Did you know that the average person swallows over 500 times a day? Like breathing, it’s a complex task that many people don’t think too much about, even if it’s a central part of our daily lives.
Unfortunately, for many people experiencing difficulty chewing and swallowing, eating can be a risky and stressful experience. In Australia alone, Speech Pathology Australia estimates that about a million people have difficulty swallowing.
But that doesn’t mean that mealtimes always have to be a bother. With texture modified diets, food and drinks can be adapted so you can still enjoy your favourite meals worry-free. In this article, we walk you through the 101 of texture modified diets: What they are, who might need them and when, and what Able Foods brings to the table.
What are texture modified food and drinks?
An unbelievable number of muscles and nerves spring into action with every swallow. When these are weak or damaged, not only can it be unpleasant to eat and drink, it can also pose all sorts of risks, including choking, nutrition deficiencies, and not being able to enjoy our favourite foods with our favourite people.
Texture modified food and drinks are those that have been specially prepared to help people who have difficulty swallowing. Foods can be chopped, minced, or pureed to specific standards, while drinks come in a range of thicknesses.
This means that a meal of roast beef could come sliced into bite-sized pieces, finely minced or mashed for minimal chewing, or blended into a smooth puree that doesn’t require any chewing at all.
Dysphagia and texture modification: Who, when and why
Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulty. It can happen at any age, and its causes and severity can vary. Sometimes it’s brought on by Parkinson’s disease, strokes, or certain cancers. For chronic cases like these, people may need different levels of texture modification as their condition changes over time.
Dysphagia can also be mild or temporary. This might be after surgery, chemotherapy, a dental procedure, or even during a bad case of tonsilitis.
If you’re unsure about whether you need texture modified meals, consult your health practitioner to find out what’s safest for you.
What are the types of texture modification?
There is an international standard for texture modified food and drinks. It’s called the IDDSI Framework, and it gives us a common understanding for food textures and drink thicknesses that can be used by people of all ages, in all care settings, and across cultures.
The IDDSI Framework has 8 levels. For liquids, it ranges from 0 (thin, like water) to 4 (extremely thick, like a pudding). For food, it ranges from 3 (liquidised) to 7 (easy to chew and regular meals).
Each IDDSI level has specific descriptions and testing methods, including the diameter of a slice of food and how quickly liquid flows. For more detail about each of the levels, visit the IDDSI website.
What does Able Foods bring to the table?
Able Foods is all about delivering worry-free meals that are as tasty as they are nutritious–and that includes our range of texture modified meals. We offer them in two IDDSI-compliant textures: Minced and moist (level 5) and pureed (level 4).
We also offer easy to chew meals that have a soft and tender texture, making them safe to eat without special preparation. Our Traditional Meatloaf & Gravy and Mediterranean Veggie Pasta are two meals that can be enjoyed with minimal chewing.
Because we believe mealtimes should be an enjoyable part of everyone’s day, our texture modified menu features classics you’ll love, like our Chicken Parmigiana, as well as a range of desserts, like our Pureed Creamy Rice & Passionfruit Puree.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Able Foods main meal if it wasn’t also built on our Magic 8 Nutrition Guidelines, just like the rest of our menu.
How do I order texture modified meals?
Browse our texture modified menu, pick your favourites, and place an order online. You can also set up a personalised, rotating meal plan to take worry-free to the next level.
We also offer companion meals! We’re proud to offer discounts to those in your circle of care so that you can enjoy mealtimes together. When you get set up, make sure to ask how these can be included in your plan.
Interested but not yet signed up to Able Foods? We offer meal delivery services to those on agency, plan or self-managed NDIS customers, as well as those with a level 2-4 home care package.
