Soft & Bite-Sized (IDDSI Level 6)
Tender foods cut into small, bite-sized pieces that are easy to chew and break apart with minimal effort.
Burger and fries are classic kid food, but traditional versions include several textures that can be difficult for children with dysphagia. A chewy bun, crisp fries, browned ground beef and raw toppings aren’t easily adapted simply by cutting them into smaller pieces. This Burger and Fries Hash Bowl keeps the familiar flavors while changing how they’re prepared. Soft potato and tender ground beef are cooked together with plenty of moisture, then finished with a smooth, nonstringy cheese sauce for a meal designed around pediatric IDDSI Level 6 Soft & Bite-Sized requirements.
Why make it as a hash?
A hash lets us keep the individual ingredients recognizable without relying on a bun or crispy fries. Using wetter cooking methods, like braising and boiling, means potatoes can be cooked until easily mashable, while the beef can be kept moist instead of developing the dry, chewy pieces that come from aggressively browning ground meat. For pediatric Level 6, pieces should be no larger than 8mm x 8mm, which ends up being about half the width of a standard fork.
A smoother approach to cheese
Instead of topping the bowl with shredded cheddar, this recipe uses a smooth cheese sauce made primarily with cream cheese and a small amount of processed cheese. This gives the dish the familiar creamy cheeseburger flavor while reducing the tendency of natural cheese to become stringy or chewy as it cools. That’s particularly useful for children who eat slowly. Always test the meal at its actual serving temperature, and remember that its texture can continue to change as it sits.
Make it taste like their burger
Ketchup and yellow mustard can bring a lot of recognizable burger flavor without adding difficult textures. Skip traditional toppings such as raw onion, lettuce, pickle slices, bacon and sesame seeds unless they have been specifically modified and tested for the child’s prescribed texture. For example, you could use onion powder in the beef, peel, mince and strain pickles into a relish, use a dash of tahini for sesame flavor. Or, for kids who prefer things simple, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it to beef, potato and cheese sauce. The goal is familiar, enjoyable food that also meets their individual texture needs.
Make this Recipe for Your IDDSI Level
As written, this recipes is at IDDSI Level 6 Soft and Bite Sized. This recipe can also be adapted for Level 3 Liquidized, Level 4 Pureed, Level 5 Minced and Moist, and Level 7 Easy to Chew. See the adaptation instructions below or if you are printing the recipe, they will be included in the notes section.
Level 3 Liquidized (Smooth enough to drink or pour; no chewing): Blend the finished recipe with beef broth until completely smooth and flowing 1-2mL per 10 seconds (using the IDDSI flow test at time of service).
Level 4 Pureed (Smooth and thick enough to hold shape on a spoon; no chewing): Blend the cooked ground beef with cheese sauce, mustard, and ketchup, adding beef stock as needed, then pipe into rounds. Blend the potatoes separately with vegetable or beef stock and pipe into lines like fries.
Level 5 Minced and Moist (Soft pieces that are half the gap between fork prongs in a puree; minimal chewing): Mince the ground beef and potatoes into 2mm pieces and then toss in the ketchup, mustard and cheese sauce blend.
Level 7 Easy to Chew (Foods that are soft and easily bite into pieces): You may form patties from the ground beef and cut the potatoes into more common matchsticks, but be sure to cook in a similar way to avoid crispy or tough pieces. Garnish with sauces.
Burger and Fries Hash Bowl Pediatric Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Fill a saucepan 2/3 full of water and heat to a soft boil. Peel and dice the potato. Simmer in water until completely tender and drain. Sautee in butter, stirring occasionally to add a light color, but stop before crisping.
- Place the ground beef and broth in a skillet. Cook gently, breaking the beef apart toward 2mm pieces as it cooks. Once fully cooked, cover and simmer gently until the beef is exceptionally tender. Add additional broth if necessary to avoid creating browned, crisp or dry pieces. Stir in ketchup, mustard and onion powder.
- Melt butter in the small saucepan over medium low. Whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until thickened, then remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese and processed cheese until completely melted and smooth. Stir enough cheese sauce into the beef to keep it moist and cohesive. Reserve the remainder for serving.
- Divide the potato hash between two bowls. Spoon the cheeseburger mixture over the potato and finish with the remaining smooth cheese sauce.
SLP Notes
IDDSI Texture Modifications: Level 3 Liquidized (LQ3): Blend the finished recipe with beef broth until completely smooth and flowing 1-2mL per 10 seconds (using the IDDSI flow test at time of service). Level 4 Pureed (PU4): Blend the cooked ground beef with cheese sauce, mustard, and ketchup, adding beef stock as needed, then pipe into rounds. Blend the potatoes separately with vegetable or beef stock and pipe into lines like fries. Level 5 Minced and Moist (MM5): Mince the ground beef and potatoes into 2mm pieces and then toss in the ketchup, mustard and cheese sauce blend. Level 7 Easy to Chew (EC7): You may form patties from the ground beef and cut the potatoes into more common matchsticks, but be sure to cook in a similar way to avoid crispy or tough pieces. Garnish with sauces. Testing Method: Each piece should be cuttable with the side of a fork and pass the fork pressure test; no knife required. Piece Size: Maximum 8 mm for children (1.5cm for adults on SB6). Trim larger pieces before serving. Texture Goal: Soft, tender, and moist throughout with no hard edges, gristle, or chewy skins. Wet cooking methods are highly recommended. Temperature Note: Heat can change firmness; always check texture again after reheating.Keep Reading
New to pediatric dysphagia cooking? Check out the rundown of all of the testing methods for each level.
Every recipe here is designed for texture sensitive eaters: from dysphagia to dental issues to picky eaters. Get recipe roundups and practical tips by joining the mailing list.
