The chewing function of the elders has deteriorated, and it is troublesome to eat the New Year’s Eve dinner? 11 New Year dishes that can be easily crushed with gums

The Spring Festival is approaching. When every household is preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner, what should the elderly in the family pay attention to? Elderly people often eat less, have an unbalanced diet and insufficient nutrition due to problems such as deteriorating chewing function, eating habits and multiple medications. This is not only a problem of "not eating well", but in severe cases, they may also suffer from sarcopenia and asthenia.

(Photo courtesy of Taipei Veterans General Hospital)

Director Yang Meifeng of the Nutrition Department of Taipei Veterans General Hospital said that as the average age of hospitalized patients increases year by year, the demand for improved diet texture is also greater. The elderly hope that the diet provided by the hospital will be softer, but they are unwilling to directly switch to finely chopped or pureed meals, which also makes family members and caregivers very troubled. In view of this, the Department of Dietetics at Taipei Veterans General Hospital has actively developed several soft dishes and sauces of various flavors, which have been gradually supplied to inpatients. As long as the elders can "eat", nutrition will follow.

Foods that meet the category of "soft food that can be crushed by gums" are soft and tender and can be easily crushed by gums. Foods like steamed eggs and radish cakes belong to this category. In order to take care of the nutrition of the elderly, the Taipei Veterans General Hospital Nutrition Department designed a New Year's Eve dinner based on the Chinese New Year's eating habits. By selecting and using seasonal and local ingredients and changing the cutting and cooking techniques, a reunion dinner suitable for the "softness" of the elderly's teeth was made and named "Old Grandpa's New Year's Eve Dinner":

The Nutrition Department of Taipei Veterans General Hospital designed a New Year's Eve dinner based on the Chinese New Year eating habits. By selecting and using seasonal and local ingredients and changing the cutting and cooking techniques, they created a reunion dinner that is suitable for the "softness" of the teeth of elderly elders and named it "Old Grandpa's New Year's Eve Dinner." (Photo courtesy of Taipei Veterans General Hospital)

11 New Year’s Eve dinner recipes for seniors

【Large Soft Steak Platter】

Fresh and tender chicken breast, salmon steak, pork steak, five kinds of sauces (special marinated sauce of Rongzong, Italian tomato pizza sauce, celery and mashed potato curry sauce, tower fragrance nut garlic sauce, sesame oil and ginger sauce)

We use commercially available semi-finished soft steaks and pair them with five kinds of sauces carefully prepared by our hospital to help the elderly with insufficient saliva secretion to make the food smoother, more palatable and easier to swallow. The tender chicken breast uses phosphate-free texture adjustment technology and a physical impregnation formula to make the meat structure smooth, making the chicken tender and not stuck in your teeth. Another manufacturer has developed delicious reconstituted salmon and pork steaks (Mr. Good Soft Steak - Salmon, Pork) that can be stored at room temperature, allowing the elderly to prepare meals easily and eat nutritiously.

【Large rib platter】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Dancing Crab Steamed Egg】

Pumpkin, crab meat, mushroom cap, wide vermicelli, eggs, bonito, cassava flour, rice wine

Soft steamed eggs are the favorite of the elders. Using the characteristics of various ingredients and drizzling them with crystal clear sauce, it looks like a beautiful composition emerging from the sea of ​​clouds, and can create a delicious dish for the joy of the New Year.

【Dancing Crab Steamed Egg】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Attribution】

salmon, potatoes, onions, garlic, butter, shredded cheese, mayonnaise, cauliflower, black pepper

The exotic double-layered soft-core dish made with salmon and potatoes has an amazing taste that is surprising. Salmon contains high-quality protein and Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, which can help keep the brains, bodies and minds of the elderly healthier.

【Attribution】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Steamed meat pie with perilla and plum】

Pork mince, eggs, toast, tofu, basil, onion, garlic, rice wine, pepper

Steamed meat pie is a nostalgic dish full of memories. It uses sour perilla to stimulate saliva secretion, promote appetite, quench thirst, and help the elderly swallow. Adding toast and tofu to the meat patties can absorb the gravy and increase the moistness, changing the general stereotype that pork front leg meat is dry and astringent.

【Steamed meat patties with perilla and plum】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Painted wild mushroom fish cubes】

Snapper, shimeji mushroom, white mushroom, onion, yellow bell pepper, diced tomato, garlic

Using the logic of Italian cuisine, natural spices are paired with fresh vegetables and colorful fish dishes. It is a dual experience of taste and vision, and is also a soft and high-quality source of protein.

【Painted wild mushroom fish cubes】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Taro-flavored pork trotter】

Pork trotter, taro, onion, garlic, shallot, chili, ginger, soy sauce, rock sugar, rice wine, star anise, cinnamon, licorice

Pig's trotter is a very common dish on the Chinese New Year table. Pig's trotter is the upper thigh part of the pig's foot. After cooking, it becomes "ball-shaped". From the perspective of auspicious Chinese New Year words, it means "reunion" and also has the auspicious meaning of "great wealth and honor". The pig's feet and taro are combined with natural spices, allowing the ingredients to absorb the aroma of the sauce. The texture is dense and melts in the mouth, and the elders can crush it with their gums.

【Taro-flavored pork trotter】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Good Luck Cui Kueh】

White radish, rice, minced pork, dried shrimp, dried shrimp, shallot, pepper

Radish and rice are made into "Cai Tou Guo", which means good luck and good omen. Grate the white radish, chop it into small pieces and fry until fragrant. Add homemade braised pork and fried shallots, add to the rice milk and steam until done. It can be eaten hot or cooled, refrigerated and then fried. It has a smooth texture, allowing elders with bad teeth to taste the full Taiwanese flavor in every bite.

【Good Luck Rice Cake】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Garlic-flavored Feilongcai (pineapple and chives)】

Spinach, garlic, ginger oil, wolfberry

Spinach, which is abundant in winter, is rich in fiber and nutrients. It is also called "Bo Li Zai" in Taiwanese, and is also called "Flying Dragon" vegetable based on its homonym. It is a soft vegetable that is very suitable for festive banquets.

【Garlic-flavored Feilongcai (pineapple)】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Longevity Vegetable Garlic Chicken Soup】

Whole chicken, mustard greens, garlic, ginger, scallops, rice wine

Eating longevity dishes during the New Year symbolizes longevity and permanence. Eating chicken around the stove as a family reunion also means the good luck of "eating chicken will bring prosperity", and it also symbolizes good family fortune. Adding small dried scallops to the broth can enhance the sweetness of the soup. There is a pot of chicken soup in the New Year’s Eve dinner, which warms the heart and stomach.

【Long-lived Vegetable Garlic Chicken Soup】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Cranberry Chestnut Oatmeal Soup】

Chestnuts, red dates, oatmeal, rock sugar

Adding oatmeal to the chestnut sweet soup is rich in dietary fiber, which can absorb moisture and make the taste softer and smoother. The natural sweetness and color of red dates add to the flavor and festiveness of this dessert.

【Rock sugar chestnut oatmeal soup】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）

【Black molasses fresh cheese】

Fresh milk, fresh cream, gelatin, sugar, blackstrap molasses

Rich blackstrap molasses and smooth fresh cheese have a rich taste and melt easily in your mouth. It is a high-protein dessert with simple preparation steps, which is very suitable for the elders and the whole family to eat together.

【Brown Sugar Honey Fresh Cheese】（Photo provided by Taipei Veterans General Hospital）