What is good to eat when you have no appetite?

I am super sick right now and haven’t eaten much in a few days. It’s getting to the point where I am gonna need to force myself to eat something to keep my strength up but everything just sounds terrible to me right now. I have been subsisting mostly on small glasses of milk and the occasional packet of instant oatmeal.

Any suggestions on things to eat that go down easy and has nutritional value? Flavor is pretty far down on my list of requirements right now and I’m finding myself exhausted after chewing a few bites. Any serious suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

brewbellyblueberry, (edited )

If taste isn’t a concern, I’ve gotten by with chlorella and cocoa chia pudding for longer than I care to admit. I don’t mind the taste of chlorella, but most people apparently don’t find it and other seaweed all that appetizing, but it’s a drink so you can just chug it like a beer or something and neutralize the taste with like a splash of lemon juice or water with lemon juice. Won’t fill your stomach all that much, though.

Miso soup (with wakame and maybe tofu and veggies cut down to tiny pieces?) is also a great addition to that.

ReallyKinda,

Hawaiian delight baby food, oyster crackers, broth (better than bouillon and a clove of garlic)

TootSweet,

Instant ramen and crack an egg into the boiling water right at the end and stir. Gives it some protein and makes it a more substantial meal.

cheese_greater,

Not sure if people will scorch this idea but one thing I love when I’m having trouble is scalloped potatoes cut up real small and you just graze it all day. Ginger ale is a nice companion but try to get as low dugar as you can find and use a metal straw and sip very preciously

I know there’s dairy and a bunch of other stuff but it goes down super easy and the trick is to have it in a million pieces so you can really go slow. Hope it helps

quinkin,

I’m Australian so Vegemite toast is my go to when I am not feeling well.

lemmylommy,

Add some good (low sugar and low added fats) peanut butter or any other nut butter and/or ground nuts to your oats. Makes for a healthy and calorie rich meal that keeps you sated for a while. It’s easy on the stomach, does not cause the blood sugar to rise quickly and you can eat it spoon by spoon over the whole day, if necessary.

Also don’t forget to drink plenty. I find tea and highly diluted apple juice (like 10%) are ideal when I am sick.

FReddit,

Hang in!

thal3s,
@thal3s@sh.itjust.works avatar

When nothing at all sounds good but youre in need of protein, try soy milk. It’s cold, smooth and easy to get down.

Aevironis,
@Aevironis@lemmy.world avatar

I was really sick and couldn’t eat much of anything for 2 months and lived mostly on the chocolate Soylent. I had issues staying hydrated so I also drank a lot of Liquid IV (Pina colada and watermelon were my favorites).

As I started to tolerate more solid food I ate: canned soup purees like butternut squash/tomato bisque/pea soup, powdered soup mixes from Bob’s Red Mill or Knorr, steel cut oatmeal with mushrooms and chicken broth cooked in a pressure cooker, rolled oatmeal with nuts and dried fruit, grits, plain rice crackers, nut thins, fage 5% yogurt, bananas plain or blended up with milk, applesauce, cottage cheese, carrots cooked to mush. Also ate a lot of sweet potatoes and russet potatoes, I cooked a bunch of them whole in the pressure cooker at once and then I’d eat them all week.

Some of my friends recommended Huel or Plenny shakes but I never got around to ordering any.

I’d also avoid anything with too much oil, fat, hot spices, or sugar which can irritate the stomach and limit cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale which can be hard to digest.

Hope you feel better soon.

ADHDefy, (edited )
@ADHDefy@kbin.social avatar

Chicken soup, plain white rice, buttered toast, peanut butter, and crackers are all things I can usually tolerate when I feel that way. Sometimes banana or vanilla yogurt. I hope you feel better soon!

FauxPseudo,
@FauxPseudo@lemmy.world avatar

I used to have to force feed myself when I wasn’t hungry. Ramen was essential for priming the appetite. But not the bad stuff. Good stuff like Black Shin

rem26_art,
@rem26_art@kbin.social avatar

if you can find Miso Paste, or even instant Miso anywhere, that's usually one of my go to's. I'd stick to white miso cuz its more bland than awase or red miso. Just put like a tablespoon in a mug and put hot (not boiling) water over it and stir. It's yummy and got salt which might help you absorb water better and save off dehydration. Depending on where you live, you might find miso paste in the refrigerated section of the supermarket

Pair that with a hard boiled egg for a bit of protien and thats usually what I do.

Spacemanspliff,

Specifically the ‘healthy living’ and vegan section of the refrigerated section, usually near the kombucha and other fermented things.

sour,
@sour@kbin.social avatar

you can put dried seaweed in it

rhythmisaprancer, (edited )
@rhythmisaprancer@kbin.social avatar

While you can go for a period without many calories, you will need electrolytes. The recommendations for things like Pedialyte will help with that, but for foods you may just have to try what works for you. It's so personal.

Stay hydrated and "salted" and go from there. If you can't keep it down then it isn't for you. Salty foods will help you retain water.

rouxdoo,
@rouxdoo@lemmy.world avatar

My wife and friends think I am nuts, but when I’m feeling digestively challenged I go for the “burn it out” philosophy. I go to my local tex-mex place and wolf a couple bowls of spicy salsa. Follow up with a chile relleno covered in queso and I’m normally right as rain (after a quick stop in the quiet, tiled room of requirement).

Floey,

Fasting can actually help recovery. But no matter if you eat what you can or nothing at all it is absolutely necessary to get enough water, salt, and potassium.

Something that might go down easy is plain canned beans, just make sure to drain and rinse them and maybe even soak them a little to minimize intestinal issues. Plain quinoa or lentils made in a rice cooker or pot with just water and salt could also be good.

Sometimes your hear about the BRAT diet. I’d recommend against it, it is very nutritionally poor so it will not give you much energy if you can only handle eating a little.

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