Verified by Kiera Powell, R.N. and written by Chad Birt on Wed Jan 01 2025.
Medically Verified
Many seniors experience dysphagia—or difficulty swallowing—due to the natural aging process, neurological disorders, or cancer. Without intervention and treatment, dysphagia can make snack and mealtimes difficult, while preventing your loved one from getting the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need to thrive. Fortunately, food and drink thickening products can make eating and drinking easier.
If you’re trying to determine the food and drink thickening products that will most benefit your loved one, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve listed seven of our top sellers.
Resource ThickenUp is one of the newest additions to Carewell.com. It’s a patented, concentrated thickening formula made from xanthan gum that’s suitable for all diets. ThickenUp can be mixed with almost any food or liquid and is safe for adults and children ages three and up.
Key benefits and features:
Gluten and lactose-free
Kosher
Provides nutritional support for individuals with dysphagia
Unflavored
Price: $17.33 - $107.04
Thick-It is the world’s first healthcare food-thickening product. It launched in 1987 and has been the go-to thickening agent for many caregivers ever since. Thick-It has a cornstarch base and can be mixed into hot or cold foods and beverages. It’s unflavored, dissolves instantly, and is easy to digest.
Key benefits and features:
Does not change the appearance or taste of food and liquid
Gluten-free
Kosher Pareve
Easy to use
Safe for children between the ages of 3-12 (with a doctor’s supervision)
Price: $9.23 - $92.97
Thick & Easy food and beverage thickener by Hormel comes in a fine powder that’s easy to mix and doesn’t clump. It’s made with modified starch, which doesn’t alter flavor or texture.
Key benefits and features:
Blends easily with hot or cold foods and beverages
Low in calories and carbohydrates
Suitable for almost any diet
Gluten and lactose-free
Kosher
Recommended reading: What is Thick Water?; What are Food and Drink Thickeners?
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ThickenUp doesn’t just come in a canister. You can order it individually packaged, too. Each ThickenUp package contains a clear sachet bag with blank spaces to document the date, your loved one’s name, and other necessary information for proper dispensing.
Key benefits and features:
Reduces the risk of aspiration in people who experience difficulty swallowing
Doesn’t change the flavor of foods or beverages its mixed into
Gluten and lactose-free
Mixes quickly and easily without forming lumps
If your loved one needs to thicken all of their drinks and meals, you’ll need a bigger container. This 36 oz. canister of Thick-It contains significantly more powder than its 10 oz. counterpart (See #1). The formula is exactly the same—there’s just more of it. You can order a single canister or a case of six.
Key benefits and features:
Easy to digest
Can be mixed into hot or cold foods and beverages
Gluten-free
Kosher Pareve
Dissolves instantly
If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to thicken a drink, give your loved one a pre-thickened beverage like this ready-to-use cranberry cocktail from Thick and Easy. One case contains 24 pre-packed cups, perfect for hydration on the go.
Key benefits and features:
Each cup is ready to use and already thickened
Cranberry flavored
Nectar consistency
Provides 100% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin C
Price: $9.98 - $95.03
If your loved one requires a diet of pureed foods, Thick-It’s line of ready-to-use meals is an excellent addition to the pantry. This puree features slowly simmered beef, potatoes, carrots, green peas, and celery. There’s no pre-prep required and each can contains five servings.
Key benefits and features:
Fully cooked
Shelf-stable
Makes lunch or dinner easy, flavorful, and hassle-free
Great taste, reliable consistency
Recommended reading: Pureed Food for Adults.
To browse our entire selection, visit Carewell’s home page, click “shop by,” “nutrition,” and then “food additives,” or simply click here. If you have questions about food and drink thickeners (or any other product we carry), contact our Caregiving Specialists at any time. Call (800) 696-CARE or send an email to support@carewell.com.
If you’ve ever cared for a loved one with dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, mealtime can be challenging. Enter purees. These pre-packaged meals are easy to swallow and are packed with nutrition. Plus, their nectar-like consistency reduces the risk of coughing, choking, and aspiration. Here are Carewell's five best-selling pureed meals from Thick & Easy.
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By serving your loved one meals with a soft, pudding-like consistency, it’s possible to provide them with the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients they need while lowering the risk of choking or digestive issues.
To determine if pureed foods are right for your senior, it’s important to know a little bit about them.
Chad Birt is a freelance medical writer who resides in Astoria, Oregon. When he isn't behind a keyboard, you can find him hiking, camping, or birdwatching with his wife Ella and their two dogs, Diane and Thoreau.
