We aim for food that is healthy, high in protein and high in calories (you burn more calories as your muscles die) and food that is easy to chew and swallow (for weakening tongue and jaw muscles). SOFTER FOOD IS PREFERRED (like cook the broccoli just a bit more or make mash). Uniform texture also helps—a salad cut into fine chunks of equal size is easier to eat than varying sizes, and a pureed soup better than a chunky one. SMALLER PIECES: Hanna finds it difficult to eat large chunks of anything. Please cut her food into smaller pieces. Use the nail on your pinky finger as a guide. We can cut it here too if needed. A HEALTHY GUT MATTERS, so please include fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi or miso. PROBIOTIC rich foods like yogurt are also great. COMPLEX CARBS: Lean away from “white carbs” like white bread, rice and pasta. Instead use complex carbs like millet, chickpeas, oats + multigrain hot cereal, barley, sweet potatoes, spelt, potatoes, butternut squash, black beans, sprouted grain breads, quinoa, brown rice, farro, lentils, green peas. UNSATURATED FATS are great, please feel free to mix them in. Avocados or olives, for example. Or add plant oil, especially cold pressed, extra virgin, like avocado or olive oil. Also nuts and nut butters, nut cheeses and milks: brazil, macadamia, hazelnut, cashew.... Seeds too! Flax, pumpkin, sesame, chia, walnut. Fish are also a good source of unsaturated fats. Salmon, trout, catfish, mackerel. SATURATED FATS ARE GOOD TOO: coconut cream, grass-fed meat, grass-fed yogurt and cheese (don’t underestimate cottage cheese!), dark chocolate. MIX UP THE PROTEIN: A lot of households are red meat forward. Please consider a mix of healthy proteins such as eggs, chicken, soy and fish (Hanna loves fish, salmon in particular and fishcakes are great) and on occasions pork. MAKE IT COLORFUL AND FLAVORFUL. Hanna loves a plate with color from veggies and spices. Yes to garlic and ginger! LOW ACID: Hanna struggles with acidity in her belly, so avoid or lessen acid-producing foods such as too much tomatoes, chillies, and wine. HOMEMADE? DELIVERED? Meals can be homemade (yah if you have the time!), purchased pre-made or delivered from restaurants. We prefer to support local, black-owned businesses and other family-owned places (think Thai, Mexican, Ethiopian etc.) businesses over corporate chains. If having food delivered, to better support the restaurants in keeping more of the profits, please contact them directly first to see if the restaurant delivers before using services such as GrubHub/DoorDash/Postmates, when possible.