As many as you know, I am doing the chemo thing right now. Round 2 starts next Friday. Last time, all I could stomach was potato soup and crackers. The thought of meat and vegetables was kind of stomach-turning, but I know I need to get some protein in my diet next time. One other barrier to meat and vegetables is the fact that everything takes on a metallic taste. 
Does anyone have any ideas on how to āhideā meat and vegetables? And other fairly bland food ideas? Not an exciting topic, I know, but just trying to get some ideas from some of you who may have gone through something like this. Thanks!
I was going to write about my experiences in a different thread but thought it was kind of a derailment so Iāll write here.
Just finished (well it seems like I just finished) Chemo and radiation for tonsil and tongue cancer. Very similar cancer to Grant Achatz except mine was Stage 1 (although initially diagnosed as Stage 3) So I went without food for roughly 4 months. Had to stop eating most things about 3 weeks in, got a feeding tube (PEG) and a continuous pump since I had a hard time getting in formula in quantity. Protein was (and still is) tough for me because I couldnāt process it orally due to the mucous and lack of saliva.
Your chemo center should have a registered dietictian who specializes in cancer nutrition. Consult with them, mine saw me almost every week. A lot of the nurses in the chemo suite have gone through cancer or have a family member who has gone through it. I talked to them.
First week I did the ensure/carnation/ice cream thing. The cold will help with the neuropathy if you have any from the chemo. I still have the metallic taste about six months post chemo. My ENT says it may last 1.5 years, but that may also be a function of my destroyed saliva glands.
You have to experiment. If you can still tolerate eggs they were the last things I stopped eating and the first things I started eating. Avocado was also a mainstay because it never tasted bad and requires no saliva to process. Sweet potatoes are still my go to vegetable as I can get most foods down if they are dipped in sweet potatoes (mashed). I do them chipotle mashed with maple syrup most of the time. BUt the Paleo Cocunut mashed from whole foods are great. Surprisingly I find Indian spices (tika, vindaloo etc.) do not taste metallic right now. Think outside the box as even things you might no have cared for before may be your new best friend. There are several protein powders that can be useful as you can mix them in. Coffee flavored stuff was good at first, then I couldnāt tolerate it and could tolerate chocolate which I couldnāt tolerate early on. So I drank hot chocolate when I could start processing stuff orally. I made it with milk so I could get the protein.
If you can still do pasta, (I couldnāt) eggs in the sauce like carbonara are a good addition. An old southern momās trick to get kids to eat eggs was to stir a raw egg into hot grits. Makes them creamy and much more nutritious. Grits being the ultimate bland food to hang flavors and calories onto.
When you are going through chemo, some foods will suddenly turn you off. I could be in a gym and if someone walked in who had had onions or garlic I could smell them across the gym. Now I have to have onions to get a lot of food down. I have developed an allergy to a spice that weāre trying to narrow down. The new Korean BBQ lays potato chips cause my lips to swell and develop ulcers. The same spice is present in one of the ramen products. I still have problems with Ketchup as it sets my mouth on fire, so I use Honey Mustard. I can still tolerate Sriracha well, but I have gone from a Thai native hot to a wimpy 2 star.
I have lost a total of 65 lbs and have to work every day not to lose more weight.
The first couple of weeks I just kind of went in had my treatment and went home. I felt really bad as I looked completely unlike the āsickā people around me. I was losing weight, didnāt feel too bad and looked like I had a perpetual glow (that was the radiation) After that time I started talking to the nurses and techs and got lots of information, guidance and encouragement.
Hope this is some help for you. Good luck and let me know if you need any specific recipes or suggestions.
This is a common complaint after chemo and/or radiation. You have some great suggestions above from Milton. Hope your sense of taste comes back quickly and you heal well.
How about smoothies? You can hide veggies and protein powder in them.
Do muffins work? I hide veggies in muffins for my kid all the time.
The BRAT diet is a standard: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.
I really hope all goes well with you, Linda, and that you come out the other side fully restored. Youāre always a pleasure to read here.
I am not a doctor, nutrition expert, or anything like that.
I would like to know if you are able to stomach oatmeal, or perhaps the ādrainingsā of watery oatmeal or barley (think barley water) - or stock, watered down and cooked with a grain and drained out (drinking only the liquid)?
Would you be able to derive any benefits of this?
Lentils, high in protein and you can make em thick, almost like refried beans, or thin it out with stock or as a base for soup. Also make them as spicy, or not, as you like. You might try either beef, chicken or vegatable stock to cook them in-whichever you find the most palatable.
Best of luck.
One other thing is find out whatās in your bags. Mine hs a time release anti nausea drug and a steroid, so I usually felt good for about 48 hours before they wore off. You can try to time your eating to when you feel better. Likely your metallic taste will not last as long as mine will.
Have you tried rice porridge made with chicken broth? I have 0 experience with chemo, but that has always been good with nausea/post illness for me. Egg can go in too.
Humus, baba ghanoush, split pea soup, tofu, miso, potato salad with boiled egg, soy milk. You may want to ask one of your doctors about acquiring foods available with the Ideal Protein Diet.
Milton mentioned Ensure. I have a family member who just finished six months of chemo, and she found that even on her worst days she could keep down a bottle of Ensure and at least have a baseline of nutrition. Other staples included plain baked potato, chicken soup, and steamed vegetables. Maybe you could experiment with various vegetables and see if there are any that seem less metallic.
Congee, or juk, is a great way to incorporate protein and vegetables in a soothing yet bland way.
Thanks for the great ideas Milton!
I actually bought a couple fo sweet potatoes prior to my first round but I didnāt cook them before hand and didnāt feel like cooking them during- I will have to plan ahead this time.
Yes, I was able to to eggs. Iām going to try to eat more of them this time. I was able to eat pasta, so the Carbonara idea sounds great!
Aside from the metallic taste, I got extremely bad chemo mouth the week after, so anything rough or crusty was a no go.
I love Indian food and we have a really good new Indian restaurant here in Napa. Iāll give it a try. Some of their veg dishes might be good.
I know how you feel about not looking bad. The chemo Iām on is likely not going to make me lose my hair. I feel a bit guilty. Maybe Iāll wear a hat next time in solidarity. Lol
Iām so sorry you are going through this. It well and truly sucks.
Thanks also everyone else for the suggestions.
Muffins would work. Hadnāt really thought of that. Thanks Poppy!
Beans can be a bit difficult with my primary cancer. Iāll leave it at that. Lol
Youāre welcome! There are a ton of recipes out there geared for toddlers. My son loves this one. I add in carrots and also substitute whole wheat flour and they are very good:
I also regularly make banana and sweet potato or squash muffins, often using Greek yogurt to add extra protein.
When my mom was going through treatment, vanilla Ensure became a staple. I used to buy it by the case at Costco or Target. The food she found easiest to tolerate was eggs - usually egg salad or french toast.
Sending good thoughts your way.
Tofu scrambleā
Firm tofu, mashed with nutritional yeast, a little soy sauce, and salt and pepper. Put a little oil in a cast iron or non-stick pan and toast (fry?) it for about 5-6 minutes per side, turning with a spatula. Youāll get a bit of a crust on the outside and the inside will stay softer. Very tasty, lots of protein.
If both meats and the sources of complimentary plant proteins which are usually beans or legumes combined with whole grains are not viable options, itās going to be difficult to obtain sufficient protein from food sources only. There are dairy, eggs, and tofu (a soybean derivative) but a diet composed of these may not be practical or may be objectionable for other reasons. It would seem protein supplementation would be appropriate.
If you are not familiar with the Ideal Protein Diet, it is doctor administered and typically utilized for weight loss. It consists of a variety of protein supplemented foods, usually between 15-20 grams of protein per serving, which includes breakfast foods like dry cereal, oatmeal, and pancakes. Only water need be added but both the protein and calories can be raised by adding milk or a milk substitute. Other products available include soups, drinks, bars, chips, and desserts such as puddings. The benefits of this program include sufficient levels of quality protein and ease of use and preparation. The negatives could be for some, low caloric content and sometime high sodium levels.
Buckwheat is a very bland food, easily prepared, very healthy, and has good protein content. Groats can be prepared by being boiled in water for 10-15 minutes. You can also purchase kasha, which is toasted buckwheat and has a different texture. It also does not have any of the intestinal side effects associated with legumes. Also gluten free, if that matters.
Buckwheat brings to mind: soba noodles.