Minced and Moist Diet (Level 5)

Patient Information Leaflet

Introduction

Your Speech and Language Therapist has recommended that a “minced and moist” diet may help you with your swallowing. This leaflet gives information describing the texture of minced and moist food, suggestions of foods you could eat and advice on how to swallow safely.

What is a minced and moist diet?

Minced and moist food:

• Is soft, moist and needs very little or no chewing.
• Has been minced, finely chopped or mashed. If the texture cannot be finely minced, it should be puréed.

Has small lumps no bigger than a maximum of 4mm visible within the food (see picture).

• Has lumps that are easy to squash with the tongue.
• Does not require biting.
• Requires minimal chewing.
• Should be served combined with a thick, smooth sauce or gravy to ensure a moist texture.
• If there is excess liquid which has not combined with the food, drain this before serving. For example, drain off any milk which has separated away from cereal.

Minced and moist food should not:

• Be hard, tough, chewy, stringy or dry.
• Have a hard or crunchy texture e.g. pieces of apple or cucumber.
• Be a mixed consistency e.g. soups with bits e.g. minestrone or cereal in milk.

Foods not suitable:

• No dry rice (any rice should not separate into individual grains). Rice should be cooked in a thick sauce e.g. risotto or rice pudding.
• Ensure your posture is good and sit as upright as possible.
• Take small sips/mouthfuls at a time.
• Make sure that after you swallow, your mouth is clear before taking the next mouthful.
• No bread (your Speech and Language Therapist may discuss this with you on an individual basis).
• If you are on thickened fluids, do not have ice cream (unless you have been told otherwise by the Speech and Language Therapy team).Clear any food residue from your mouth after a meal with oral care or sips of drink.Ensure you remain upright for 30 minutes after eating.

Presentation suggestions:

• Presentation is important to make food more appealing and appetising.
• It is a good idea to prepare different types of food individually (e.g. fish, vegetables) and place them separately on the plate. This retains the individual taste and colour of the item.

Example foods:

Breakfast

• Porridge or Ready Brek.
• Weetabix soaked and combined with milk.
• Creamy, mashed scrambled egg.
• Mashed banana.

Main meals

• Mashed fish e.g. tinned tuna or salmon in mayonnaise.
• Mashed corned beef/potato hash, fish pie.
• Puréed casseroles, stews and curries (meat can be difficult to mash).
• Mashed potato or mashed jacket potato (no skin) served with egg or tuna mayonnaise.
• Mashed vegetables e.g. swede and carrot/sweet potato mash or mashed avocado.
• Lentil based dishes (well-cooked) such as dahl.
• Mashed cheese and potato pie.
• Smooth, thick soups with no bits (if you are on thickened drinks, all soup should be the same consistency as your drinks).

Puddings

• Stewed fruit e.g. apples/ pears and custard.
• Fruit fools, smooth mousses, Angel Delight or crème caramel.
• Smooth custard.
• Rice pudding.
• Mashed banana blended and combined with cream/custard.
• Yoghurts (smooth, no bits).
• Sponge pudding served with cream or custard (mashed and mixed well).
• Ice cream/jelly (only if advised by your Speech and Language Therapist).

Safe swallowing guidelines

Strategies

• Take small sips/mouthfuls at a time.
• Make sure that after you swallow, your mouth is clear before taking the next mouthful.
• Clear any food residue from your mouth after a meal with oral care or sips of drink.

Posture

• Ensure your posture is good and sit as upright as possible.
• Ensure you remain upright for 30 minutes after eating.

Environment

• Eat in a relaxed atmosphere.
• Do not rush.
• Try not to talk while eating and drinking.
• Ensure you concentrate on swallowing.
• Meal timing may be important e.g. eating little and often.

Why is it important to follow Speech and Language Therapy advice?

Not following recommendations may place you at risk of choking or food “going down the wrong way” (aspiration). This may cause a chest infection. You can discuss this with your speech and language therapist.

Signs of swallowing difficulties

• Coughing, choking or coughing fits when swallowing food or drink (this may be during or after meals).
• A ‘gurgly’ voice after eating or drinking.
• Food remaining in your mouth after a meal.
• Shortness of breath during or after eating.
• Food getting stuck in your throat.
• Feeling chesty or having regular chest infections.
• Remember: If you are sleepy or unwell your swallow may be worse than usual.

If you notice any of the above, contact your GP or your Speech and Language Therapy team for advice:

Dudley Community Speech and Language Therapy: 01384 321600

Dudley Acute Speech and Language Therapy: 01384 456111 ext. 2439 or 4565

References

Image sourced from: https://iddsi.org/resources/

If you have any questions, or if there is anything you do not understand, please contact the Russells Hall Hospital switchboard number on 01384 456111 and ask for the relevant department who issued this leaflet.

If you have any feedback on this patient information leaflet please email dgft.patient.information@nhs.net

This leaflet can be made available in large print, audio version and in other languages, please call 0800 073 0510.

Originator: Helen Gough. Date originated: February 2019. Date reviewed: February 2026. Next review due: April 2029. Version: 2. DGH ref: DGH/PIL/02015.