What kinds of meals and foods?

desertgirl947

A friend of mine has a bro-in-law is about to start chemo and radiation -- daily, I think.  She was asking me if I remembered what kinds of meals appealed to me when I was going through chemo and rads.  Several times friends and family did bring us supper.  I do know that sometimes I was more hungry than other times. 

So, are there foods/meals you recall having appeal to you?

 

CypressCynthia

First, it is important to

First, it is important to know what not to feed one on chemo: 

Some foods have a higher risk of food poisoning. Here are some foods that can become tainted with bacteria, such as Listeria (causing an infection called listeriosis), E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter,and Vibrio, in addition to Toxoplasma, a parasite.

• Cold hot dogs or deli lunch meat (cold cuts)—always cook or reheat until the food is steaming hot
• Dry-cured, uncooked salami
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk and milk products, including raw milk yogurt
• Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, such as blue-veined (a type of blue cheese), Brie, Camembert, feta, goat cheese, and queso fresco or blanco
• Smoked fish
• Deli-prepared salads with egg, ham, chicken, or seafood
• Refrigerated pâté
• Unwashed fresh fruit and vegetables (especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants)
• Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider
• Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts
• Raw or undercooked beef, especially ground beef, or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry
• Raw or undercooked shellfish (such as oysters)—these items may carry the hepatitis A virus and should be cooked thoroughly to destroy the virus
• Some types of fish, both raw and cooked, as they may contain high levels of mercury
• Sushi and sashimi, which often contain raw fish—commercially frozen fish (especially those labeled “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade”) is safer than other fish, but check with your doctor, nutritionist, or other member of your health care team before eating these foods
• Undercooked eggs, such as soft boiled, over easy, and poached; raw unpasteurized eggs, or foods made with raw egg, such as homemade raw cookie dough

http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/cancernet-feature-articles/food-safety-during-and-after-cancer-treatment

I was told to avoid most fresh fruits and veggies and that was something I didn't expect.  Mainly, everything needs to be well-cooked if the chemo patient has a low white blood count. 

My diet during chemo was so weird.  I pretty much lost my taste for food and, for a while, was living on Ensure (and I hate Ensure) because the nutritionist said I had to look at food as medicine.  When I felt better, I ate Vietnamese pho (hold the sprouts and boil well) and ginger ale. 

However, I loved for people to bring meals for my hubby as his diet was suffering taking care of me.  Some brought lasagna and spaghetti and I remember being able to eat some of both.  I did not enjoy spicy foods.  A baked potato was also helpful and I could add what toppings I could tolerate.

I hope some of this helps!  We are all so different.

TraciInLA

CypressCynthia said:

First, it is important to

First, it is important to know what not to feed one on chemo: 

Some foods have a higher risk of food poisoning. Here are some foods that can become tainted with bacteria, such as Listeria (causing an infection called listeriosis), E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter,and Vibrio, in addition to Toxoplasma, a parasite.

• Cold hot dogs or deli lunch meat (cold cuts)—always cook or reheat until the food is steaming hot
• Dry-cured, uncooked salami
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk and milk products, including raw milk yogurt
• Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, such as blue-veined (a type of blue cheese), Brie, Camembert, feta, goat cheese, and queso fresco or blanco
• Smoked fish
• Deli-prepared salads with egg, ham, chicken, or seafood
• Refrigerated pâté
• Unwashed fresh fruit and vegetables (especially leafy vegetables that can hide dirt and other contaminants)
• Unpasteurized fruit juice or cider
• Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa sprouts
• Raw or undercooked beef, especially ground beef, or other raw or undercooked meat and poultry
• Raw or undercooked shellfish (such as oysters)—these items may carry the hepatitis A virus and should be cooked thoroughly to destroy the virus
• Some types of fish, both raw and cooked, as they may contain high levels of mercury
• Sushi and sashimi, which often contain raw fish—commercially frozen fish (especially those labeled “sushi-grade” or “sashimi-grade”) is safer than other fish, but check with your doctor, nutritionist, or other member of your health care team before eating these foods
• Undercooked eggs, such as soft boiled, over easy, and poached; raw unpasteurized eggs, or foods made with raw egg, such as homemade raw cookie dough

http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/cancernet-feature-articles/food-safety-during-and-after-cancer-treatment

I was told to avoid most fresh fruits and veggies and that was something I didn't expect.  Mainly, everything needs to be well-cooked if the chemo patient has a low white blood count. 

My diet during chemo was so weird.  I pretty much lost my taste for food and, for a while, was living on Ensure (and I hate Ensure) because the nutritionist said I had to look at food as medicine.  When I felt better, I ate Vietnamese pho (hold the sprouts and boil well) and ginger ale. 

However, I loved for people to bring meals for my hubby as his diet was suffering taking care of me.  Some brought lasagna and spaghetti and I remember being able to eat some of both.  I did not enjoy spicy foods.  A baked potato was also helpful and I could add what toppings I could tolerate.

I hope some of this helps!  We are all so different.

Changed every day for me, so freezer portions are nice

For me, during chemo, every day was a new adventure as far as what I could taste or not, what settled well in my stomach or didn't.

Because of that, I'm a big fan of making a soup or chili that freezes well, and then packaging it in single servings in those 2-cup Ziploc screw-top containers you can buy in the grocery store.  As long as you leave about a half-inch at the top, those containers are PERFECT for freezing.

That way, you can stock the person's freezer, he can just pull out a single serving of soup when he feels like eating, and nothing will spoil if he doesn't feel like eating for awhile.

Traci

 

Rague

Nothing really appealed to me

Nothing really appealed to me at all.  In fact I would have been 'happy' not even eating.  I lost all appetite and sense of taste.  Hubby had to call me several times a day to remind me to eat something.  Nothing bothered me at all just didn't ever get hungry (or taste anything).  

Hubby has always like to cook occasionally but during that time he really got into watching cooking shows to get ideas to cook for me.  

 

 

The only things I remember being told to stay away from at my pre-chemo education class were grapefruit and pineapple (I hate both anyway), no pomegrantes or soy/tofu. I use a lot of garlic and onions in cooking and was told to only use fresh - not dehydrated.  I was encourage to eat fresh fruits and veggies but at home where we could wash them good.  (I will only eat fresh or frozen -never commercially canned - home 'canned' is OK.)  We are each so different in our likes/dislikes (tastes) so what one loves another hates.

One thing that I actually liked (close to craved) was frozen Jello.  Ideally it is best just before it becomes rock hard but it's good even pnce frozen hard -just a bit slower to eat.  (It good to use to make popsicles for kids as it doesn't drip like koolaide does.  It does a bit but nowhere as bad.)

joannstar

I found that

all I wanted to eat was pasta with butter and garlic--I don't think I've ever eaten so much pasta! I brought my lunch to work everyday and would usually take leftovers and microwave them.

Lots of foods had a metallic taste (like lemonade) and plastic utensils and paper plates helped a lot.

My onc said to eat whatever I wanted--not the best thing to tell a complusive over-eater...and yes, I gained weight.

I was told to not eat any fresh or raw foods--only foods that had been cooked so I didn't eat any salads or fruit for 4 months during chemo.

Good luck to your friend.

JoAnn

desertgirl947

thanks for the ideas -- like

thanks for the ideas -- like you all, I remember that it all is so individual

camul

Every day what I was hungry for changed.

I could always tolerate yogurt, pnut butter and jelly sandwiches, and homemade soup. A friend would drop off a chicken/rice/white bean mexican soup that I would freeze in small containers. It had cilantro, cumin and I topped it with cheese and tortilla chips. To add to CC's list, I was told no buffets. I mentioned that we were in Nevada and I had a Friday Night seafood buffet that was so good. My onco said NO! He explained that very few buffets are able to keep the food at the temps needed to keep bacteria from growing. Anyone with a comprimised immune system is at risk, and our bodies are not always strong enough to fight it! So I ate whatever I could tolerate.

bashfulmolly

So Important

are the cautions Cynthia pointed out. Also I am sure we all received the info to stay away from berries as they cannot be sufficiently washed to remove bacteria,scrub all melons before cutting to avoid spreading rind  bacteria to the flesh. And avoiding salads and salad bars  is probably wise during chemo.That said, protein is needed to heal the body, and even tho we do not want food it is more important during chemo as the cancer and chemo are stressing our bodies and draining us.

It is also suggested you do not eat your favorite foods during chemo. You may develop an aversion to them.I loved chicken noodle soup until it was served one day at lunch during a rough,nauseous  chemo session and I could not stand the smell of it for years.

 Foods we can tolerate during chemo will be different for each of us, but find some nutritious food, not empty calories each week for sustenance.

desertgirl947

Thanks

Thanks