Resources & Evidence
Guides for families and care teams: Food and drink standards, free app tools, and trusted links. For education only — not medical advice.
Start Here
A simple path if you are new to texture-modified diets after stroke.
- 1IDDSI guide
Know your IDDSI levels
Food textures (3–7) and drink thickness (0–4) — match what your doctor prescribed.
- 2Open app
Use the free app tools
Check foods, log meals, and read swallowing tips — everything stays on your device.
- 3Warning signs
Know when to call for help
Red flags during meals plus vomiting, dehydration, and other warning signs with cited sources.
IDDSI & clinical standards
Official rules for food levels and testing methods.
Safe swallowing at home
Step-by-step tips for thin liquids, thickened drinks, food textures, and mealtime habits — aligned with IDDSI.
- Swallowing tips (in app)In-appLiquids, textures, positioning, and while-eating guides.
- IDDSI testing methodsIn-appFlow Test, Spoon Tilt, and Fork Pressure — kitchen checks.
- Pre-meal checklistIn-appPosture, pacing, and chin tuck before you eat.
- Can I eat this?In-appCheck a food against your plan and dietary filters.
- Red flags — stop eatingIn-appCoughing, wet voice, choking — stop and get help.
- Medical warning signsIn-appVomiting, diarrhea, urine changes, dehydration, and cited sources.
Vomiting, diarrhea & urine
Guides with questions for your doctor and links to official sources.
- Vomiting after mealsIn-appWhen to monitor vs call — in-app guide with sources.
- Diarrhea & hydrationIn-appFluid balance and when diarrhea needs urgent review.
- Urine (pee) changesIn-appColor, amount, and infection red flags.
- NHS — DiarrhoeaOfficialUK guidance on causes, fluids, and when to seek care.
- NHS — Urinary tract infectionsOfficialSymptoms and treatment overview.
- MedlinePlus — Aspiration pneumoniaOfficialHow chest infections happen after swallowing problems.
Stroke & swallowing
National stroke and dysphagia resources from major health organizations.
- American Stroke Association — DysphagiaOfficialOverview of swallowing problems after stroke.
- NIDCD Dysphagia fact sheetOfficialNIH patient-oriented swallowing disorder information.
- NICE NG236 Stroke rehabilitationOfficialUK rehab guidance including speech and language therapy.
- Canadian Stroke Best Practices — swallowingOfficialNutrition, oral care, and swallowing recommendations.
- Stroke Association UK — eating with dysphagiaOfficialPractical eating tips for survivors and families.
Dietary & cultural eating
The app can check for halal, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and allergies — always check the label yourself.
- FDA — Food allergiesOfficialUS allergen labeling rules.
- NHS — Food allergyOfficialUK overview of food allergy vs intolerance.
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — Texture-modified dietsOfficialTips for thickened liquids and texture changes.
- Configure dietary filters in stroke.foodIn-appHalal, kosher, vegan, allergies — stored on device only.
stroke.food app tools
Free, local-first tools that match the articles on our blog.
- Open the appIn-appPersonalized home with your plan and shortcuts.
- Can I eat this?In-appFood library classified to your IDDSI plan.
- Prep guidesIn-appTexture and liquid preparation walkthroughs.
- Meal log & trendsIn-appSymptoms, outcomes, and 7/30-day summaries.
- Shopping listIn-appSafer picks for your level.
- Talk to your care teamIn-appClinician contacts and visit prep.
- IDDSI guide (site)In-appFood and drink levels with examples.
- BlogIn-appArticles on thickeners, mealtime safety, and recovery.
Buying supplies (educational)
How to choose and prepare thickeners and supplies safely.
FAQ
No. It is an educational companion to help you follow a clinician-prescribed IDDSI plan. Always contact your SLP or physician before changing textures or thickness.
Read the IDDSI guide for level definitions, then open the app to enter the levels on your prescription. Use “Can I eat this?” before trying new foods.
On your device by default. Export JSON from Settings if you want a backup — we do not host your meal log.
You select patterns and allergies in Settings. Food checks and shopping use pattern matching, not certification — always read product labels.
Yes, as a teaching aid. See For Care Teams for how families can share plans and logs at visits. It does not replace clinical assessment.
We review this page when updating the app. Official URLs may change — if a link fails, search the organization name directly.
Evidence We Cite
Peer-reviewed statistics referenced in the app and site.
- Post-stroke dysphagia ~46.6% (systematic review)ResearchHow common swallowing problems are after a stroke.
- Dysphagia ~3× aspiration pneumonia riskResearchHow swallowing problems increase the risk of chest infections.
- 30-day mortality 2.99× with pneumonia after strokeResearchHow chest infections affect stroke recovery.
- 62% of stroke patients dehydrated during admissionResearchWhy it's important to drink enough after a stroke.
- Malnutrition with dysphagia 8–34%ResearchHow often malnutrition happens with swallowing problems.
- Aspiration pneumonia risk factors (Frontiers)ResearchRecent study on chest infections caused by swallowing problems.
For Clinicians & Care Teams
stroke.food helps families follow prescribed IDDSI plans between visits. Share the care teams page or open the clinician sheet in the app.