Pureed Foods for Older Adults

Some older adults may benefit from pureed foods due to poor dentition or difficulty swallowing. This article will provide you with pureed food ideas to feed your loved one. 

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Pureed Food Ideas

Oral problems increase with age, which can negatively impact chewing and swallowing. Pureed foods do not require chewing and are easier to swallow. 

They are blended to a smooth, cohesive texture, like the consistency of mashed potatoes. 

Proteins

Most tender meats can be pureed. This includes beef, chicken, turkey, pork, and fish. Even casseroles puree well.

Liquid may need to be added when blending to improve texture. Use water, broth, gravy, or sauces when additional liquid is needed. 

Scrambled eggs also can be pureed. If pureeing beans, ensure skins are well blended. 

Don’t forget condiments! Apply the same condiments as you would to regular foods. This will improve taste and satisfaction.

Starches

Many starches are soft and puree well. 

Try serving:

• Mashed potatoes
• Whipped sweet potatoes
• Cream of rice
• Hot cereals: cream of wheat, grits, oatmeal
• Pureed noodles

Add butter, sugar, sour cream, or other condiments for extra calories without additional volume of food. 

There are special slurried bread mixes available for purchase to make pureed breads.

Vegetables

Most cooked vegetables puree well, such as green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, etc.  Even vegetable medleys can be pureed.

Raw vegetables may not turn out so well, such as salad vegetables. Anything with a shell or husk may not completely puree, such as corn. 

Fruit

Many fruits can be pureed and also taste delicious. Remove peels before pureeing. Avoid pineapple since it will still be stringy even after blending. 

Desserts

Desserts typically blend well and are just as yummy as the whole food. Use milk or cream if liquid is needed in the pureeing process. 

Why Pureed Foods?

Why do the elderly sometimes need pureed foods? Well oral issues are common with age. 

This includes missing or painful dentition, poor fitting dentures or lack of dentures, and dysphagia (swallowing difficulty). 

If soft foods are tough to chew then pureed foods can help and even boost nutritional intake. When trouble swallowing is suspected, consult a speech language pathologist (SLP). 

A SLP can assess what diet consistency is the safest and also conduct therapy to improve swallowing. 

Pureed foods are easier to swallow. They can prevent choking and keep food from going into the lungs (aspiration). 

How to Puree Foods

Making purees is a lot simpler than many realize. Most food items and meals that you regularly consume, can be pureed using your home blender or food processor. 

1. Cut large pieces into smaller chunks.
2. Place food pieces into your blender or food processor.
3. Blend.
4. Slowly add liquid while blending if the puree is too thick. 
5. If puree becomes too runny, add either more food or thickener.
6. Blend until food is the consistency of mashed potatoes. 
7. Ensure no lumps are present. 
8. Plate, add appropriate condiments, and serve.

Some naturally soft foods can be mashed with a fork, such as bananas and avocados.

Buy my favorite blender and food processor set on Amazon. It is versatile and works for all types of pureeing, even only one or two servings with the individual serving cups.

*This article contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. 

Naturally Pureed Foods

In many cases, altering the texture of food does change its taste. Pureed foods are also not as visually pleasing. This can lead to poorer intake for some. 

While food satisfaction and quality of life are important, in some cases of dysphagia safety is the top priority. 

If textured foods could cause choking, aspiration pneumonia, or even death, do you want to feed them to your loved one?

If they are having resistance to pureed foods, try incorporating more naturally pureed foods. These are foods that are considered pureed even in their typical texture. 

Try serving: 

• Yogurt 
• Mashed potatoes (white or sweet)
• Applesauce
• Tomato soup 
• Pudding 
• Hot cereal
• Refried beans
• Ice cream
• Jello
• Hummus
• Strained, cream soups

*This article contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. 

Practical Takeaways

Pureed foods can help improve intake for older adults who are struggling with oral issues or swallowing trouble.

Many of the foods you eat everyday can be well blended to a pureed consistency. This can improve safety and nutritional intake.

Read Dysphagia Diets to learn more about difficulty swallowing and IDDSI Explained for more information about altered diets.