Hi Pam,

Lovely to hear from you. I blended most things to start with, but slowly introduced boiled/steamed vegetables, poached egg or a lump of soft cheese/pate (at the bottom of the bowl) into soups without blending them. They are a bit like a stew/casserole with more sauce.

I found it easier to use a finger periodically, to move food to my teeth and check everything is in one location before taking a sip of water, shake my head to combine the food and water, and then swallow. Sometimes I quickly tip my head back, in like a reverse nod, as it helps the food and water to go down together. For me, it's been the most effective way to eat. I've eaten in front of friends and they've been OK with me doing that.
I keep a serviette/napkin to wipe my mouth and finger on, and I try to wear one down my front as I have a tendency to dribble food occasionally. The soup with chunky bits really helped me.

Today I made a dish of slightly overcooked pasta in mayonnaise, tartar sauce, tuna, sweetcorn, diced cucumber, grated cheese and pepper. Using the finger in the mouth technique, I was able to consume it. I still needed 750ml water to help, and it took me about an hour to consume, but it was a tasty achievement