I am super sick right now and haven’t eaten much in a few days. It’s getting to the point where I am gonna need to force myself to eat something to keep my strength up but everything just sounds terrible to me right now. I have been subsisting mostly on small glasses of milk and the occasional packet of instant oatmeal.
Any suggestions on things to eat that go down easy and has nutritional value? Flavor is pretty far down on my list of requirements right now and I’m finding myself exhausted after chewing a few bites. Any serious suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Nuts have a lot of calories in a small package, and as a migraneuse I can also verify that nuts and dried cherries are one of the least offensive things to deal with if you end up puking. If you have miso, miso soup is easy and gentle and tasty.
But mostly make sure you are drinking water with electrolytes. Your body can survive well without food calories for quite some time, and lack of appetite when sick may be a signal to fast and rest. Dehydration is much more likely and much more damaging.
I’m Australian so Vegemite toast is my go to when I am not feeling well.
Fasting can actually help recovery. But no matter if you eat what you can or nothing at all it is absolutely necessary to get enough water, salt, and potassium.
Something that might go down easy is plain canned beans, just make sure to drain and rinse them and maybe even soak them a little to minimize intestinal issues. Plain quinoa or lentils made in a rice cooker or pot with just water and salt could also be good.
Sometimes your hear about the BRAT diet. I’d recommend against it, it is very nutritionally poor so it will not give you much energy if you can only handle eating a little.
Fresh fruit tend to be what I can consume without an appetite or even while nauseous. Melons and berries usually, but sparingly if I haven’t had much else of substance.
Instant ramen and crack an egg into the boiling water right at the end and stir. Gives it some protein and makes it a more substantial meal.
If you’re able to hold solid foods besides the things like Gatorade/pedialite/ensure fig newtons are pretty calorie dense too.
Hot buttered toast!
To add to this: cinnamon toast. Butter some bread, smear cinnamon sugar on it and microwave for thirty seconds. With bread goes down easy, and cinnamon toast is definitely the best way I came up with to get some carbs.
Microwave?!
Bruh get a toaster lol
My issue was with my swallowing. So actual toast was too crunchy to reliably get down. When the butter melted in the microwave, it sort of “set” into the bread. So it was super soggy and easily “dissolved” in my throat. So I personally couldn’t really eat “solid” foods. Microwaved cinnamon toast was the best way I found to get carbs.
Edit: could to couldnt
Just toast it less? Even a minute will ehat it enough to melt butter but not very crisp.
Yeah, I tried it toasted. I dealt with this for over two months. I tried just about everything. I know everyone is coming from a good place with these suggestions. I’m trying not to come across unpleasant, but it feels like it has the same energy as asking a depressed person if they’d tried being happy before.
I promise, I tried it. I put effort into putting food into my body that wouldn’t get caught in my throat and make me feel like I was going to choke and die. At one point I had 7 appointments with 6 different doctors in a two and a half week span. I really genuinely put effort into finding something I could eat. Soylent and mashed potatoes and soggy bread got me through it. I got sick of people telling me how much weight I’d lost like I didn’t own a mirror. I got sick of people telling me I’m just not cooking things right.
I went through something I think is similar to op, and I offered my suggestions. I’m not saying this is what op or anyone needs to do.
I’m just saying this is what helped me when I couldn’t eat, give it a shot if you want.
If it’s crispy you’re just toasting it too much, sorry. It’s not toasted, it’s warmed by a toaster,
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One of my favorites when I’m sick!
Also great to spread some jam on there too
Soup, crackers, nuts.
When nothing at all sounds good but youre in need of protein, try soy milk. It’s cold, smooth and easy to get down.
Chicken soup. Easy to make, can add rice and it is super healthy.
Ingredients: One onion, and you don’t need to cut it to small pieces. One carrot One or two celery stick Whole raw or roasted chicken.
Through everything on big pot, cover with water, lower the heat when start bubbling.
Let it simmer for 40 to 60 minutes.
Add rice or potatoes or any other vegetables you like.
Can freeze really well for months.
Hawaiian delight baby food, oyster crackers, broth (better than bouillon and a clove of garlic)
I used to have to force feed myself when I wasn’t hungry. Ramen was essential for priming the appetite. But not the bad stuff. Good stuff like Black Shin
When I have issues eating I go for non-offensive foods that are easy to swallow such as a can of white beans in tomato sauce, plain full fat Greek yoghurt, oatmeal made with milk and not water, lentil soup. I sometimes make 1000 kcalorie smoothies with half an avocado, 2 tbsp peanut butter, cup of 10% fat yogurt, a banana, 1/2 cup oatmeal and enough orange juice to make it liquid. Will not win any taste awards but does contain a bunch of good stuff.
I’ve done the smoothie before as well, not the same recipe but high calorie smoothies none the less.
In my area most people suggest Gatorade or pedialyte (my go to). Going without a meal or a few is okay, but make sure to drink, get electrolytes, and make sure it has sugar in it.
gatorade has Gatorlyte now which is like a cross, good stuff and cheaper than pedialyte
Make one of those weight gainers shakes, with oatmeal, bananas, nuts, flaxseed, protein powder, berries (also toss in spinach, you can barely taste it). And just down it quickly.
You’ll need a decent blender though.
