Author: Amy Listermann, MS, CCC-SLP
-
Dysphagia-Friendly Fast Food
This guide focuses on adapting common fast food items for modified textures such as puréed, minced and moist, soft & bite-sized, and easy to chew, with swallowing safety in mind. Reviewed by a licensed speech-language pathologist. Fast food is a part of real life. It’s where people meet up between errands or grabbing something on…
-
Steakhouse Plate
Easy to Chew (IDDSI Level EC7) Regular foods that are naturally soft and easy to chew, without tough, dry, or hard components. Steak is one of those foods people miss the most when chewing or swallowing gets harder. It’s iconic: the smell, the sear, the satisfaction of a proper bite. But it’s also one of…
-
Goetta Hash Bowl with Apples
What is goetta? Goetta (pronounced “get-uh”) started as a German-American breakfast staple, born out of thrift and ingenuity in kitchens in my hometown, Cincinnati. Traditionally made with pork, beef, steel cut oats, and onions, it was meant to stretch meat while turning simple grains into something deeply satisfying. When cooked low and slow, goetta forms…
-
Veggie Patty Egg Stacker
Easy to Chew (IDDSI Level EC7) Regular foods that are naturally soft and easy to chew, without tough, dry, or hard components. There’s a reason certain veggie patties have held their place in freezers for decades: they’re soft, mild, and nourishing, but still taste like food, not filler. This egg stacker that features my Ultimate…
-
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pureed (IDDSI Level 4) Completely smooth foods/extremely thick liquids with no lumps that hold their shape on a spoon and don’t require chewing. Making cheesecake has always been a balancing act; indulgent yet simple, rich but delicate. Add pumpkin and chocolate, and it becomes autumn distilled. For those navigating chewing or swallowing challenges, the silky…
-
Understanding Your Swallow Study: How to Read Dysphagia Reports
If you’ve recently had a swallow study or are waiting for one, you may have a report full of unfamiliar words: residue, penetration, peristalsis, dysmotility. It can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re already anxious about eating. By the end of this page, you’ll know how to read the results, what they mean for your daily…
-
Turkey Congee
Pureed (IDDSI Level 4) Completely smooth foods/extremely thick liquids with no lumps that hold their shape on a spoon and don’t require chewing. Congee is a dish built on patience and comfort; a slow-cooked rice porridge that has sustained much of East and Southeast Asia for centuries. Its name changes from region to region: juk…
-
Apple and Carrot Tzimmes
Pureed (IDDSI Level 4) Completely smooth foods/extremely thick liquids with no lumps that hold their shape on a spoon and don’t require chewing. Tzimmes is a dish that has been simmered, swapped, and sweetened in countless kitchens across Eastern Europe for centuries. Though its name comes from Yiddish roots, its heart belongs to the larger…
-
Keeping Familiar Textures New
When texture modification becomes part of daily life, it’s natural to find comfort in what feels safe. That first food that “works”, the one that doesn’t trigger coughing, panic, or discomfort, often becomes a lifeline. And while that reliability is important, it can quietly narrow someone’s food world over time. Meals begin to blend together.…
-
Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Easy to Chew (IDDSI Level EC7) Regular foods that are naturally soft and easy to chew, without tough, dry, or hard components. Traditional stuffed zucchini can be a little fussy: hollowing out each half, precooking the filling, trying not to overbake the shells. This casserole style version skips the precision work while keeping the same…