Also known as a regular diet, this is a normal, well-balanced diet that follows Canada’s Food Guide.

The client is allowed to eat as much of a normal diet as possible.

This is for clients with acute nausea and vomiting. It includes water, tea, apple juice, black coffee, clear broth, and other clear fluids.

This is for clients graduating from a clear liquid diet or with sensitive digestion or difficulty chewing. It includes all liquids including strained soups, milk, ice cream, and other non-clear liquids.

This is a normal diet that leaves out foods that may be hard to digest or gas producing. In many ways, it is similar to children’s food such as nourishing soups, simple desserts, mild vegetables and easily digested meats. No fried or seedy, rough foods.

This is similar to light diet except a little more restricted. Fruits, vegetables, and cooked cereals should be sieved if not smooth.

Reducing diets are expressed in calories (e.g. 1000 calories per day). A sheet explaining calorie values is needed.

This diet leaves a minimum of bulk in the intestinal tract. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables, fried foods, bran and whole grain foods and carbonated beverages. Spicy foods should not be eaten. Care should be taken not to exceed the milk allowance. A diet sheet explaining this in detail is needed.

These are smooth, bland, non-irritating diets. Avoid strong flavored, spicy and fried foods, as well as foods with coarse fibers such as seeds, skins or bran. Milk and milk products should be encouraged as much as possible. A diet sheet explaining this in detail is needed.

It is important that diabetics eat the same amount of food each day and are aware of how many calories are being eaten. Diabetics should avoid the use of pure sugar or sweet foods. They are usually given a “meal plan” outline with “exchange” lists to follow.

The client may have been told by the doctor to avoid sugar and sweet foods.

• Low salt or no added salt: This means that the intake of salt is reduced moderately. Salty foods such as salted crackers, bacon, canned or cured meats, consommé, OXO, Bovril, dry soup mixes, pickles, relishes and salted nuts should be avoided. A little salt may be used in the cooking of food. Salt should not be added to the food when eating.
• Salt-free or low sodium: In this diet salt is more restricted than in the no added salt diet. A special diet sheet is needed because these diets vary. For example, sometimes salt-free bread and butter should be used. You may see the amount of salt or sodium allowed at the top of the diet sheet: it may say 1,000 mgs for instance. If you follow the diet sheet, the salt will be within the amount prescribed.

The amount of fat-restricted varies and for this reason, a diet sheet is needed. Lean meats, poultry, pasta, bread, cereals, vegetables, skim milk and other low-fat or fat-free foods are recommended. Generally, fried and gas-producing foods such as cabbage and Brussel sprouts should be avoided. Avoid spicy foods, cream, butter, and margarine.

Cholesterol is a substance found in animal fat. Lean meat, skim milk and margarine should be used. A diet sheet is needed.

The High Protein Diet is for clients needing protein for tissue growth. Foods include meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products.

Kosher meat may be purchased in the kosher meat department of large supermarkets or in a kosher butcher shop. Meat that is considered kosher means that the animal has to be slaughtered according to religious customs. In a kosher home, meat is never mixed with dairy. Only the meat of certain animals and birds is kosher. These meats come from any animal that chews its cud and has split hooves such as cows, goats, and sheep. The hind part of any animal is not kosher.

All birds that are domesticated such as chickens, ducks, geese, pigeon, squabs, and turkeys may be kosher.

Only fish that have fins and scales before cleaning are considered kosher. Shellfish such as lobster, oysters, crab, clams, mussels, shrimp, etc. are not kosher.

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese butter, sour cream, yogurts and fresh cream must be kept separately from meat products at all times.

This means that dairy and meat products must not be eaten or cooked together. Therefore, different utensils, pots, dishes, and cutlery must be used. These dishes, pots, and utensils must also be stored and washed separately using separate washing implements and dishtowels.

All fruits and vegetables are kosher.

Halal meat may be purchased in certain Halal meat departments or butcher shops. Meat that is considered Halal must have followed the Halal requirements. Pork is NOT considered a Halal meat and must never be served in meal preparations for Muslim clients.

All fish are Halal with the exception of the fish that dies naturally in the sea.

Dairy foods such as milk are Halal. However, other dairy products that include gelatin such as cheese and yogurt may not be Halal. Muslims are not to consume gelatin as it derives from animals. The only gelatin products that Muslims can consume are if it came from animals that have met the Halal requirements when being slaughtered. These products can be bought in Halal meat department or butcher shops.

All fruits and vegetables are Halal.

Hindus rarely eat meat; they follow more of a vegetarian diet. Refrain from using beef in their diets as the cow is considered a sacred animal in the Hindu culture. Other restricted animal products include poultry (including eggs).

Hindus do not eat fish of any kind. Refrain from using fish products in meal preparations.

Generally, all dairy products can be used in Hindu meal preparations. Refrain from using eggs in meal preparations as they do not consume eggs in their diet as it is considered poultry.

All fruits and vegetables can be consumed.