A full liquid diet, usually prescribed for people experiencing difficulty chewing solid food, is also appropriate to follow after surgery or when fasting. It is the step between clear liquid and traditional diets and is not nutritionally appropriate for long-term use. Full liquid diets are also not advisable for weight loss.
Food Choice
Drink 3 to 5 beverage servings (8 oz.) a day. You can drink coffee, tea, cocoa, soda, water and nutritional drinks such as Ensure. Choose 3 to 4 servings (1/2 cup) from the cereal group, which includes cream of wheat or rice, baby cereal and pureed potatoes or oatmeal. You can consume 2 to 4 daily servings (1/2 cup) of either juiced, pureed or strained vegetables. Servings (2 oz.) of meat can be fish, poultry or any cut of tender meat pureed. Eat 2 to 3 servings (1 cup) of broth cream or blended soups daily, as well as 3 to 5 servings (1 cup) of dairy, including milk, eggnog, powdered milk, milkshakes, plain yogurt or pudding. Deserts such as fruit ices, ice cream, sherbet, gelatin or frozen pudding pops are allowed; you can consume 1 to 2 servings (1/2 cup) daily, and your 2 to 3 daily servings (1 teaspoon) of sweets can include hard candy, sugar, honey or syrup. You can also mix 1 tbsp. of fats---butter, cream, margarine, oil or non-dairy creamer---with foods 2 to 3 times daily.
Sample Menu
Daily menus can include 1/2 cup orange juice, 8 oz. whole milk, 1/2 cup cooked cream of wheat and a hot zero-calorie beverage for breakfast. A pureed banana can serve as your mid-morning snack. Lunch can consist of 6 oz. chicken broth, 8 oz. eggnog, 1/2 cup flavored gelatin and a hot noncaloric drink., and you can have 2 cups of custard for a mid-afternoon snack. For dinner, try 6 oz. vegetable broth, 1/2 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup ice cream and a hot noncaloric beverage. You can end the day with a pureed apple. Another variation can include 1 cup fruit juice, 1/2 cup hot cereal,and 1 cup hot tea with sugar and lemon for breakfast. Choose 3/4 cup soup, 1/2 cup custard, 8 oz. whole milk and 1/2 cup ice cream for both lunch and dinner.
