Soft foods for teen DS, including school lunches

[MiniMidiMaxi]

DS has injured his jaw from rugby - the socket and ball joint - and doctor’s advice was painkillers and soft food for the next week or so, to avoid risking further damage. He’s a ravenous 6 ft 4 boy, so soups and scrambled egg is not going to really cut it, we’re struggling to work out the best options for meals, especially for food to take to school for lunches, and for snacks.

Any bright ideas?

Porridge with smooth peanut butter stirred into it, with mashed banana and or jam for breakfast

Lunch may have to be soup, but it doesn't have to be watery. Make a really thick lentil and root veg soup with spuds, carrots, etc, and then puree it with a stick blender. Smooth stew, if you like. Chuck in ham too as you cook and before you blend. It might look disgusting but with the right spices for him, it'll do the job.

Or a slightly thinner but still pulse heavy soup that he can put bread in (crustless white if need be) to soak and turn into mush. Baby soup is one of my favourite lunches.

Yogurts, milkshakes and smoothies, especially with protein powders added.

Ice cream. Okay, not the healthiest, but it's high calorie and will be easy to eat/slurp.

Risotto, really well cooked, or very overcooked small pasta like orzo? Pesto and extra cheese for the sauce.

Mashed potato, made extra creamy with more milk than normal, with grated cheese mixed in.

Does he like fish? Fish can be cooked very soft and flaked into mash.

Thanks, that’s all really helpful! I’ve got an instant pot so should be able to do some very tender but hearty soups in that. Risotto a good shout too.

ive just ordered some protein powder to add to smoothies.

When DS was body building, he'd make a milkshake with full fat milk, a spoonful of nut butter, some scoops of vanilla protein powder and a banana. It was a really thick drink. He could take that, with a couple of ice cubes, in a thermos to keep it cool, and have it as a snack. Has about 400-500 cals.

Does he like dips? Home made guac with soured cream or homemade humous with lots of tahini and greek yoghurt would be high calorie.

With soup - it doesn't all have to be pureed sludge. You can use those tiny pasta stars or orzo or rice to bulk out soups made from very finely diced veg and meat.

And if he needs a fix of salt in the hot weather, remember things like Quavers, pom bears, prawn crackers etc dissolve on the tongue.

Yes it might work best to take a smoothie to school. I suggested Huel and he made a face, not sure I blame him! And he’ll happily have humous, though normally with raw carrots or breadsticks! We were just trying to work out what kind of couscous salad would work well, maybe feta would be ok.

Could you get him a food flask? He could take mashed potato with beans and cheese.
Other ideas
Dhal and rice, fish pie, cottage pie.
Tuna pasta with orzo, veggie burger made with either veg or beans just don't put in a bun.
Omelettes
Mince based dishes like bolognaise will be ok as long as veg is chopped really small.
Rice noddles are really soft

After dd’s braces were put on she took some soup in a special thermos thing but it was quite substantial soup with rice or grains in it

All the foods that dissolve without needing to chew might be good for snacks for when he’s sick of the soft food and wants something with a crunchy texture eg. Wotsits, skips, quavers, meringues, pink wafer biscuits

What about Boston baked beans. Much more hearty than Heinz!

www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18255/boston-baked-beans/

Or a sausage casserole?

I brown the sausages then add onion/celery/carrot chicken stock and tinned tomatoes and butter/cannellini beans. Cook for an hour on hob or oven.

The sausages become really soft and tender and you can cut them into small pieces and serve with mash.

5 egg omelette with cheese, ham, tomato, peppers

Tuna mayo in soft baps

Shakshuka

My son recently had an similar injury might not be any use but I made ice cream milk shakes, a few scoops of soft scoop ice cream, 2-3 spoons of strawberry nesquick and a cup of full fat milk - in the blender for a quick whizz he had it through a thick straw as even using a spoon hurt..

My boy said it was the best thing ever because the cold helped sooth it too.

Maybe not the most nutritious but definitely helped in the first couple of days

When my DS had his braces on (painfully!) we rediscovered those Ella's Kitchen pouches for a portable fruit/veg snack. Baby food I know, but he loved them!

Rice pudding, home made or Ambrosia, stir some extra cream in to boost the calories.

Cheese omelette.
Gazpacho, vichysoisse, bortch.
Ratatouille, home made with the vegetables diced small, serve with couscous.
Dahl.
Couscous with flaked smoked fish stirred in.
Yoghurt with soft fruits added.
Egg custards, sweet or savoury... pastryless quiche perhaps with salmon flakes.

Thanks all, there’s loads of good ideas here, appreciate it!