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The holiday table · Thanksgiving through New Year’s

Hearty meat and vegetable soup, creamy soup, sweet potato puree, crustless custard, crustless pumpkin pie slice and a mug of hot chocolate on a festive holiday table

Southern & New Orleans favorites

Holiday Recipes for Liquid & Soft Food Diets

Familiar flavors for your holiday table, with preparation ideas for the texture stage in your care plan.

Holiday recipe highlights

Southern & New Orleans Holiday Favorites

Black Southern and New Orleans traditions, from turkey gumbo, potlikker and a hearty turkey-vegetable soup to sweet potato pie and crustless pumpkin custard—with preparation ideas to discuss with your care team.

The linked recipes are traditional originals, not stage-approved recipes. These adaptations are ideas, not tested recipes or swallowing-safety certifications. Stage names are not IDDSI levels; use your prescribed texture, ingredients and portions.

Stage ideas

Dish type

9 recipe references

Savory mains & broths

Savory mains & broths Holiday pick

Turkey Bone Gumbo & Smoked Turkey Broth

Stage 1: Clear liquids idea: Consider only clear, thoroughly strained and defatted turkey stock if your plan permits it; no meat, roux or other solids.
Stage 2: Full liquids idea: Use a smooth, strained broth base without sausage, okra seeds or chunks. Add an approved protein powder according to its label, away from boiling heat.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Blend fully cooked tender turkey with broth and an allowed sauce, then remove any remaining fibers to reach your prescribed consistency.

The original gumbo is not a clear-liquid recipe. Check spice, sodium and fat limits in your plan.

Chef John Folse’s Thanksgiving Turkey Bone Gumbo

Savory mains & broths Holiday pick

New Orleans Crawfish & Shrimp Étouffée

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: If seafood stock and roux are allowed, prepare a smooth strained sauce without seafood pieces, rice or vegetable chunks.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Blend fully cooked seafood with an allowed sauce and stock; remove any remaining pieces to reach your prescribed texture.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Only if allowed, serve tender, finely chopped seafood with generous sauce and an approved soft accompaniment. Use your clinician’s size guidance.

Contains shellfish and often wheat and milk. Rice, seafood and mixed textures may be unsuitable; stage numbers are not IDDSI levels.

Louisiana Travel Crawfish Étouffée

Savory mains & broths Holiday pick

Hearty Turkey & Vegetable Soup

Stage 1: Clear liquids idea: Simmer the turkey bones with carrot, onion and celery, then strain until completely clear and skim off the fat; no meat, potatoes, noodles or peas.
Stage 2: Full liquids idea: Use a smooth, strained turkey broth with an approved protein addition if your plan allows; leave out noodles, potatoes and whole vegetables.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Blend cooked turkey with the cooked carrots, celery and broth until completely smooth, then strain to remove remaining fibers or sinew.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Serve very tender, finely shredded turkey with soft, well-cooked vegetables in plenty of broth; skip noodles if your plan limits them.

Noodles and peas can hold their shape after blending. Check sodium in packaged broth; stage names are not IDDSI levels.

Cook'n Hearty Turkey Vegetable Soup

Sides

Sides Holiday pick

Southern Candied Sweet Potatoes / Yams

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: Only if vegetable-based full liquids are allowed: blend cooked, peeled sweet potato with an approved liquid and strain. Follow your prescribed thickness, not a fixed thinning ratio.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Puree peeled, cooked sweet potato with an allowed liquid or plain Greek yogurt, removing skins and fibrous strings.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Prepare moist, very tender sweet potato without skins or toppings, mashed to the texture specified in your plan.

Keep syrup and butter within your own sugar and fat limits; candied does not mean stage-appropriate.

Grandbaby Cakes Classic Southern Candied Yams

Sides Holiday pick

Creamy Southern Macaroni and Cheese

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: If allowed, make a separate smooth cheese soup with milk and broth; leave out pasta and baked crust, and strain any lumps.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Blend thoroughly cooked pasta with smooth cheese sauce and, if approved, cottage cheese. Check for sticky texture and remaining lumps.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Use very soft small pasta with plenty of smooth sauce, without browned crust; mixed textures may still be unsuitable.

Contains milk and usually wheat. Pasta and thick cheese mixtures are not suitable for every swallowing plan.

Sweet Tea & Thyme Southern Baked Mac and Cheese

Sides Holiday pick

Slow-Cooked Collard Greens & Potlikker

Stage 1: Clear liquids idea: Use only clear, thoroughly strained and defatted cooking broth if approved, with no leaves, stems or meat particles.
Stage 2: Full liquids idea: Use strained potlikker with an allowed broth or protein addition. Confirm that the final consistency fits your instructions.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Remove stems, cook leaves thoroughly and puree with broth, then strain remaining fibers. Greens may still be unsuitable for your plan.

Strained broth has no verified iron or electrolyte content here. Blending cannot guarantee removal of all plant fibers.

Divas Can Cook Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Desserts

Desserts Holiday pick

Crustless Sweet Potato Pie & Custard

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: If your plan permits sweet potato-based drinks, blend cooked sweet potato with an approved vanilla shake; strain and adjust only to your prescribed consistency.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Puree a fully cooked, crustless sweet potato custard with allowed yogurt or liquid, removing any fibers or lumps.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Choose moist, fully cooked crustless filling without dry edges or toppings, in an approved portion.

Check milk and egg allergens, added sugar and portion limits. Protein depends on the ingredients and serving size.

Black People Recipes Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Desserts Holiday pick

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: Use a separate, fully cooked smooth vanilla custard sauce with an approved liquid; no bread pieces. Omit bourbon and other alcohol.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Only if bread is permitted, blend the fully cooked custard interior without raisins, nuts or crust; avoid sticky or gummy results.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: If approved, choose a moist, soft custard center without dry edges, raisins or nuts. Adding sauce does not automatically make bread safe.

Bread can remain sticky after blending. Check wheat, milk and egg allergens; use an alcohol-free sauce rather than assuming cooking removes alcohol.

NewOrleans.com Classic New Orleans Bread Pudding

Desserts Holiday pick

Crustless Pumpkin Pie Custard

Stage 2: Full liquids idea: If your plan permits pumpkin-based drinks, blend a small amount of fully baked pumpkin custard with an approved liquid and strain to your prescribed consistency.
Stage 3: Pureed idea: Puree fully baked, crustless pumpkin custard until completely smooth, removing any skin or set edges before blending.
Stage 4: Mechanical soft idea: Choose a moist, fully baked custard center without crust, nuts or whipped toppings, in an approved portion.

Contains milk and egg. Check added sugar and portion limits; protein depends on the recipe and serving size.

Taste of Home Crustless Pumpkin Pie

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