Friday, August 8, 2008

Liquid Diets For Broken Jaw

My son was in a car wreck and broke his jaw on both sides and had to have his jaw wired shut. We was a little concerned about what he was going to eat to keep him from loosing weight. He is about 6'2" and 170 so it was important that he not loose a lot of weight. The doctors office gave us a book that had recipes in it for a liquid diet. We tried a couple of them I tasted them and they were NOT good at all I would use disgusting as my choice of words for them. I searched the web and could not find anything other than one ladies page that said it had lots of things but you had to pay for it. I decided to start this blog because and post some of the tings we have tried and not charge when you are in this position it is nice to be able to find help that does not cost. I do not have any per say recipes but am glad to tell you all how we have survived this ordeal and how my son has been able to eat all his favorite foods cheeseburgers, Chinese food, pizza and anything you can imagine.



We started with KFC potatoes and gravy as our first experiment and it tasted great. We got the potatoes and some extra gravy put it in a blender added some chicken broth and put the blender on liquid. And when it was done it sucked through a straw and tasted just like KFC potatoes.



Our second experiment was his favorite food cheeseburgers I wasn't sure how this would work but for my son it was worth a try. I fried 2 burgers put the cheese on and put them in the blender added some beef broth and turned it to liquid. It takes longer with meat and has to be blended a little longer but it will all blend. With any meat you will have to strain it because for him any little meat particles got stuck in the wires. The strainer I used was a small wire strainer that can be purchased at any department store. We got it to the consistancy he needed and it did tasted just like a cheeses burger.



His next favorite food is pizza I was like ok lets try it and this is how we did it. Two or three pieces or how ever much you want to make add a little pizza sauce and some beef broth blend it to liquid strain it and it taste just like the piece I ate.



He was craving Chinese food mainly just the chicken they have so we got some and ask for some extra sauce. I put it in the blender added some of the sauce and some chicken broth got it to liquid strained it and I have to say it was very very good.



We have also tried Hamburger Helper not his favorite food but tasted pretty good to him now. We have tried several of them and they all work you just have to add chicken or beef broth and blend it until it is a liquid and strain it.



One thing he likes other than shakes and smoothies is a jello-cool whip desert you are suppose to make it thick and serve it in a pie shell but we have changed it a little. I add a little more water to the jello to try to keep it from setting up. Make the jello (your favorite flavor) add the cool whip and mix it put it in the fridge and it makes a tasty drink. It may set up a little just add a little more water and stir it to get it in the liquid form again. He likes strawberry so I have even added some fresh strawberries ran it through the blender together. But make sure you strain that I forgot the first time and strawberry seeds don't forget the seeds.



We have also done burgers cooked on the grill and chicken on the grill just have to add the broth and it does taste the same.



I have found that the trick with the broth is there is no set amount it depends on what you are making how much it might take. Some things take more to get it to that liquid stage but it all will get there. Like I said the meats to get them to that stage you do have to blend them longer. And you can tell by looking at the food in the blender if you need to add more broth if it is thick and not chopped up well it needs more. When it is blended well it will look like smooth baby food that is when you start adding more of the broth until it will suck through a straw. Like I said earlier I have tasted everything that I have fixed him and have not found anything that I would not eat. We have not tried pork chops only because he does not like pork but I am sure that it would work. If roast, burgers and chicken work am sure that it would also.



We are five weeks in now with this and he is maintaining his weight am sure he has lost a few pounds but not 20 or more. I hope this will help someone you can make most anything into liquid we have also tried lasagna just added some sauce and broth. Pudding we bought some of the pudding cups and when he wants some we just add some milk until he can suck it through a straw.



Everything that I have mentioned above I have also made up some extra and put in the fridge for him. The burgers, hamburger helper and pizza all gets thick after it sets in the fridge you can add some more broth to it when warming it up and it will loose that gel form that it took on in the fridge. I have found out that my son prefers it to be fresh so all the hot food I try to make it fresh unless I am going to be gone that I make some to put in the fridge.



I do hope this may help someone who does not know what to eat or how to fix it and does not want to live on broth and tomato soup alone. If anyone has any questions you can email me or post on my blog and I will try my best to answer your question.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

thanks for everything it worked out great. I broke my jaw jet skiing and i got tired of smoothies and jello so thanks alot

Rosie said...

In both your scenarios were there any gaps left so that you could slip the straw between your teeth or did you have to use either side? My son had his jaw wired yesterday and I'm confused about the comments re using a straw - he has no gap to put a straw in and currently is using a very small rubber tube on a type of syringe of aparatus and he slips it between his cheek and his teeth - was this the scenario for either of you? I'm hoping this is a temporary feeing method and he can eventually us a straw.

Rokita said...

v10rod: I am very happy that it helped you 6 wks is a long time for smoothies and jello.
rosie: He did not have any gaps the liquids just kinda sifted through his teeth he never really said how it worked we just know that it worked for him.

Anonymous said...

SO SO so so so so helpful thank you very much for the time you took out of your life to help others. You have a kind heart and THANK YOU!!!!! I'm taking care of a loved one with the broken jaw, hes on week 2 of 8 and hes lost 15lbs already!!! im worried about him. Anyway thanks a bunch!!!! I got lots of fresh ideas from your blog.
Thankfuly,
Aleshia

breeze4759 said...

Very Helpful Thank you, My son was in a car accident and has his wired shut. He seen pizza in the fridge and i thought he was going to fall down just thinking of wanting it so bad, now i get to try your idea and see if it works, then i will get back to you. I was thinking of the chicken bowl minus the corn at KFC. Split pea and ham soup is great. I tried that and i dont even like peas. Someone needs to write a book on recipes for these poor people that has to suffer the way they do. Thanks for the tips. Gail

Unknown said...

These were all really great recipe ideas and I greatly appreciate you taking the time to create this blog in the same situation, you have no idea how much its appreciated.

I'd also like to suggest adding a whey protein shake or weight gainer shake to not lose as much weight as possible. These powders have high protein counts so that you can still feed your muscle.

Jesse Jones said...

Hi friends,

Liquid diet is consists of transparent liquid foods such as meat or vegetable broth, bouillon, clear fruit juices, clear fruit ices, popsicles, clear gelatin desserts, or clear carbonated drinks. Thanks...

liquid diet recipes

G said...

Thanks for creating a blog, I just had my jaw broken in two places from a fight (he sucker punched me). I was contemplating with surgery but I think I'll just choose staying wired shut for 6 weeks and using your advice for diet.
Thanks again, really appreciated!

Alleycat said...

I just got my son home from his jaw being wired, after wrecking on his skateboard. I'm sure he will get sick of smoothies and protein drinks. Thank you for the great ideas...he loves KFC & Cheeseburgers

Lucylutoo said...

I could not believe that as a mother you would actively promote the use of such fast foods as nutrition for your son who needs real food not fast food. the body needs proteins carbs and it is unbelievable reading this total crap

Samantha said...

This was helpful for me. My boyfriend was a victim of asthe results were a break and fracutre his jaw has been wired shut for 2 weeks now. we started with broths, soups, jellos, and puddings. He is 6'1 and weighed 160. and ha lost about 5-7 pounds. He loves food and flavor. so it has become very difficult to find things that work well for him. we had tried spaghetti and he loved it. i blended the noodles first with sauce and water than added the meat and sauce and blended it a few more minutes and he loved it i wasnt much of a fan. he looks forward to trying some burgers and pizza which are his favorite as well. so thank you for this.

Samantha said...

asult*

Unknown said...

Thank u for the information I to just had my jaw wired and operated on. I shattered my chin and fractured the left side of my jaw. I was told ensure was a healthy way of maintaining my weight I am 6 1in 210 pounds I just want to be able to maintain some type of muscle tone..
.

CMB said...

My son's surgery was at U of M and the dietitian gave us a handout with several recipies on it for liquid diet. Instead of Ensure/Boost which are expensive make Super Milk by mixing whole Vit D milk with powdered milk for twice the protein kick and use this as your base when making soups, smoothies, or just drink etc. Also use Carnation instant breakfast as an add to ice cream with a cup of peanutbutter to load up on protein and vitamins. The recipes are helpful, mac & cheese, soups, etc and really not much different from what you're posting here. Virtually anything can be turned into a liquid. My son found this site when his dad ordered pizza last night, he had two pieces; eating from a syringe with a catheter on the end of it. They urged him to eat 5 to 6 meals a day to keep his weight on (6'3" at 175) as his portions will not be large given the fact that it takes so long to get the food in him. I make him what we are eating just in a liquid form and we still all eat together as a family. I also added a liquid vitamin to his diet. Good luck!

nahidworld said...

thanks for your post.I think the Liquid Diet is very important things all kinds of man because it helps us to control our diet.

David Smith said...

Here is some good stuff.
http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/diet/pureedentreesalads.cfm#a

violet said...

Gee lucylutoo- you do not have to be so harsh. I think during a 6 week jaw wired situation, a little fast food might be good for the soul. Sure. not the healthiest. But lighten up.She's not advocating for a 100% fast food diet. Just a little comfort during a rough time.

Unknown said...

I just want to say thank you!!! With a huge sigh of relief.. My son (16 yrs old) just had his jaw wired shut after bmxing.I have been searching the internet to find nothing like you say.The dr says eat alot of milkshakes,well he cant maintain his wait on milkshakes. Needless to say i was overwhelmed,in fear,stressed, and didnt eat out of guilt for 2 days unless he was asleep. Finding your blog was a blessing. I felt relief. So i had to say Thank You!! I think we have it figured out now :) 4 weeks to go..

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for this blog this is my son's first week with his jaw wired and I was going crazy looking for ways to blend foods for him. The menus the doctors office gave us also were disgusting and my son refuses to eat them. I appreciate the time you took to help others God Bless you and your family!

Unknown said...

Thank you for this! I had surgery two weeks ago and my mouth is wired shut. I blended some pizza today with chicken broth thanks to you and it was delicious!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much! This was extremely helpful!!

Newarks finest said...

Thanks

Newarks finest said...

My jaw has been wired shut for a weak now I was also suckered punched. I had no idea of what to do I want to eat so bad. Felt like cutting the wires. Smdh I will try you ideas out. Thank you so mych

Teri McBride said...

Another thing that works are can't making bottles... The tips can,be cut for different consistency and are very easy to use. We use multiple bottles and have found that even,when using the red rubber they give you at the hospital it still works great.

Teri McBride said...

That is supposed to say. Candy making bottles