Good Nutrition for the Patients with Cancer
Healthy eating guidelines have been developed for the general public. However, your needs are different because you have cancer. This booklet provides basic information and suggestions on how to meet your changing body needs. When deciding what to eat keep these in mind:
Maintain Current Weight
Weigh yourself at least once a week and keep a record. Remember, don’t wait until you have lost weight to begin thinking about the eating habits discussed in this book. Start today.
Below is a flowchart to explain some details of what to do:
Protein builds and repairs tissues. Include these foods with each snack and meal.
- Milk, yogurt, cream, half and half
- Nonfat dry milk powder
- Yogurt
- Meat, fish, chicken
- Beans and peas (kidney, pinto, etc.)
- Cheese or cottage cheese
- Eggs or egg substitute
- Nuts or peanut butter
- Soy foods (tofu, soy milk, soybeans, soynuts)
Increase Calories
Calories provide energy and help you maintain your weight. Add these extras to foods you already eat to make every bite count for more.
- Margarine, butter, oil
- Nuts
- Gravies, sauces
- Sugar, honey, jams, jellies
- Dried fruit
- Mayonnaise, salad dressing, sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Granola
- Avocado
- Cream, half and half or whole milk
Increase Fluids
Fluids keep your body working properly. That’s why it is important to drink eight to 10 cups of fluid a day. Water is great, but these are better because they count as fluid and calories.
- Fruit juices, fruit flavored drinks
- Carbonated beverages
- Milk, milkshakes
- Gelatin, puddings
- Soups
- Popsicles
- Ice cream, sherbet
"Power Packing" Foods
Power Pack the foods you already eat to make them even higher in protein and calories!
Here’s how:
- Baked beans + cheese on top = Power Pack
- Scrambled eggs + milk + cheese + margarine = Power Pack
- Bread + peanut butter + jelly = Power Pack
Now you try!
Suggestions for Between Meal Snacks
- Burrito (see recipe)
- Buttermilk with cornbread
- Caramel apple dip
- Cheese and/or beef/bean nachos
- Cheese and crackers/toast
- Cheesecake
- Cream cheese with bagel or nut bread
- Cinnamon toast
- Cola/root beer float
- Cottage cheese with fruit
- Corn chips with guacamole/bean dip
- Cream soup/Oriental noodle soup
- Custard or pudding
- Deviled egg
- Doughnut/pastry
- Dried fruits (raisins, apricots, etc.)
- Dry cereals and milk or cream
- Eggnog
- Egg salad sandwich (see recipe)
- Fruit with whipped cream or dip (see recipe)
- Fruit and cheese
- Gelatin with fruit and whipped cream
- Granola, granola bar
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Hard boiled egg
- Hot cereal with cream
- Hummus on a pita or bagel
- Hot chocolate with marshmallows or whipped cream
- Ice cream sundae/bar
- Individual pizza (see recipe)
- Instant breakfast drink
- Jelly beans
- Macaroni and cheese
- Meat (chicken, tuna, etc.) sandwich
- Milk and cookies/cake
- Muffin
- Nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, pecans)
- Nut butter
- Olives
- Peanut butter on crackers/toast/bread with jelly/honey/banana
- Pie
- Popsicle/push-up
- Pimento cheese sandwich
- Pop tarts and milk
- Popcorn with butter, caramel, nuts, cheese
- Quiche
- Sherbet
- Smoothies, milkshakes (see recipes)
- Supplements (Boost, Ensure, Resource, Nu Basics)
- Tomato stuffed with egg salad
- Tortilla with cream cheese and olive rollups
- Trail mix (dried fruit, raisins, nuts, M&Ms)
- Waffles or French toast with butter and syrup (toaster type) or jelly
- Vegetables with dip (see recipe)
- Yogurt (plain or fruited) (chilled or frozen)
- Yogurt with granola
Shopping Tips
- Go when you are hungry
- Look for easy, convenient, ready to eat items (such as microwave meals, canned soups, etc.)
- Avoid low fat, light, low calorie and diet items, because you need higher calorie foods
Ways to Add Snacks
- Eat on a schedule every two hours, even if only a couple of bites
- Ask for help from your family and friends to help with grocery shopping and food preparation
- Prepare ahead
- Pack a snack or supplement if you know you are going to be in one place for long (such as waiting rooms, planes, cars, etc.)
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