagia Dental Soft Diet. Retrieved from
http://vch.eduhealth.ca/PDFs/FI/FI.710.D46.pdf