During cancer treatment, an individual may not be able to eat or eat a substantial amount for a variety of reasons, including nausea or vomiting, pain with swallowing and changes in how food tastes, says the National Cancer Institute. During illness, the body needs added calories more than ever to keep up strength and feed the immune system. Adding high-calorie foods to the meals and snacks the individual does eat can help provide the necessary nutrition.
Step 1
Melt margarine or butter over foods like vegetables and potatoes, or add butter to recipes for added calories. This is also a good way to add fat to the diet.
Step 2
Drink meal replacement shakes like Ensure or Boost for a snack in between meals is a smart choice for a nutrient and calorie rich food. Low-calorie shakes like diet shakes should not be given.
Step 3
Adding heavy cream to foods like soups, shakes and coffee and putting whipped cream on waffles and fruit is a sweet and tasty way to add calories. For lactose-sensitive individuals, soymilk-based creams can be substituted.
Step 4
Cheese can be melted onto almost anything, including potatoes, pasta, vegetables, breads, salads and omelets. Adding slices of cheese to sandwiches is another calorie-builder.
Step 5
Ice cream can be blended into milkshakes or added to fruit or waffles for a dessert or snack, providing both calcium and calories.
Step 6
Salad dressings are a tasty addition to vegetables, sandwiches and salads that add calories to meals. The dressings should be regular, and not low-fat or low-calorie.
Tips and Warnings
- Encourage consumption of favorite foods that are well-tolerated to help increase total daily caloric intake. Find the time of day that the patient is hungriest, says the National Cancer Institute; a larger amount of calories should be eaten during this time, compared to other parts of the day.
- Prior to starting a nutritional plan or adding foods to a diet, checking with the health care team about what foods to avoid can help prevent any adverse reactions. When preparing foods, especially fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, make sure they are thoroughly cleaned to avoid contamination; individuals undergoing cancer treatment have weakened immune systems and can become very ill from otherwise harmless germs on food.
Things You'll Need
- Butter or margarine
- Meal replacement drinks
- Heavy cream
- Whipped cream
- Cheese
- Ice cream
- Salad dressing
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