I was able to survive Nova Scotia Health's Esophageal Soft Eating Guidelines of dietary recommendations for four weeks post-surgery. I originally thought I would be forced to eat only soup for months but this diet was pretty flexible and focused on soft, moist, easy-to-swallow foods to help reduce strain and prevent irritation or blockages. It emphasized eating less but more often (6 to 8 small meals daily), chewing thoroughly while taking smaller bites, loading foods up with sauces, gravies, or butter and avoiding dry or crumbly textures. It was quite a trip down memory lane to incorporate Cream of Wheat, butterscotch pudding, and Arrowroot cookies back into my regular rotation.

Tangentially related: Old People Food.