CDED Diet · Meal Ideas

Standard Weekly Menu (Phase 1)

Reference examples based on the CDED protocol (Levine et al., 2019)

Indicative portion references:

Fresh chicken breast: the protocol daily reference is 150–200 g. The treating team decides whether that reference is appropriate and records the individual portion. “½ of the daily chicken portion” means dividing that same amount between two meals, not adding another portion.

Fish: 100–150 g fresh white fish on one day per week, replacing chicken for that entire day. Chicken and fish are weighed raw as edible portions, without skin or bones; they are not equivalent to the same cooked weight.

Base foods distributed across meals: 2 eggs, 2 potatoes, 2 dessert bananas (not plantain) and 1 peeled apple per day. Peel, boil and refrigerate potatoes before use; follow the storage instructions. Individualise size, texture and preparation.

Rice, noodles, oil and vegetables: agree amounts with the treating team and count them towards the daily total and phase limits. Optional extras need a written, accounted amount: they are not automatically added on top of the plan.

This example does not specify calories or guarantee individual requirements are met, including for active adults. Do not increase formula to compensate for differences between dishes; review the combined diet and enteral nutrition with the treating team.

This list does not confirm daily protocol compliance. The nutrition team must review portions, substitutions and textures before using these examples.

* Note: Dish images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence for illustrative purposes and may not correspond exactly to the ingredients or clinical descriptions.

AI-generated illustrative images. Use the quantities in the text, not the size shown in the image.

Monday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

2 mashed bananas

2 ripe dessert bananas mashed with a fork. Optional cinnamon according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AILunch

Grilled chicken · 2 potatoes · tomato

Grilled breast: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw before preparation. 2 medium peeled potatoes, boiled and refrigerated. Tomato wedges and olive oil according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple

1 peeled apple, whole or cut into wedges.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Rice · 2 scrambled eggs · spinach

White rice to taste. 2 eggs scrambled with olive oil. Sautéed fresh spinach (daily reference: 1 cup of raw leaves, measured before cooking and shared across the day's meals).

Tuesday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

1 banana · 1 boiled egg

1 ripe dessert banana. 1 boiled egg with fully set white and yolk.

Illustrative · AILunch

Roast chicken · 1 potato · cucumber

Oven-baked breast: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw before preparation; check doneness as described in the food safety note. 1 medium peeled potato, boiled and refrigerated. Peeled cucumber and olive oil according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple · 1 banana

1 peeled apple and 1 ripe dessert banana.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Rice noodles · 1 pan-fried egg · 1 mashed potato

Cooked rice noodles, individualised amount. 1 egg pan-cooked until fully set. 1 medium peeled potato, boiled, refrigerated and then mashed with olive oil.

Wednesday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

Banana and egg pancake

1 mashed banana beaten with 1 egg. Cook in a non-stick pan with olive oil.

Illustrative · AILunch

Shredded chicken · rice · tomato

Cooked, shredded breast: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw before cooking. The raw weight is not equivalent to 150 g after cooking. Cooked white rice, tomato and olive oil: individualise with the treating team.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple · 1 banana

1 peeled apple and 1 ripe dessert banana.

Illustrative · AIDinner

2 boiled potatoes · 1 boiled egg

2 medium peeled potatoes, boiled, refrigerated and then mashed. 1 boiled egg with fully set white and yolk. Dress with olive oil and salt according to the dietary plan.

Thursday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

2 bananas

2 ripe dessert bananas, whole or mashed.

Illustrative · AILunch

🐟 Baked white fish · 2 potatoes · spinach

Fresh white fish: reference of 100–150 g edible raw weight, without bones, oven-baked. 2 peeled potatoes, boiled and refrigerated. Spinach and olive oil according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple

1 peeled apple, whole or cut into wedges.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Rice · 2-egg omelette

White rice to taste. Plain omelette made with 2 eggs and olive oil.

Friday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

1 banana · 1 hard-boiled egg

1 ripe dessert banana. 1 boiled egg with fully set white and yolk.

Illustrative · AILunch

Lemon chicken · 2 potatoes · cucumber

Breast baked with fresh lemon juice: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw. 2 medium peeled potatoes, boiled and refrigerated. Peeled cucumber and olive oil according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple · 1 banana

1 peeled apple and 1 ripe dessert banana.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Rice · 1 pan-fried egg · tomato

White rice to taste. 1 egg pan-fried with olive oil. 1 chopped fresh tomato.

Saturday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

Banana and egg pancake

1 mashed banana beaten with 1 egg. Cook in a non-stick pan with olive oil.

Illustrative · AILunch

Baked chicken cubes · 2 potatoes cut into sticks

Diced breast: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw; bake and check it is fully cooked. 2 medium peeled potatoes, boiled and refrigerated; cut into sticks and finish in the oven following the food safety note. Olive oil according to the dietary plan.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple · 1 banana

1 peeled apple and 1 ripe dessert banana.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Rice noodles · 1 scrambled egg · spinach

Cooked rice noodles. 1 egg scrambled with olive oil. Sautéed fresh spinach.

Sunday

Illustrative · AIBreakfast

2 bananas

2 ripe dessert bananas, whole or mashed.

Illustrative · AILunch

Grilled chicken · rice · cucumber · tomato

Grilled breast: whole daily chicken portion, weighed raw. Cooked white rice, peeled cucumber, tomato and olive oil according to the dietary plan; share the daily vegetable amounts across meals.

Illustrative · AISnack

1 apple

1 peeled apple, whole or cut into wedges.

Illustrative · AIDinner

Mash made with 2 potatoes · 2 boiled eggs

2 medium peeled potatoes, boiled, refrigerated and then mashed with olive oil and salt. 2 boiled eggs with fully set white and yolk, sliced on top.

How to interpret portions and alternatives

These are meal ideas, not an individual energy plan. White rice is adjusted to the target and appetite; there is no universal portion weight. Distinguish protocol ranges, limits and individual instructions: a range is not an open-ended minimum. Recipe portions do not replace a whole-day assessment, especially for children.

In phases 1 and 2, fish dishes are alternatives for a single day per week, not instructions to repeat fish on every day where it appears. The team must select the meals for that day and adjust the chicken substitution; combining both in one dish does not justify extra fish days.

Distinguish dry or raw ingredient weight from cooked weight. Soup or purée volume does not specify how much of an ingredient it contains. Where a measure is missing, specify it when personalising the recipe rather than inferring it from the image.

Batch cooking: safe storage

Chicken, including minced chicken and fillings: use a food thermometer to check that the thickest part reaches at least 74 °C. The recipe timings are approximate; they do not replace this check.

Eggs: cook until both whites and yolks are fully set; omelettes and scrambled eggs should not remain liquid inside. If an adapted texture is needed, adjust it after cooking according to the treating team’s plan. A soft texture does not mean undercooked egg; this precaution is especially important with a weakened immune system.

Cool meals in small portions and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep the fridge between 0 and 5 °C. Eat leftovers within 48 hours or promptly freeze portions for later days; one cooking session does not mean a whole week of fridge storage.

Cooked rice: cool promptly, ideally within 1 hour; refrigerate and eat within 24 hours, or freeze after rapid cooling. Defrost in the fridge and, if reheating, reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Do not leave it cooling in the pan.

For transport: pack already chilled meals in an insulated bag with ice packs and refrigerate on arrival. A bag alone does not guarantee six hours of safe storage.

This advice is for prepared food, not enteral formulas: follow the specific product instructions. Follow any stricter advice in its technical information or from the healthcare team.

Food hygiene sources: Cooking chicken · Chilling and freezing · Rice · Transport · Eggs (FDA) · Weakened immunity (CDC)

⚕ Clinical notice: These menus are reference examples and do not replace an individualised dietary prescription by the healthcare team.

These are general sample menus. They must be individualised to each person’s needs, tolerance, age, disease phase and treatment. They do not replace advice from their doctor or dietitian.