The nurse teaches the client about eating a soft diet at home. After teaching, the nurse asks the client for an example of a suitable food on a soft diet. Which client choice does the nurse accept as suitable for a soft diet?

Question

1. Hot oatmeal with low-fat milk
2. Tomato stuffed with tuna salad
3. Beef, barley, and vegetable stew
4. Thin spaghetti with tomato sauce

Answer 1

4
4. Food on a soft diet must be "low in fiber, easily digested, easy to chew" and sim-ple to cook; thus, thin spaghetti with tomato sauce is suitable. A soft diet is slightly different from a mechanical soft diet because soft diet foods must be low in fiber and mechanically soft foods can contain fiber but are pureed or ground.
1, 2, and 3. The remaining options are poor choices for a soft diet, and the client avoids these foods until the dietary restrictions change; oatmeal is rich in fiber, and the stuffed tomato and the stew are more difficult to digest, chew, and cook.