Thermos of soup? Soft rolls? Applesauce?

Best of luck.

Bread pudding, rice pudding, custard, banana muffins without nuts are quite soft (you could use 50/50 with WW flour to bump the nutrition), and/or Indian pudding. The puddings do have sugar but they are also a good source of protein & calcium from the milk/eggs.

Mac ' Cheese? Could he eat that? Pureed soups?

I don't think he should live on this but if the soft diet is just for a short time...mashed potatoes/gravy?

Hope the dental work heals quickly for him!

/tricia

Also in a thermos:

Mashed potatoes and gravy (you could puree some meat to mix with the gravy).
Spaghetti (a little overcooked)
Scrambled eggs with cheese & very tiny veggies
Rice with tiny veggies sauteed and mixed in.

Cold:
Creamy peanut butter and bananas
Yogurt
Hard boiled egg (maybe?)
Softer fruits (strawberry, kiwi, canned peaches/pears)

You don't say whether this is a permanent thing or just until the dental issues are finished.
If it's long term, I would certainly invest in a good thermos, maybe a microwavable pack to keep thing warm or cold as needed.
He should be able to take leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day which would be easier on you too.

If it's temporary, you may be able to add in slightly more solid items fairly quickly. Things like olives, beans, more fruit, pasta salads, etc.

Best of luck,
Deanna

How about cottage cheese or yogurt? They come in all types and flavors, in single-serve packaging.

I would suggest peanut butter with mashed banana, but with the current situation, I guess that's out. But how about cream cheese and jelly on a slice of bread?

Hope he feels better soon!

Sue

Sissy, I don't know why I did this but last week I put chicken salad in my food processor to get a finer result and it ended up really mashed. That may work for a sandwich idea. You could do that with tuna or egg salad as well. Their are a lot of things you could do with a thermos. Beef and chicken stews, again through a food processor, roast chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. Tiny pasta with a meat sauce should be soft enough! Their is always lot's of soups if he likes that idea! I hope this has been a little help. Good luck and I hope your brother is feeling better real soon! Gina

Thanks for all the ideas. I hope I can sell him on the thermos. If any of you have had experience with Downs, you know, they can be extremely stubborn and set in their ways.
He will be fitted for dentures in a few weeks but I have my doubts as to whether he will wear them. His case manager says many of his clients won't. He's doing ok with pasta dishes, as you say, cooked well. I think I can introduce other, less pureed foods as time goes on but wanted variety. I like the pudding ideas. I'm just worried as to how he will do with breads as they seem to glob so easily. I'll try out a couple of these on him this weekend. Who knows, maybe he'll set a trend.

Thanks again.

Yes, they can be stubborn, but hunger has a way of breaking down even the most mulish of us! He may not eat lunch once or twice, but sooner or later he will get used to it.

To ease him into it, I like obxgina's idea about soft sandwich fillings so he'll feel like he's still having his sandwich even if it isn't exactly the type of filling he's used to.

I had luck in the past dealing with Down's syndrome folks by giving them a choice instead of asking them about a specific. Rather like young kids, if they are consulted as to preference, they are more amenable. Nobody likes to be dictated to.

So, instead of simply packing something, have two suitable things in mind and ask him which he'd prefer. So instead of handing him something he's unfamiliar with, he is choosing to have something he's unfamiliar with.

"Would you like an egg-salad sandwich today or mac 'n' cheese?" involves him in the decision process and might help him to feel less like he's being dictated to.

I agree, Rachelellen, I have one cousin who is now 16 with Downs and of course we have little Linsey, David's niece, she's three now and born with Downs and all those heart issues. This forum helped pull her through as an infant when the doctors held out little or no hope, so she's extra special to us.

Anyway, the 16 year old, Catherine, can be nearly immovable, but she loves to be helpful. If I'm making lunch at the farm and she is there I always involve her in the decisions as to what to have and the simple chores in getting things ready. My cousin is amazed, says Catherine will eat things at the farm that she's refused her whole life, just because "she" cooked them or chose them.

There's certainly no use in arguing with him, you will most certainly lose but if it's his idea, well, it's a whole new world. LOL

Good luck to you. Does he eat alone? I've also found that if other peers or friends say they love something, it becomes more palatable, much like very small children.

Annie