PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for softening even a vegetable food material, that is hard to soften by a usual cooking method, to a texture easy to ingest with the shape of vegetables kept by an easy operation without needing special equipment etc.SOLUTION: In a method for softening a vegetable food material, the vegetable food material is softened by impregnating with sugar alcohol including sorbitol, a reduced starch saccharified product, maltitol, etc., and enzymes with optionally processing to promote the impregnation. The softening preparation contains the sugar alcohol and enzymes as active ingredients.COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT