Juju,
I have a saliva problem as well, plus new dentures which make eating harder. One trick, of course, is always to have something liquid, usually water, to wash things down.
I have been craving a certain bread, which of course I can't eat. So whenever this happens, I make a pot of vegetable soup with beans and plenty of liquid--chicken stock and tomato sauce. Then I cut the bread up into "croutons" and drop it in the soup. It's a crusty kind with a lot of flavor that comes through fine when it's soggy.
I still can't chew most raw vegetables, and even steamed ones were too hard at first. I just cooked mine a little longer so they were softer.
I try to eat plenty of fruit and/or cooked vegetables with each meal. Chicken, even cut up small, is a challenge. The other night my husband made some chicken with pasta and veggies, but it was too dry. I added a can of chopped tomatoes, and that made it soupy enough to eat. I make sure to get some tomatoes or other vegetables in each chicken bite to help mush it up and make it easy to swallow.
Every morning I make a "smoothie" of sorts in a little blender. I use a yogurt, plus a little Greek yogurt, and fruit (canned, fresh, and/or frozen). I like to eat mine rather than drink them, so I add baby oatmeal to thicken it. Yummy! You can also make them drinkable, and vary the recipe by adding other ingredients--protein powder, ground flaxseed, ice cream, cottage cheese--use your imagination!
When I was having more trouble swallowing I also made veggie smoothies with unflavored yogurt and tomatoes, peppers, avocadoes, and whatever other vegetables that sounded good. I often added some mild salsa for flavor.
Omelets are wonderful too. I fill them with cooked vegetables, like peppers, onions, and asparagus, and add chopped tomatoes and olives at the end. Often they are more like veggies with scrambled eggs. I use two eggs, but only one yolk. (I cook the other yolk up and divide it as a small treat divided among the cat and two dogs.) If it's still too dry, mild salsa really helps. I make these things huge, with lots and lots of veggies. They are nice and filling.
When eating out, I usually order soup. It's quick and easy to eat. I find that whenever I am eating with others I am always the very last one done, often by a long time. So I usually order light and have a bowl of ice cream when I get home.
You can also check out the salad bars--in some restaurants there are lots of things that go down easily; just skip the lettuce (I find spinach much easier to eat). Dressing is a big help with salads too.
Some places will let you order side dishes like cottage cheese, applesauce, mashed potatoes, etc.
If I am ordering a whole meal, I go with something like white fish and steamed veggies. In a mexican restaurant I order something saucy. I can handle some tortillas if they are a bit mushy, and tamales are pretty easy. Refried beans are great, as is guacamole and mild salsa (I can't tolerate spicy food anymore).
When I was in AZ recently I ate at several Mediterranean restaurant with my vegan brother. They have lots of smooth and pureed dishes, although I don't remember the names. The food was delicious, and wait staff very good at helping me find things I could eat.
For some of us, keeping weight up is a problem. When I was first eating by mouth again several months ago, I was worried about this, determined to use my tube only for meds. Ice cream was definitely my friend! Some days I ate it three times! Right now I'm down to once. I like vanilla with pureed fruit (peaches, apricots, or berries mostly), which makes it a little bit healthier. Using the ice cream along with lots of fruits and veggies, yogurt and eggs, has helped me maintain a healthy weight, and my tube is no more.
Surprisingly, rice was one of my biggest problems, but I found that if I cook it longer and with more water, and especially with added veggies and sauce, it is softer and forms a "bolus" (ball) more easily, making it easier to swallow. Some Mexican (or "Spanish") rice and some "sticky" rice fits the bill.
Best of luck to you and everyone with this annoying problem.