First food you could eat after treatments

Steven,

I remember very well the successes, I also remember trying everything.  The H&N members had an extensive list of “must try”, but I must have did something wrong because most foods felt and tasted awful.

My favorites, which were a delight were:  corn-on-the-cob, sweet tea (nutria-sweet), tomatoes and cucumbers with olive oil.  These were good shortly post treatment.

Many members find a visit to a buffet or Chinese food full of pleasant surprises.

It is your job if you decide  to accept it, is to try, try, try everything.

Matt

Not too should what was the first food I eat but the first food I tasted was Popeye’s fried chicken. As bad as the grease was it was more like ice cream to me.

Tim

Tim

I was always a big fan of oatmeal and find it be one of the few foods I can still enjoy. Basically I found any food that goes down with little or no chewing was a good choice as long as it wasn’t prepared with savory spices, as I find any type of hot spice or alcohol to be painful (4 years out). Pastina and other small pastas prepared in butter or mild cheese sauces worked well for me, as did grits. Scrambled eggs and omelets were a staple for me. Puddings, sherbets, sorbet, Italian ice and ice cream go down easy and still taste good to me. Cold cereals were OK as long as I soaked them in milk long enough to get soggy. 

I hope your taste buds are back. Mine came back within a few weeks after radiation, although everything was too salty and nothing was sweet enough. This is a good time to experiment, so try anything that you think might be appealing, because what works for one person doesn’t work for everyone. 

My husband ate broccoli cheese soup, lots of eggs and cantaloupe. The Chinese buffet was fun at a few weeks after rads. It was a date for us. He took his time, cut foods really small, and ate a lot. Not everything, but he did great.

stevenpepe said:

Matt, Tomatoes are my

Matt, Tomatoes are my favorite food. I often have them with mozzarella and olive oil, or tossed alone in olive oil and herbs. It sounds like it may work for me so I may try it tomorrow. I'll let you know the result.

Speaking of Chinese, a couple weeks ago I put a piece of broccoli with garlic sauce in my mouth and nearly died. Hard to imagine how awful foods taste after rads.

Instant oatmeals in the packets for different flavors. spinach ravioli w/ lot of olive oil; fettucini alfredo; most soups; craft mac n cheese; in and out burger protien style - ie wrapped in lettuce instead of bun (this has been a real treat lately as I loved burgers); salad w/ dressing; mash potatoes w/ gravy.  Good luck.  Just keep pluggin  away.  Eating is not still not enjoyable.  Frankly its a pain in the **** and frustrating.  Chew, chew, water...swallow.  Takes forever to eat a small amount and I generally get full on the all the water to wash it down.  BUT, it beats the alternative and it is slowly, ever so slowly gettting better.

I clearly remember, sitting at my kitchen table, with a bowl of tomato soup, made with water, and ritz crackers crushed as fine as i could. My husband was sitting there, eagerly waiting for me to take a bite..I kept practicing my swallow, and finally said, can you please go in the other room, I can't do this with you watching. He complied, and I took a tiny bite and swallowed correctly. It tasted like manna from heaven, I ate that a lot, also fried egg, only the yolk, 

I was on the PEG and still not able to taste a thing, but we were going to the beach for a few days to relax.  Me, my hubby and two kids.  Of course at the beach you eat out a lot, so I sat while they enjoyed their food the first day.  The second day, for breakfast, I got brave and ordered one scrambled egg and a side of grits.  I mixed the two together and took TINY bites.  It was the best meal I had ever had!!!  I could actually taste a little of it!!!!  That night I ate green beans smushed up in mashed potatoes.  It was delicious!! I ate more jello than I care to admit, but I still like certain flavors of it today  Go slowly, and have a lot of water on hand.  

Raddude, that's awesome. Didn't you have in sores mouth though?  I can't imagine wasabi now!

Last night my daughter cooked scallops with some veggies and added portabello mushrooms! I could actually taste the mushrooms.  I'm going to try Shepherd's pie tonight.  Doesn't really bother me too much about the taste, as much as the damn sores and heaviness of my tongue.  I too have been watching some cooking shows. That's hilarious.  I keep making a mental note of things I'm going to make later on. 

The first food that I could taste was grilled Italian sausage. (I think I tasted the spices, and not the meat.)   I was three weeks post-treatment, and was so surprised that I cried.  Taste is slowly returning, though i'm  still drinking two shakes a day.  Each evening, I try to eat whatever I've prepared for dinner.  Meat, especially, steak/hamburgers, seem to have the most flavor.  Unfortunately, pastas, etc., are tasteless.  My Italian genes are in withdrawal.   Good fortune, and blessings, Steven, as you continue on your recovery journey.