Post flu food, no appetite

[OMGitsnotgood]

Am looking after a friend recovering from ‘proper’ flu, with absolutely no appetite.
They will eat a little of (and I mean a little of): home made soup; toast/sandwiches ( a few bites); banana: yoghurt, porridge
i have made but they cannot face fish pie; shepherds pie.
I have asked what they fancy, the answer is is ‘nothing’.
If you have ever been in that situation, what has worked for you? I think a little and often is key but without any guidance from them am struggling a bit. If I buy stuff they don’t want, my family will eat it so there won’t be waste.
any ideas appreciated. Thanks

I couldn’t stomach anything too liquidy. I never normally eat chicken nuggets, but found I could nibble on a couple of those quite easily. Also rice cakes, plain toast and Jacob’s cream crackers.

I seem to remember eating a lot of Heinz tomato soup and toast last time I had flu (eating it a lot rather than eating a lot of it). Maybe concentrate on stuff that is good for you in small amounts like chicken soup.

Beans on toast? If you're worried they're not getting enough calories then add lots of butter and cheese.
Add Greek yogurt and dried fruit to their porridge. Use full fat milk and even a splash of cream.
If they're not getting enough fuel they wont have the energy to do things and other could take a while for their appetite to recover, I guess.
A small ploughman's? So a variety of bits that they may want to pick at over time.
Risotto is quite easy to eat and filling.
I always crave things like pate on toast, beetroot, vegetables when I'm ill, I suspect its the vitamins I need a boost in. With that in mind, maybe a multi vitamin to give them a boost whilst they are struggling?

Oh, and lastly, I made orange shots the other day. I just whizzed oranges, loads of ginger, a bit of garlic up. Then I added cinnamon, Paprika, turmeric and black pepper. I have it every day. No idea if it helps, but at least im getting some vitamin c every day!

Thank you, lots of good ideas. They are taking multivitamins so that is something.

This happened to me and really slowed my recovery, could only face very bland things and in small quantities. Macaroni cheese maybe?
Otherwise just what you're doing little and often, toast, scrambled egg, lots of butter, whole milk in porridge, whatever they can face.
And how lovely of you to care for your friend 💐

My mam always did cheese on toast with a cheese poached egg as our recovery meal. Protein, fats, carbs but relatively easy to eat and digest.

Also soup. Half a mug or so at a time if necessary

I'm in recovery from some nasty little virus and it's affecting my food intake. I really fancy stuff with a lot of flavour and not much content, I've been eating little bits of curry (no rice) and salty cheese. Can't be bothered to chew much, so easy eating but not liquid (got enough of that with the post-nasal drip). Liberally buttered toast and Marmite has been good too.

Don't try too hard.

Very simple soups / toast / possibly an omelette or a boiled egg / maybe rice pudding or a milk jelly if she might be tempted by something so old school as the latter!

I always go for pastina and salted crackers or rice cakes. My mum used to always give us hot vimto.

My father in-law used to say feed a cold and starve a fever....with flu symptoms appetite does go, so what your offering her is sufficient. Just make sure she's hydrated don't worry too much about food till she feels better

I would say something that is fine cold, so she can sit with a plate and just graze even if she’s not up to a full meal. So a plate of hard cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts. Some flapjack added for a calorie/sugar boost as well. That way it doesn’t matter if she has it next to her for a couple of hours and just picks up a few bits.

A pasta bake that she can scoop out small portions at a time to heat up.

Chicken soup and mash potato is my go to sick food. Dh knows I'm recovering if I ask for cheese and crispy onions in the mash!

Innocent/Naked smoothies also good. And Berocca or soluble Feroglobin to replenish vitamins/minerals.

Thank you all. Today she asked for mashed potato and gravy and she ate a little of that. I left her with a chopped up cheese, crackers snd grapes and a little pot of rice pudding. Plus lots of water and some ginger ale which she’d also mentioned she fancied. Seems to be turning the corner.