Chemotherapy cooking

[BelleOfTheProvince]

I'm looking for practical cooking tips for chemotherapy patients. What you tend to go off, what you still have an appetite for. How you kept up the weight/energy. What you need to be mindful of in terms of risks. Would it be ok to prepare food and put in takeaway containers for freezing?

Thank you in advance

Cream lots of creamy dishes. Smoked salmon pasta can be pulled together in fifteen minutes.

Their favourite cheese and a selection of crackers (not of those horrible boxes), real butter on the crackers (whether they want it or not)

Soups.

Costa caramel shortbreads probably provide your full daily intake in one square.

Frozen is fine.

Hello
Macmillan used to do (I’m assuming they still do) a recipe book, which might be a useful start point

ETA. It’s here

cdn.macmillan.org.uk/dfsmedia/1a6f23537f7f4519bb0cf14c45b2a629/1337-source/recipes-for-people-affected-by-cancer-2020-macmillan-cancer-support?_ga=2.82380255.878496925.1629391056-165137788.1629391055

Frozen is good.

I liked bland food for the first couple of days post chemo and I loved carbs like Chinese chips with chicken curry!

Just remember their mouth may get sore but they can ask for help with that.

@FinallyFluid

Cream lots of creamy dishes. Smoked salmon pasta can be pulled together in fifteen minutes.

Their favourite cheese and a selection of crackers (not of those horrible boxes), real butter on the crackers (whether they want it or not)

Soups.

Costa caramel shortbreads probably provide your full daily intake in one square.

Frozen is fine.

Thank you. Great advice with the cheeses. Can I ask if curry was a yay or a nay?

Genigel mouth wash and gel for direct application is better for your mouth than anything the NHS will give you, and believe me I know, my first primary was H&N cancer.

I didn't eat during that one, I had stuff through a tube, but the genigel really helped with the sore mouth.

I’m having chemo at the moment and can tell you that most food and drink taste awful.
I’m on my third type of drug and each drug has been different.
I’ve basically lived on cherries, strawberries, melon, bacon sarnies. I have eaten other stuff when I’ve been hungry but I haven’t enjoyed much.
Any type of sauce or curry, burns my mouth.
Lots of smells make me feel sick too.

Follow Ryan Riley on twitter - ges written a book om tbis and tuns workshops across the cointey. Called Life Kitchen

Here : www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwiQqP3ryb3yAhURv-0KHTR_CRIYABAiGgJkZw&ae=2&sig=AOD64_1HyWBRDgRn83WrMOIRZN_8DSUJ2w&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwjt8vPryb3yAhXITsAKHQiABT0Q0Qx6BAgDEAE

I’ve just had chemo. I’ve found that my taste changes from about days 2 to 12 of a 3,week cycle. After that things are normal again although it’s hard to tolerate spicy food.
When everything tastes awful, I prefer creamy things, eggs, a little cheese, butter, overcooked mild tasting veg e.g. courgette.

Just an alternative view in case you (or the person you’ll be cooking for) hasn’t started the chemo yet. I’m having treatment at the moment and haven’t actually gone off any food or had a sore mouth - I realise this is very fortunate but it could apply in your case too. I’m putting weight on actually because I’m indulging myself

Thanks. Good shout on the mouthwash I will check it out. It's me cooking for a loved one and I want to help out but am a bit daunted incase I get it wrong.

I just wanted to reiterate what the others have said about taste changes.
It won't be you getting it wrong if they can't eat the food. It will be a taste change or nausea or sore mouth etc.
Try balanced meals that they would normally like and keep bananas and prune juice in the house. All the meds can mess with the bowels so good to have stuff that can help either way.
There were some days all I ate was Tayto cheese and onion, on the days that I had an appetite I put effort into eating fruit and veg as I knew it would be good for me.
Never ate as much broccoli in my life
If they like Greek yoghurt fage full fat is good for the stomach and calories.
Also your supposed to drink a lot so soups/casseroles/stew would be good and can be kept in portions in the freezer for reheating.
Try help them find a cordial they like too, 2-3 litres of water is a lot to drink in a day when you don't really want anything.
I loved elderflower and mint cordial and Fentimans rose lemonade.
Salty crackers are also good with pate if they like it.

I had low blood pressure on chemo so had to eat salty foods and I don't think it's uncommon.
Best of luck 🍀

My oncologist set out a very strict food plan for me (this included no sugar or cheese!) so I would check what the medical view is first!

Unfortunately I couldn’t tolerate spicy food after the fourth round (had 12 further sessions). What I wanted, or was able to eat varied from day to day.

The no cheese is no unpasteurised cheese IIRC

And sugar is IIRC fine in moderation.

I recall the diet my oncologist recommended thank you - it is likely to be different depending on the specific treatment - but please check the medical advise provided by trained professionals involved in the care of your loved one. Chemo is awful - but eight months it seems quite far away I’m pleased to say.

I am not here to play your, my chemo was worse than your chemo nonsense so I will gracefully retire, if the OP or anyone else wants a steer at anytime, feel free to message me.

Your oncologist was one man, the advice varies wildly from oncologist to oncologist.

I remember loving marmalade sandwiches! But I also remember having orange juice and lemonade that tasted like Dettol. As others have said, everyone will be different, but another mention here for chef Ryan Riley's Life Kitchen.

Dear OP,
Have a look on reputable websites such as Macmillan for general advice about food safety when it comes to chemo (things like avoiding raw/undercooked eggs and whippy ice cream) but I wouldn't prepare large amounts of food ahead of time as different peoples experience of the effect of chemo on appetite/ sense if taste/ issues like mouth ulcers are very different (as demonstrated here). Some people can only cope with really bland food. When I was on the oncology ward I met one woman who could only drink what we called 'homeopathic' tea as the water was given only a passing acquaintance with the tea bag. Whereas I needed food with really strong flavours as my sense of taste just disappeared about a day after each chemo session. Having someone cook for you when you are having chemo is great and pre-prepared frozen meals are fine as long as they are defrosted and reheated properly. I hope everything works out for you and your loved one.

All I wanted to eat was salt and carbs. I completely lost my sweet tooth.

DH always wanted spicy things. Also would recommend avoiding absolute fave things as aversions can develop - 5 years later DH can't stand cup a soups and in the early days felt nauseous with the soup dragon.

I wouldn't plan or cook too much in advance as everyone is different in what they fancy!

Heinz oxtail soup
ice-cream
mango
strawberries
papaya
jelly
Cashew milk

For me it was ice cold lemonade and iced buns