Easy to chew foods

These are normal, everyday foods of soft, tender textures which provide a good progression from dissolving foods. These foods are suitable for children with some munching skills (up and down jaw movement) as well as the ability to move the tongue around in the mouth. They require some preparation in the mouth before being swallowed. These foods can either be spoon fed or finger foods. Some foods can be made up of solids and thick sauces, such as tender meat casseroles, pasta bake, sponge and custard.

Bread and cereals

• Soft biscuits (malted milk, Jaffa cakes, digestives, shortbread)
• White bread such as inside of French bread, brioche
• Lightly toasted white and wholemeal bread (not granary) with melted butter
• Sandwiches made with white bread (crust removed) filled with smooth fillings such as tuna mayonnaise, Marmite, cheese spread, smooth peanut butter and smooth jam, hummus
• Garlic bread (not the crust)
• Pancakes
• Croissants (with higher butter content), Waffles
• Spaghetti hoops/well cooked pasta/Stuffed pastas

NB Some bread can be sticky and can cause difficulties for example sliced white bread.

Fruit and vegetables

• Banana (bites or small pieces)
• Ripe/tinned or frozen soft fruit
• eg. Pear, peach, mango, nectarine, melon, avocado
• Peeled grapes (cut in half)
• Soft pieces of potato, plantain, carrot, parsnips, beetroot, sweet potato, broccoli etc
• Soft chips/Potato wedges/Smiley faces/Waffles

Dairy

• Pieces of soft cheese, such as Dairylea, Wensleydale, Cheshire, Lancashire
• Grated cheese

Meat, fish, poultry

• Small pieces of pre-packed slices of ham/turkey/chicken/Quorn
• Small pieces of corned beef
• Small pieces of slow cooked tender meats
• Small pieces of sausages with skin removed/Tinned frankfurters
• Small pieces of well-cooked fish, fish fingers or fish cakes with the coating removed
• Scrambled egg, omelette, egg mayonnaise

Processed meats have a higher water content and so are often softer than home cooked meat.

Contact

Email paediatrics feed team.