# Tasty recipes requiring no chewing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827 "2005-10-19T00:04:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/1 "2005-10-19T00:04:05Z")
OK, I need some help. A good friend of mine recently had a ton of tooth extractions, leaving him basically sans the ability to chew. He won’t have his dentures until late November, and he’s thoroughly sick of yogurt, Ensure, and applesauce. The whole thing is making him really cranky and he’s been ranting about wanting to eat real food like a real person, and I can’t hardly blame him. Now he can eat moderately hot foods again, so I want to make him dinner a couple of times this week, but I’m finding it hard to get all the parts of the Food Pyramid in there (read: protein). There is a pride issue here too, so baby food is out. He won’t eat soup (it’s like a bizarre phobia and I cannot explain it). I have had good success with scrambled eggs and really soft pumpkin bread, but I’m looking for well-rounded meal recipes that a person with no teeth can enjoy, preferably vegetarian, but I’d do fish I guess (btw, he won’t eat tuna… yeah, he’s a PITA, but I love the guy). Thanks in advance for any ideas you have. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/2 "2005-10-19T00:11:36Z")
Won’t eat soup?! Any kind? Can’t you just tell him it’s a “puree”? If so, a nice thick carrot ginger soup with coriander and a dollop of sour cream is a sure bet. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/3 "2005-10-19T00:13:04Z")
How about a nice crockpot full of beef and noodles? The beef is very tender and the noodles are…well…noodles. It would be quite easy to eat. Oh, and cheesecake. LOTS of cheesecake! ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/4 "2005-10-19T00:13:06Z")
> [@Cat Fight](#): > > Won’t eat soup?! Any kind? Can’t you just tell him it’s a “puree”? If so, a nice thick carrot ginger soup with coriander and a dollop of sour cream is a sure bet. Think of it as a derangement. He will eat tomato soup, which I plan to get. No other kind, period. He’s a toothless looney, but he’s my friend. You see my quandary now, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/5 "2005-10-19T00:45:20Z")
> [@nonacetone](#): > > How about a nice crockpot full of beef and noodles? The beef is very tender and the noodles are…well…noodles. It would be quite easy to eat. > Oh, and cheesecake. LOTS of cheesecake! He won’t eat the crockpot stuff. Stew is out-- it’s the squishiness of the vegetables combined with being in sauce that’ll be a problem, though honestly I’m not sure the beef would be soft enough for him anyway. Canned peaches are apparently too hard, if that’s any indication. But the cheesecake is a SMASHING idea. I’m going to get one for him, definitely. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/6 "2005-10-19T00:56:29Z")
Mashed sweet potatos with a little curry powder. Yumb. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/7 "2005-10-19T00:58:48Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Mashed sweet potatos with a little curry powder. Yumb. Mashed potatoes is a good idea. I’ll have to find out if he prefers sweet or regular. Anyone got any protein ideas? ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/8 "2005-10-19T01:00:36Z")
If you really loved him,you’d chew it for him ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/9 "2005-10-19T01:11:42Z")
Will he eat eggs? Scrambled or soft-boiled won’t need much chewing, and will take care of the protein issue. Cheese is also full of protein; try soft cheeses, or macaroni and cheese if he can manage pasta. Actually, if he can manage pasta (and will eat it) there are a lot of possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/10 "2005-10-19T01:23:28Z")
Stir fried tofu? Marinated in ginger and soy, maybe? Won’t eat _soup_? Yeesh. Cheesy mashed potatoes? Custard? Mashed cauliflower? Maybe with Indian spices? ---
**Author:** ![ryobserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@ryobserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryobserver)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/11 "2005-10-19T01:27:54Z")
On rereading I see the OP already mentioned scrambled eggs. Pardon my redundancy. How about well chopped meat? The canned corned beef hash I eat sometimes doesn’t seem to require a lot of chewing. Topping it with cheese or a poached egg dresses it up a bit. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/12 "2005-10-19T01:38:13Z")
Quiche. Lots of different kinds and if the veggies are small enough, no chewing. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/13 "2005-10-19T01:41:36Z")
Baked sweet potatoes are nourishing, tasty, and still soft enough to break up in the mouth without chewing. This might be good if he gets tired of mashed … everything. Rice puddings and custards are great, too. How about flan? Some other suggestions: oatmeal, cream of wheat, Malt-O-Meal, grits, ice cream, pumpkin pie without crust, fruit smoothies (adding soft tofu would increase protein, and you can make many different flavors), Laughing Cow cheese, soft cornbread, V8 or tomato juice, milkshakes. He likes tomato soup? You can melt Velveeta in it, or other cheese, for a thicker, more filling soup. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/14 "2005-10-19T02:32:26Z")
If you stir a little cream cheese and white wine into scrambled eggs, they are deeelicious, and a bit more tender than plain scrambled eggs. Refried beans with Mexican quesadilla melting cheese, if he likes spicy. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/15 "2005-10-19T02:49:00Z")
peanut butter, mashed bananas, cool whip smoosh together until thoroughly combined lick off of spoon til completely consumed ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/16 "2005-10-19T02:58:41Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > he won’t eat tuna… yeah, he’s a PITA He’s a middle-eastern flatbread? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/17 "2005-10-19T02:58:47Z")
Dinner here last night was “fall apart easy”, but very tasty: Breaded Flounder Dip a flounder filet in egg, smush around in bread crumbs, heat some oil in a frying pan, toss in the fish, flip it after a couple of minutes. Make sure both sides get nicely browned. Yummy, and chewing-optional. Also, we had Lipton Butter Noodles on the side. Another very soft option. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/18 "2005-10-19T03:14:19Z")
Celery root, tossed in sage and roasted, then pureed with a little cream. Also good if roasted and pureed with a couple shallots. This dish orgazzes people when I make for Thanksgiving sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/19 "2005-10-19T03:16:30Z")
I see a lot of people are recommending fairly bland foods. I’d go crazy if I had to eat nothing but that for a month! I ditto the fish, if he likes seafood. Most ways of preparing fish leave it tender enough to be masticated by smushing it against the roof of the mouth with the tongue, if necessary. If there are any Pakistani restaurants around you, or if you’re up to some serious cooking, there are haleem and keema; the first is a spicy stew of meat that’s been marinated and cooked and then mashed until it’s little soft shreds, and the second is a spicy ground meat curry. Most mashed Indian daal (pulses) dishes he should be able to eat, as well. You might also try eggplant dishes (stir-fried eggplant, baba ghanoush, etc.) or hummus. Moussaka is pretty soft, but I don’t know if it would be soft enough for him. I know you said he doesn’t like soup, but if he likes tomato soup he might like avgolemono, which has a similar texture. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827/20 "2005-10-19T03:26:12Z")
Lobster or crab would be protein options. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasty-recipes-requiring-no-chewing/326827.md?page=2)