[Sca-cooks] OT-OP-help for ideas, please

[Kathleen Madsen]

This message certainly struck a chord with me as every
time my doctors change my medication levels I have
about a week and a half of painful mouth sores to just
cope with.  I'm dealing with them right now, as a
matter of fact.  The sores and the lidocaine mess with
my taste buds making foods taste "off" unless they are
on the salty or sweet side and anything that is at all
acid or too salty hurts like you wouldn't believe.  It
makes it very difficult to get a balanced meal.

Here are some tried and true foods that work for me,
and keep meals interesting.

Oatmeal with a lump of brown sugar in it, the sugar
melts and gets all lovely and syrupy.  A bit of milk
and some diced fruit make it more balanced.

Apple crisp, which I am eating right now as a
mid-morning snack.

Fruit cups, applesauce, and puddings are good snacks
in between meals.

Sausages cut into slices and then in half or quarters
with buttered noodles and peas or other cooked veg. 
They can practically be swallowed in one piece.

Stuffed pasta like ravioli or tortellini are great
because they will just slide right down and require
very little chewing if they are cut into small pieces.
 Plus, if you use a lighter non-chunky sauce there's
nothing to get caught around the gums.

Gratins are wonderful as they are soft and can pack a
lot of flavor into each bite, as well as nutrition.

Rice puddings, cottage cheese, and tapioca.  You can
add fruit or even savory things like crumbled bacon to
these as well.

Roasted vegetables get a nice sweetness to them when
they caramelize.  You have to be careful with some veg
as they have a bit of a gritty texture, like most of
the winter squashes, but your Grandfather may be able
to tolerate it.  Baked apples, pears, plums, or other
stone fruit may be tasty for him too.

Smoothies are great and you can toss in his favorite
flavors, add ice cream, powdered pudding, and powdered
protein.

The one thing that I have found is that I always have
to have something on hand for snacking as it's more
difficult to get balanced meals and I eat less in one
sitting because of the pain.  I find that I eat
probably 5-6 times a day rather than my usual 3-4.

Boost is a good supplement and is more filling than
most people think.  It's probably one of the better
tasting ones too, Ensure is horrid.

I hope these give you some additional ideas.  Good
luck!!!!!!!

Eibhlin