There are several reasons why you may want to eat a bland diet. Sometimes, we just have to give our digestive system a rest. If you think about it, we really push our bodies to the extreme, often eating inappropriate foods that are too greasy and fattening to really be healthy. And then, of course, there is gastroenteritis and other ailments that we get from eating tainted or old food that isn’t completely safe. Either way, I’m sure you’re reading this because you want to know which foods are safe to eat and which ones aren’t. Well, the key to a bland food diet is to choose foods that are easily digestible, so our system has time to recover. With that in mind, here are the foods you should choose:
Safe Bland Foods
Fruits and Vegetables:
You don’t want to eat raw fruits and vegetables. As unbelievable as it may seem, these are actually hard to digest mainly due to the skins. Instead, you’ll want to eat cooked or canned fruits and vegetables. You can’t go wrong with applesauce. It is the perfect thing to eat on a bland diet. Other favorites include low acidic juices such as apple or grape juice.
Dairy Foods
Dairy foods are easy to tolerate and should make up a large percentage of your bland food diet. To stay on the safe side, always choose the low fat and nonfat varieties. Some of my favorites include cottage cheese, yogurt, and skim milk. Puddings are also a popular choice, as well as certain varieties of cheese such as Colby which are more easily digestible.
Meats
While meats can be eaten on a bland food diet, some people don’t recommend them. If you must have meat, then choose ones that you feel are the most easily digestible. These typically include poultry and fish. Avoid meats that are stringy or tough to chew. Consider eating meat substitutes instead, such as peanut butter, tofu, etc..
Drinks
Other than skim milk and certain juices, you can also drink green tea, water, and non-caffeinated drinks. If you’re unsure about a specific beverage, then just consume a little bit at a time and see what happens.
As always, avoid drinking or eating too much at one time. You should try to eat several small meals during the day instead of just two to three large ones. This will further help your digestive system recuperate. It can be a little difficult to manage at times, but it works great!