How to Make Mealtimes Less Stressful
People with lung cancer frequently have difficulties chewing and swallowing. However, it is essential to strive to consume a diverse and healthful diet. Our helpful hints can make mealtimes a bit less stressful:
Smaller and more frequent meals might be less of a struggle than a large dish of food. Try three modest meals every day, with snacks and healthy liquids in between.
Try doing the following:
Try softer, moister foods such as nutritious soups, scrambled eggs, spaghetti in a cheesy sauce, vegetable bakes, slow cooker stews, or fish or mince with mashed potatoes.
Drinking a lot of fluids before a meal might make you feel full and decrease your appetite.
Consider nutritional supplements, which may be mixed with daily foods like milkshakes, soups, juices, yogurts, and puddings. They can be eaten on their own as a supplement to your regular diet, or they can be used to substitute a meal if you are unable to eat.
Eat high-calorie, high-protein foods: If you keep losing weight, add “additional” calories to your meals.
- Savory meals can be enhanced with butter, grated olive oil, cream cheese, or cream.
- Cream, evaporated milk, ice cream, honey, jam, or syrup can be added to puddings and fruit.
- Mayonnaise, salad dressings, and olive oil poured into soups or on toast are all wonderful methods to enhance your calorie consumption.
- Make an effort to include protein in each meal. Protein-rich foods include eggs, meat, fish, soy, milk and dairy products, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and quinoa.
Eat when you’re hungry: If you have a stronger appetite at a certain time of day, plan to eat at that time, even if it’s not a ‘normal’ mealtime.
Fresh air can increase hunger, so try to get outside whenever possible, or sit by an open window before meals.
You may be too exhausted to cook at times. Friends and family may want to assist you by bringing you food, so take them up on their offer.
Allow the grocer to do the heavy lifting and take advantage of convenience goods and readymade meals. Frozen meal delivery services may also be quite useful, and they are a terrific way to receive quick, tasty, and nutritional meals delivered right to your home.
If you can’t eat anything, drink something nutritious instead. This is when fortified milk comes in handy. To a pint of full-fat milk, just add three or four teaspoons of skimmed milk powder. This may then be combined with milkshake powder, fruit, or ice cream to make hot beverages. Refrigerate it and use it within 24 hours.