Nutmeg Gold program for care homes upgraded. New recipes and products for people with eating difficulties.
In a new initiative, and following feedback from users of our Gold program, Nutmeg is increasing the scope of its care home program to include recipes and manufactured products that will cater for those residents with dysphagia requiring texture modified diets and also those requiring soft diets.
Our existing database of recipes has been reviewed by Sue Thomas, a registered dietitian and Sarah Thompson, a speech language therapist, to identify those dishes that are suitable for soft diets. Suitable dishes can be found by users looking for the suffix (SD) which indicates soft diet. Please log in to download the recipes suitable for a soft food diet.
Swallowing difficulties are common amongst Care Home residents and are likely to be the result of an underlying medical condition such as Dementia, Stroke, Parkinsons Disease etc. Symptoms of swallowing difficulties include coughing and choking when eating, weight loss and recurrent chest infections. If swallowing difficulties are suspected the residents GP should be contacted and a referral made to a Speech and Language Therapist. Diet modification may be appropriate and may include a soft food diet or a puree diet.
Soft Food Diet
A soft diet consists of food that can be easily mashed with a fork. Soft foods do not have to be liquidised, blended or sieved but the textures have to be of a soft and moist consistency. A soft diet is a separate diet from a puree diet and the two should not be confused.
A soft diet may be used for people who have known swallowing difficulties, poor dentition or ill-fitting dentures or as a result of resident preference.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
Breakfast choices
Porridge
Ready Brek
Weetabix soaked in milk
All Bran soaked in milk
Skinless sausage
Scrambled eggs
Bread and butter no crusts
Smooth yoghurt
Savoury choices
Smooth thick soup
Sandwiches no crusts, e.g. soft cheese filling, egg mayonnaise
Pasta with smooth sauce
Vegetables mashable with a fork
Minced meats, e.g. cottage pie
Corned beef
Sweet choices
Soft fruits, skins and stones removed, e.g. bananas, pears
Yoghurts
Sponge puddings with custard
Crθme Caramel
Rice pudding
Stewed fruit
Examples of Food to Avoid
tough skins or crispy coatings
skin of baked potato
skin of tomato
pastry crust on a pie
chewy foods
bread crusts
meats other than mince or tinned
stringy, fibrous textures
beans, cabbage, lettuce
crunchy or crumbly food - biscuits
toast, crisps, crackers
hard, coarse foods - nuts, seeds, sweets, raw vegetables
mixed consistencies - soup with bits, e.g. minestrone, casserole
Dry foods must be moistened with extra sauce, e.g. custard or gravy.
Pureed Diet
Nutmeg has been working with companies such as Fresenius Kabi to analyse a collection of recipes that, with the inclusion of thickeners and the use of food moulds, are suitable for puréed diets. These are being added to the database on a regular basis.
Nutmeg is also looking to build up a database of manufactured products that will meet the needs of residents requiring puréed diets. Such products comply with national guidelines for texture modification in adults, categories B, C and D (written by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and British Dietetic Association).
By having access to recipe ideas and manufactured products, Nutmeg users can ensure that the food they serve is not only nutritious and visually appealing but improves the dining experience of those requiring a texture modified diet.
If you suspect a care home resident is experiencing swallowing difficulties, Nutmeg strongly recommends you seek a GP referral to a speech and language therapist. Assessment will identify what textures the resident can manage safely.
The following companies have supplied us with recipes and products so far:
Fresenius Kabi
To download a collection of their recipes please log in. These recipes are suitable for puréed diets and use the 'Thick&Easy' thickening agent. If you have not used these products before, but are interested in finding out more please contact the dietetics team at Fresenius Kabi on 01928 533 516, or by email at nutrition.service@fresenius-kabi.com
Findus Care Cuisine
The new Findus Care Cuisine range offers a menu of nutritionally balanced frozen meal solutions in a variety of textures.
To find out more about Findus Care Cuisine please visit www.finduscarecuisine.co.uk, call their care line on 0800 132096 or email them at info@finduscarecuisine.co.uk
If you know of any other companies' products or recipes you would like us to include in the Nutmeg Gold database then please let us know by emailing office@nutmeg-uk.com.
Useful links
The Caroline Walker Trust
The Dementia Services Development Centre
The Alzheimers Society
The National Association of Care Catering
You can download the VOICES report Eating Well for Older People with Dementia here.
Our existing database of recipes has been reviewed by Sue Thomas, a registered dietitian and Sarah Thompson, a speech language therapist, to identify those dishes that are suitable for soft diets. Suitable dishes can be found by users looking for the suffix (SD) which indicates soft diet. Please log in to download the recipes suitable for a soft food diet.
Swallowing difficulties are common amongst Care Home residents and are likely to be the result of an underlying medical condition such as Dementia, Stroke, Parkinsons Disease etc. Symptoms of swallowing difficulties include coughing and choking when eating, weight loss and recurrent chest infections. If swallowing difficulties are suspected the residents GP should be contacted and a referral made to a Speech and Language Therapist. Diet modification may be appropriate and may include a soft food diet or a puree diet.
Soft Food Diet
A soft diet consists of food that can be easily mashed with a fork. Soft foods do not have to be liquidised, blended or sieved but the textures have to be of a soft and moist consistency. A soft diet is a separate diet from a puree diet and the two should not be confused.
A soft diet may be used for people who have known swallowing difficulties, poor dentition or ill-fitting dentures or as a result of resident preference.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE:
Breakfast choices
Porridge
Ready Brek
Weetabix soaked in milk
All Bran soaked in milk
Skinless sausage
Scrambled eggs
Bread and butter no crusts
Smooth yoghurt
Savoury choices
Smooth thick soup
Sandwiches no crusts, e.g. soft cheese filling, egg mayonnaise
Pasta with smooth sauce
Vegetables mashable with a fork
Minced meats, e.g. cottage pie
Corned beef
Sweet choices
Soft fruits, skins and stones removed, e.g. bananas, pears
Yoghurts
Sponge puddings with custard
Crθme Caramel
Rice pudding
Stewed fruit
Examples of Food to Avoid
tough skins or crispy coatings
skin of baked potato
skin of tomato
pastry crust on a pie
chewy foods
bread crusts
meats other than mince or tinned
stringy, fibrous textures
beans, cabbage, lettuce
crunchy or crumbly food - biscuits
toast, crisps, crackers
hard, coarse foods - nuts, seeds, sweets, raw vegetables
mixed consistencies - soup with bits, e.g. minestrone, casserole
Dry foods must be moistened with extra sauce, e.g. custard or gravy.
Pureed Diet
Nutmeg has been working with companies such as Fresenius Kabi to analyse a collection of recipes that, with the inclusion of thickeners and the use of food moulds, are suitable for puréed diets. These are being added to the database on a regular basis.
Nutmeg is also looking to build up a database of manufactured products that will meet the needs of residents requiring puréed diets. Such products comply with national guidelines for texture modification in adults, categories B, C and D (written by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and British Dietetic Association).
By having access to recipe ideas and manufactured products, Nutmeg users can ensure that the food they serve is not only nutritious and visually appealing but improves the dining experience of those requiring a texture modified diet.
If you suspect a care home resident is experiencing swallowing difficulties, Nutmeg strongly recommends you seek a GP referral to a speech and language therapist. Assessment will identify what textures the resident can manage safely.
The following companies have supplied us with recipes and products so far:
Fresenius KabiTo download a collection of their recipes please log in. These recipes are suitable for puréed diets and use the 'Thick&Easy' thickening agent. If you have not used these products before, but are interested in finding out more please contact the dietetics team at Fresenius Kabi on 01928 533 516, or by email at nutrition.service@fresenius-kabi.com
Findus Care CuisineThe new Findus Care Cuisine range offers a menu of nutritionally balanced frozen meal solutions in a variety of textures.
To find out more about Findus Care Cuisine please visit www.finduscarecuisine.co.uk, call their care line on 0800 132096 or email them at info@finduscarecuisine.co.uk
If you know of any other companies' products or recipes you would like us to include in the Nutmeg Gold database then please let us know by emailing office@nutmeg-uk.com.
Useful links
The Caroline Walker Trust
The Dementia Services Development Centre
The Alzheimers Society
The National Association of Care Catering
You can download the VOICES report Eating Well for Older People with Dementia here.