My husband is having all his teeth pulled next Monday, and is getting his temporary dentures. This will eventually be a good thing, but for a couple weeks (at least) after the procedure he’s going to need some things to eat.
I figured that out there among the denizens of the SDMB, that someone would have experience and/or suggestions for food that will not require a great deal of chewing but will be (tolerably) nutritious. We’d both rather he not be trapped with milkshakes and jell-o for too great a length of time.
I know the baby food idea, and we’ll probably do some of that, but other suggestions are appreciated.
Do you have a stick blender? Or a regular blender? Or a food processor? Many of the things he’s used to eating can be pureed into a schlurpable consistency. For example, most veggies (winter or summer squash, potatoes, carrots, etc.) can be roasted in the oven with some olive oil and seasoning until nicely roasted, then pureed with a bit of stock or broth. You can add cream, sour cream, etc. for richness.
Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt. Couscous, quinoa, etc. can be cooked into a sort of thick porridge and can take on a variety of flavors.
I add flax meal to my yogurt and my smoothies to get some omega 3’s and fiber.
I remember when I first got my braces, my mom made pancakes and that was ok. I friend of mine posted that she had “kale and blueberry pancakes” the other day and those things are both super healthy. So here’s a recipe for kale pancakes. You could probably add blueberries.
You can probably add kale to a lot of stuff. Looking for the pancake recipe I found lots of kale smoothie recipes.
Cauliflower can be whipped up like mashed potatoes. See online for oodles of recipes.
Spinach & mushroom quiche could probably be tolerated. If the crust is too much, leave the crust out.
You could make a cheesecake and make it as rich (for quick calorie density) or healthy as you want. You can use all the real ingredients, or light cream cheese, light sour cream, egg substitute and bulk Splenda with no crust.
If he needs something quick and pre-made my favorite protein shakes are EAS Carb Control shakes, chocolate fudge, which you can find cheapest at Target (in the medicine section).
The cheapest protein powder I know of is Trader Joe’s. Their peanut butter is also very “nutritious” in that it’s got no trans fats and no sugar. Mix it up good then store it upside-down in the fridge to keep it from separating. If he needs a quick fix to keep his tummy from rumbling, he can snag a spoonful of that.
When a friend of me had his teeth wired shut for six weeks, he just put whatever he wanted to eat in the blender with some milk and bob’s your uncle. I’m not sure how appealing that really sounds.
Cottage cheese, greek yogurt, fruit and veg purees, cream of wheat/rice…
Here’s a book that’s often recommended for such situations (I think it’s fairly good, you’ll find at least one or two appealing things in there):
The I-Can’t-Chew Cookbook: Delicious Soft Diet Recipes for People with Chewing, Swallowing, and Dry Mouth Disorders by J. Randy Wilson. http://www.amazon.com/The-I-Cant-Chew-Cookbook-Delicious-Swallowing/dp/0897934008
I did mention quiche but I forgot about scrambled eggs. I’ve not tried this recipe/method but several Dopers have raved about Gordon Ramsay’s scrambled eggs.
I’ve only had a few at a time taken out, but I imagine th eprinciple’s the same. After the first few days, once the holes heal a bit, maybe polenta, risotto, soups, shepards pie, things like that?
It’s a good opportunity to lose some weight. But it’s not that hard to swallow mushy stuff. When I broke my jaw when I was 10 and had my mouth wired shut I had to live off milkshakes for a couple of months. That took a lot of weight off my already to skinny frame. I wonder why people don’t just get their mouths wired shut instead of getting stomach surgery or sticking tubes up their nose. Anyway, it shouldn’t take your husband too long to be able to eat stuff soft food.
He absolutely should not suck things. I mean, your sex life is between you and him, but seriously, he needs to avoid sucking, and this includes cigarettes. Sucking can cause dry socket, which will make him cry, I don’t care how tough he is.
I’ve had some good success with the various instant breakfast or diet shakes. Yeah, he probably doesn’t want to live on them, but some of them are all right. Avoid the low-carb versions, though. Uck. Also any hot cereal, mashed potatoes, mashed beans, etc. I’ve tried commercial baby food meats, and found them to be less than satisfactory. A peanut butter sandwich (with or without jelly, his preference) is pretty good. I’ve been able to eat stuff like pot roasts if the meat is cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time, so that the connective tissue dissolves. It’s time to dig out the slow cooker! Browning the meat will improve the flavor, especially if you dredge it in flour first. Soups and stews are also good.