Here’s another example of the pureed meals from a commercial distributor of meals appropriate for any one of several medically-required diets.

This is described as a pulled pork sandwich with gravy, and a side of creamed corn. That sounded good, but the 10.5 ounce tray required a hefty amount of imagination to tie it back in any way to the underlying foods.

The alleged pork was absolutely tasteless. I ate as much as possible mixed with the small amount of gravy, which saved the day. I found in barely palatable. And when the gravy was used up, I had to abandon the rest. I just couldn’t force myself to keep eating.

The corn was a notch better. It reminded me of uncooked cornbread batter. Somehow it had retained a measure of corn flavor, making it a bit easier for me to relate to.

I know that these carefully prepared and delivered meals are better for me than the alternatives. But some of those alternatives, high calorie and protein shakes blending ice cream, Greek yogurt, fruit, and milk (or a bit of a commercial protein shake) make a tasty and nutritious meal. Sometimes I add a little peanut butter for good measure. Not a balanced diet by any means, but most vegetables are excluded from the pureed diet anyway.

Many of you suggested trying to rescue the pureed meats with creative spices.

Lipstick on a pig, as they say.

I have been having a very difficult time staying within my prescribed pureed diet, which requires food to be process in a blender and then strained, while at the same time eating more than just commercial protein shakes, homemade heavy milk shakes and things like custards.

The problem is that pureed foods seem to me to have virtually no smell or taste, and an off-putting texture.

I asked Google for commment on this.

Google’s answer confirmed my personal experience.

Overview

Pureed foods lose their smell and taste because blending drastically alters the chemical release of flavor compounds and removes the physical act of chewing. Without the natural aromas and chewing process that stimulate your senses, the food is perceived as bland and homogenous.

1. The Disruption of Aromatics (Smell)Up to 90% of what we perceive as “taste” actually comes from smell.Dilution: Pureeing breaks down food structures, mixing distinct ingredients into one mass and heavily diluting the aromatic compounds per bite.Oxidation: The high-speed blades of a blender expose food to excess oxygen, which rapidly degrades and evaporates the volatile oils that carry scent.

2. The Lack of Chewing (Taste)The mechanical process of chewing does more than just break down food; it triggers saliva production and repeatedly pumps aromatic compounds up through the back of your throat into your nasal passages.Because pureed food is smooth and pre-chewed, you simply swallow it, leaving very little time for the flavor to register in your mouth.

3. Masking by Starches and liquids to achieve a safe, swallowable texture (like the International Dysphagia Diet Initiative [IDDSI] Level 4 standard), purees often require adding thickeners, water, or broth. These additions dilute the natural concentration of the food, muting the overall flavor profile.

I’m hoping that I will be released from this strict diet at my upcoming post-surgery checkup back at the UCSF adult concern center on Tuesday morning. But, of course, such hopes don’t always materialize. We’ll see.