Cottage Cheese and Fruit Mash | IDDSI Level 5 Recipe

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced and Moist) | 10 minutes | Easy

Cottage cheese is high in protein (approximately 11g per 100g), low in fat, and a good source of calcium — making it a popular high-protein snack in Western care homes. Paired with ripe fruit puree (banana, mango), natural sweetness is added while vitamin C helps enhance calcium absorption. No cooking required. Ideal as an afternoon snack to supplement elderly patients’ daily protein and calcium intake.

Ingredients (serves 1)

Main ingredients:

• Cottage cheese 100g
• Ripe banana ½ (approx 60g) or ripe mango flesh 60g

Seasoning (optional):

• Honey ½ tsp (do not use for patients under 1 year)
• Ground cinnamon, a pinch

Method

1. Peel banana and mash thoroughly with a fork until smooth with no obvious lumps; or similarly mash mango flesh.
2. Place cottage cheese in a bowl; press curds with a fork to break them down to under 4mm (Level 5 particle size requirement).
3. Combine fruit mash and cottage cheese; stir until uniform in texture.
4. Add honey for sweetness and cinnamon for aroma if desired.
5. Confirm texture is moist, cohesive, and fine-grained. Serve.

Texture Testing

Fork-pressure test: Passes Level 5 — cottage cheese curds crush easily under light fork pressure; combined with fruit puree, the mixture is moist and cohesive with no particles exceeding 4mm.

Cohesion check: Holds shape when lifted by spoon; does not drip or fall apart.

Moisture check: No dry sensation; consistently soft and moist throughout.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Curd particle size — Commercial cottage cheese curds may be larger than 4mm and are not directly Level 5-compliant. Always press curds with a fork (or briefly pulse with a stick blender, avoiding over-processing to liquid) before serving.

⚠️ Fruit selection — Use only fully ripe, smooth-textured fruits (banana, mango, papaya). Avoid fruits with fibrous strands (pineapple) or firm texture (apple, pear).

⚠️ Temperature — Remove from refrigerator a few minutes before serving; very cold food may cause discomfort for elderly patients.

⚠️ Lactose intolerance — Some elderly patients are lactose intolerant. Choose lactose-free cottage cheese, or substitute with soft silken tofu.

Purchasing in Hong Kong

• Cottage cheese: ParknShop or Wellcome; Suki, President, or similar brands. Choose low-fat versions (2–4% fat).
• Ripe banana: Supermarket or wet market; choose bananas with a few brown spots on the skin for optimal ripeness and mash-ability.

Nutrition Notes

Per serving (approx 160g): ~160 kcal, protein 12g, calcium 130mg, vitamin C (from fruit) ~10mg. Cottage cheese contains casein, a slow-digesting protein that supports prolonged muscle protein synthesis — making it particularly effective as an between-meal snack to supplement total daily protein intake for sarcopenic elderly patients.