Question Please - Food/Drink Suggestions

Heatti

Hi - My mom is not feeling like eating - we want to keep her energy up - suggestions please for what I can provide for food/drink for her? She is lactose intolerant.

She has yet to start chemo so we are fearful she will even have more of an issue during this time.

She said she will eat it if it is placed in front of her but she doesn't feel like getting up and doing anything to make a meal.

Many Thanks to you all!

Much love and respect -

Heather

artistatheart

Smoothies always do it for me. You can add a lot of stuff that pack a nutritional punch in one big glass. I use almond milk as dairy has not settled well with me since started meds. Frozen fruit like berry and mango together. I add chia seeds and kale and can't even taste the kale. A little cinnamon and voila! It's filling, nutritious and delicious!

3-16-2011

Ginger anything is my go to when my stomach is upset or food is not tasting right. Carrot ginger soup, ginger ale or ginger snap cookies.

Good wishes to your mom

ShetlandPony

The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz has suggestions and recipes for various cancer situations.

blainejennifer

She and I have the same issues. Just make sure she's getting enough protein and fiber, and that whatever you make her is reasonably tasty. The big issue is that I'm just not motivated to make food, so setting her up with easy to reheat freezer meals in convenient serving sizes would be helpful. Find out what she likes to drink, and have plenty of it around.

Smoothies are a good idea, but blenders are fussy to clean. Try a stick blender, as you can just pop the blade part in the dishwasher without too much dismantling. Getting a regular blender clean enough for an immune-suppressed person is a pain in the rear - that bottom gasketing can hide a bunch of gunk.

Ger her on an eating schedule. She might have trouble recognizing when she is hungry, and then end up eating way too much after a day of not eating, then suffering funny tummy as a result.

In an odd way, she might be angry at her body (it gave her cancer), so she's not super motivated to do do nice things for it. Chemo will make everything taste weird. Things she normally loves, she might turn away from. You might end up having to feed her like she is a fussy toddler - lots of fun sauces to mask the nutritious stuff. Or not. Every one is different.

Pay attention to fiber, if she is taking any anti-nausea medicines. They are notorious for causing constipation. Seriously, I don't even wait to see if they are going to stop me up, I take senna tablets and stool softeners WITH each dose of an anti-nausea pill (my fave is Zofran).

Thank you so much for stepping in to make sure she eats well. My family was not great in that regard. I remember my husband coming home one night and announcing that dinner was all taken care of, as he had eaten out. And had brought me nothing. I adore him, but cancer presents a learning curve for everyone in the family

barbe1958

I find a good quality rice pudding to be my go-to when I just can't imagine putting anything in my stomach.

ibcmets

Her sense of smell may make eating worse. The best thing I liked was a light chicken soup with crackers.

Terri