A Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) will assess you if you have a swallowing difficulty, if a SLT recommends a soft a bite sized diet to reduce the risk of choking and improve the safety of your swallowing please use this information to support you. 

Soft and Bite-sized food

• Soft, tender and moist throughout
• Cut into bite-sized pieces no bigger than 1.5cm x 1.5cm (width of a standard fork)
• Can be mashed or broken down with pressure from a fork, spoon or chopsticks
• Able to be cut without the need for a knife

Soft and Bite-sized food must not

• Be dry, hard, with hard lumps, fibrous or crumbly foods.
• Have a skin, husk or outer shell, e.g. peas, beans, grapes.
• Have separate thin liquid. Liquids such as milk, sauces or gravy should be fully combined with food.
• Have a hard or crunchy texture, e.g. pieces of apple or cucumber.
• Include bread or toast

You may also find these types of food easier because you:

• Have pain when chewing
• Get tired easily when chewing
• Have missing teeth
• Have poorly fitting or other problems with dentures

Signs of Swallowing Difficulties:

• Coughing or choking when swallowing food or drink (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 feeling stuck in your throat

Please note: your swallow may be worse than usual if you are sleepy or unwell.

If you notice any of the above signs, contact your GP or Speech and Language Therapy Team for advice.

Ideas and examples of foods 

All meals/food must be cut into 1.5cm pieces

Breakfast

• Porridge or Ready Brek
• Weetabix soaked and combined with milk
• Creamy scrambled egg
• Omelette with soft filling (e.g. melted cheese)
• Well chopped soft fruit e.g. banana, peaches (skin removed), pear (skin removed), strawberries.

Main Meals

• Steamed/poached fish in sauce
• Fish pie
• Sheperd’s pie/cottage pie/cheese and potato pie
• Corned beef hash
• Meat or vegetarian casseroles, stews and curries (with soft/tender meat and vegetables)
• Rice cooked in a thick sauce e.g. risotto
• Pasta- cooked very soft and cut up into a thick sauce
• Macaroni cheese
• 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
• Soft boiled potatoes
• Well cooked vegetables
• Smooth, thick soups with no bits.

Puddings

• Stewed fruit (e.g. apples/pears) with custard
• Chopped banana or strawberries
• Smooth mousses
• Angel Delight
• Crème caramel
• Smooth custard
• Rice pudding
• Yoghurts (smooth, no bits)
• Sponge pudding served with cream or custard (chopped and mixed well)
• Ice cream/jelly (only if advised by your Speech and Language Therapist)