Food when on chemo

[Amista77]

Hi
My friend is undergoing chemo for a returned breast cancer. I want to take her some food (like a dish she can pick at or heat up), but her DC (my DC's friend) has unhelpfully said 'all she's eating is fish finger sandwiches'. If I ask her, I know she won't tell me anything. Any suggestions for what might be welcome?
TIA

Your taste buds change when on chemo and lots of ppl feel nauseated on chemo so it might be best to stay clear of a food gift. Maybe some pamper bits would be nice or the gift of time which sounds odd but offer to clean the house or do odd jobs she's been meaning to do.

I don't think your friends dc are being unhelpful. If their mother is only eating fishfinger sandwiches then that is what she is eating.

You could make something like fish pie but as Mumof1 correctly said that your tastebuds change when you are on chemo so she may not fancy anything you make.

If she doesn't feel like eating at all then possibly nothing will be welcome.

Food and chemo is going to be very personal, people can have exactly the same chemo and react totally differently. Some will be intensely nauseous, some will find their tastes change and some will not be bothered at all.

I think you need to ask your friend if she would find this a helpful thing and if so what she would like.

Quite possibly she'd prefer some meals that feed the DCs so she doesn't have to bother.

Ok thanks all. I'll make her some offers and see what she says. So far she's said no to everything - very independent!

Anxiety and chemo can wreck your appetite. Might be a better idea to hold fire on food gifts until after it’s done.

Alot of the marks and Spencer ready meals were a good shout on chemo cycles, avoid one's with alcohol in - shepherds pie, Cumberland pie and sausage and mash went down well with DH.

Otherwise, maybe consider some frozen family meals from Cook? They've been an absolute life saver to get wider family sorted easily.

If she’s got kids I’d do family meals which you know that the kids like. That way in some ways it doesn’t matter whether she fancies them or not - she can give them to the kids on a day when she’s really tired and doesn’t want to cool.

Maybe offer practical help ? Like taking her kids somewhere or cleaning the house.

You sound a lovely friend, but does she want any help at all?

Not everyone struggles with chemo, it's so varied. And carrying on doing things herself is likely important to her to keep her sense of self so she isn't just turned into a cancer sufferer.

Thanks all. Plenty to bear in mind.
She's the kind of person who won't easily ask for help for herself. I'm like that too - I won't ask, but I'll appreciate if it comes. I just don't want her to feel alone.