No appetite? How to get nutrition during cancer treatment

Sometimes cancer or cancer treatment can cause changes in your appetite.

If you don't feel like eating, it can be hard to get enough calories and protein. Use this information to help plan meals and snacks that may be more appealing and provide the nutrition you need. If you still have trouble with your appetite, tell your healthcare team.

For some people with very advanced cancer, eating more may not help. This can be hard for you and the people who care about you. They may urge you to eat because they are worried. But this can add stress or make symptoms such as nausea worse. Your healthcare team can help you decide what approach to nutrition is right for you.

• Eat small meals more often. If you feel full after eating only a small amount, try eating small amounts throughout the day when you feel able to eat. You may find it easier to eat small amounts several times each day rather than eating larger meals at mealtimes.
• Schedule mealtimes. If you rarely feel hungry, it may help to eat on a schedule rather than to rely on appetite.
• Eat more when you're hungry. Many people have their best appetite in the morning.
• Limit fluids during meals. Liquids may make you feel full. Try drinking most fluids between meals rather than at mealtimes.
• Create a pleasant mealtime setting. Eat with others, when possible. Play soft music or use nice dishes.

When it comes to snacks, try to:

• Keep snacks handy. Have easy snacks ready so that you can eat when you feel able. Options that need little or no preparation include cheese, ice cream, canned fruit, nuts, nut or seed butter with crackers, and milk.

• Have a bedtime snack. Bedtime may be a good time to snack because it's less likely to affect your appetite at your next meal.

These tips might help make food more appealing at any time:

• Try cold foods. Foods that are cold or at room temperature may be more appealing, particularly if strong smells bother you. Cold sandwiches or main-dish salads, such as pasta salad or tuna, chicken, egg and ham salads, are good choices.
• Try different foods. Favorite foods may or may not appeal to you. Foods you usually do not choose may taste better now.
• Add gentle movement. Light activity may help the body process food you eat. Exercise also may help with fatigue, which can make it harder to plan, prepare or eat meals. Check with your healthcare professional to be sure exercise is safe for you. Pick an activity you enjoy and start slowly.
• Try shakes and instant drink mixes. Nutritional supplement drinks, such as instant breakfast mixes and canned or powdered shakes, can provide calories and nutrients and need little or no preparation. It may be easier for you to drink than to eat something.
• Make your own smoothies. Combine fruits and vegetables with yogurt, ice cream or milk to make your own smoothies. Choose the ingredients that are most appealing to you. This lets you customize the recipe to your tastes and nutritional needs.

During illness, treatment or recovery, you may need more calories than usual. The following suggestions can help increase the number of calories you consume:

• Add butter or oils to foods. Use butter or margarine on potatoes, bread, toast, hot cereal, rice, noodles and vegetables, and in soups. Put olive oil or another oil on bread, rice, pasta and vegetables.
• Spread peanut butter or other nut butters on toast, bread, apple or banana slices, crackers, or celery. Dip pretzels in peanut butter.
• Add shredded cheese to eggs, casseroles, salads and vegetables. Add sliced cheese to sandwiches.
• Choose higher-calorie cooking methods, such as breaded, sauteed or fried meat, chicken, fish or tofu.
• Top hot cereal with brown sugar, honey, dried fruit, cream or nut butter.
• Top pie, cake, gelatin or pudding with ice cream, whipped cream or cream.
• Use fruit canned in heavy syrup. If you prefer fresh fruit, add sugar and cream.
• Drink beverages that contain calories, such as fruit juice, lemonade, fruit-flavored drinks, malts, floats, soda, cocoa, milkshakes, smoothies and eggnog.

Some of these suggestions add more fat and sugar to your diet. For many people, this may not be a concern since these diet changes are temporary until the appetite returns. Talk with your healthcare professional or a dietitian if you have concerns about changing the way you eat.

If you've been ill, you may need extra protein. These suggestions may help you add protein to meals and snacks:

• Add extra meat, poultry, fish, cheese or beans to casseroles, soups or stews.
• Make your own high-protein milk, and use it as a beverage and for cooking. Add 1/4 cup powdered milk to 1 cup whole milk. Or add 1 cup powdered milk to 1 quart whole milk.
• Grate cheese into sauces, vegetables, soups and casseroles.
• Add chopped eggs to salads and sauces.

High-protein foods include:

• Meats, such as beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork and turkey.
• Eggs.
• Dairy products, such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk, milkshakes, pudding and yogurt.
• Nuts, seeds and other plant-based options, including peanut butter and other nut or seed butters, beans, tofu, and hummus.
• Protein-enriched foods, such as protein bars and protein powders.

If your loss of appetite keeps you from eating well for more than a few days, ask your healthcare professional about taking a multivitamin. Cancer treatments and other medicines can interact with nutritional supplements, so talk with your health professional first.

Check the label, and look for a multivitamin that does not give you more than 100% of the Daily Value of all the vitamins and minerals.

If you are eating or drinking nutritional supplements, such as bars, cookies, smoothies and other products that are fortified with vitamins and minerals, you may not need a multivitamin or additional supplements.