Eating Well During Your Cancer Treatment

This information will help you get the nutrients you need during your cancer treatment. It explains important food safety guidelines and ways to add calories and protein to your diet. It also explains how different cancer treatments may affect your eating and what you can do to help manage common side effects.

About nutrition during cancer treatment

Good nutrition is very important for people with cancer. There may be some changes you can make now that will help you during treatment. Start by following a healthy diet. This can make you stronger, help you stay at a healthy weight, and help you fight infection. It may even help you prevent or manage some side effects of treatment.

Once you start treatment, it may become hard to follow your usual diet. You may need to liberalize your diet (add different types of foods and drinks) to get the nutrition you need. There currently isn’t enough research to know that restrictive diets (diets that avoid certain foods or nutrients) are safe for people who have cancer.

The most important thing is to make sure you get the calories and protein you need to keep your body strong during your treatment. Because of that, some of the information in this resource may seem very different from diet guidelines you usually follow. If you have questions, talk with your clinical dietitian nutritionist.

General nutritional guidelines

Dietary supplements

Dietary supplements include vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.

You can get all the nutrients you need from a well-balanced diet. But taking a low-dose multivitamin and mineral supplement can help if you’re having trouble following a balanced diet. A low-dose supplement is one that doesn’t have more than 100% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of any vitamin or mineral.

There currently isn’t enough research to know that taking large amounts of antioxidants, herbs, or extra vitamins and minerals helps treat or cure cancer. Depending on your specific cancer treatment, taking too much of a dietary supplement can actually harm you or change the way your treatment works.

If you’re thinking about taking any dietary supplements, talk with your doctor first. A clinical dietitian nutritionist or pharmacist can also answer your questions.

Food safety

During cancer treatment, your body has a hard time fighting off infection. It’s more important than ever to make sure that the foods you’re eating are safe. This will lower your risk for foodborne illnesses and other infections. For more information and tips, read the resource Food Safety During Cancer Treatment.

Staying hydrated

It’s very important to stay hydrated (get enough liquids) during your cancer treatment. You can hydrate with liquids other than water. Examples are listed in the table below.

Getting calories and protein

During your treatment, your clinical dietitian nutritionist may recommend certain foods to help you get more calories, get more protein, or eat more comfortably. Some of these foods may seem like less healthy choices. It’s important to remember that you will only be eating this way for a short while. Once your side effects go away and your appetite goes back to normal, you can stop eating foods you feel are unhealthy. Your clinical dietitian nutritionist can help you find an eating plan that works best for you.

Tips for eating and drinking enough

During treatment, you may have good days and bad days when it comes to eating. Large meals can seem overwhelming or unappealing. This can happen when you have a decreased appetite (want to eat less than usual) or early satiety (feel full shortly after you start eating).

The suggestions below can help you get the most from your meals.

• Eat small, frequent meals. For example, have 6 to 8 meals a day instead of 3 main meals.
• Eat every few hours. Don’t wait until you feel hungry.
• Serve smaller food portions on salad plates instead of dinner plates.
• Drink hot chocolate, fruit juices, and nectars that are high in calories.
• Avoid low-calorie drinks, such as water, coffee, tea, and diet drinks. Make Double Milk and milkshakes using the recipes in the “Recipes” section.
• Have your favorite snack foods available at home, on the go, and at work.
• Eat your favorite foods at any time of the day. For example, eat breakfast foods (such as pancakes or omelets) for lunch or dinner.
• Include different colors and textures of foods in your meals to make them more appealing.
• Make dining a good experience by eating your meals in a pleasant, relaxing setting with family or friends.
• Make food that smells good, such as baking bread or frying bacon.

Tips for adding more protein to your diet

Your body needs a balance of calories and protein to work best. Your doctor or clinical dietitian nutritionist may tell you to temporarily increase the amount of protein in your diet. If you recently had surgery or have wounds, eating more protein will help you heal. The suggestions below will help you increase the amount of protein in your diet.

• Eat foods rich in protein, such as chicken, fish, pork, beef, lamb, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, nuts or nut butters, and soy foods.
• Drink Double Milk and use it in recipes that call for milk or water, such as instant pudding, cocoa, omelets, and pancake mixes. To make Double Milk, mix 1 envelope (about 1 cup) of non-fat dry milk powder and 1 quart of whole milk in a blender. Store it in the refrigerator.
• Use Double Milk or ready-to-drink nutritional supplements (such as Ensure®) in hot or cold cereals.
• Add cheese and diced, cooked meats to your omelets or quiches.
• Add unflavored protein powder to creamy soups, mashed potatoes, shakes, and casseroles.
• Snack on cheese or nut butters (such as peanut butter, cashew butter, and almond butter) with crackers.
• Spread nut butters on apples, bananas, or celery.
• Try apple slices with cheese wedges and honey drizzled on top.
• Blend a nut butter into your shakes or smoothies.
• Snack on nuts, sunflower, or pumpkin seeds.
• Add nuts and seeds to breads, muffins, pancakes, cookies, and waffles.
• Try hummus with pita bread. Use hummus as a spread on sandwiches or add a spoonful to your salad.
• Add cooked meats to soups, casseroles, and salads.
• Add wheat germ, ground nuts, chia seeds, or ground flax seeds to cereals, casseroles, and yogurt.
• Choose Greek style yogurts over regular yogurt.
• Eat desserts made with eggs, such as pound cake, puddings, custards, and cheesecakes.
• Add extra eggs or egg whites to custards, puddings, quiches, pancake batter, French toast egg wash, scrambled eggs, or omelets.
• Add grated cheese to sauces, vegetables, and soups. You can also add it to baked or mashed potatoes, casseroles, and salads.
• Add cottage cheese or ricotta cheese to casseroles, pasta dishes, or egg dishes.
• Melt cheese on hamburgers and breaded cutlets.
• Add chickpeas, kidney beans, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, seeds, and cooked meats or fish to your salads.
• Use pasteurized bone broth for soups and stews.

Tips for adding more calories to your diet

The suggestions below can help you eat more calories. They may seem to go against what you already know about healthy eating. But during your treatment and while you’re healing, the most important thing is that you get enough calories and protein.

• Avoid food and drink labels that say “low-fat,” “non-fat,” or “diet.” For example, use whole milk instead of skim.
• Snack on dried fruits, nuts, or dried seeds. Add them to hot cereals, ice cream, or salads.
• Drink fruit nectars or fruit shakes.
• Add butter, ghee, or oils to potatoes, rice, and pasta. Also add them to cooked vegetables, sandwiches, toast, and hot cereals.
• Add cream cheese or nut butters to toast or bagels or use it as a spread on vegetables.
• Spread cream cheese, jam, and peanut butter on crackers.
• Add jelly or honey to breads and crackers.
• Mix jam with diced fruit and use it as a topping over ice cream or cake.
• Snack on tortilla chips with guacamole or sour cream dips.
• Use high-calorie dressings on salads, baked potatoes, and vegetables (such as green beans or asparagus).
• Add sour cream, coconut milk, half and half, or heavy cream to mashed potatoes, cake, and cookie recipes. You can also add it to pancake batter, sauces, gravies, soups, and casseroles.
• Top baked potatoes with cheese or sour cream.
• Top cakes, waffles, French toast, fruits, puddings, and hot chocolate with whipped cream.
• Make vegetables or pasta with cream sauces or drizzle olive oil over these foods before eating.
• Use mayonnaise, creamy salad dressing, or aioli sauce in salads, sandwiches, and vegetable dips.
• Mix granola with yogurt or put it on top of ice cream or fruits. Use granola in cookie, muffin, and bread batters.
• Top your ice cream or unfrosted cakes with sweetened condensed milk. Combine the condensed milk with peanut butter to add more calories and flavor.
• Add croutons to your salads.
• Include stuffing as a side dish with your meals.
• Drink homemade shakes. Try the shake recipes in the “Recipes” section. You can also drink high-calorie, high-protein drinks, such as Carnation® Breakfast Essentials or Ensure®. See the next section for a list of nutritional supplements you can buy.
• Add avocado to smoothies, soups, salads, omelets, and as a spread on toast.
• Add mayonnaise or sour cream to salads (such as tuna or egg salad) or use it as a spread on sandwiches.

Nutritional supplements

If you can’t make your own shakes, there are many nutritional supplements you can buy. Some are high-calorie, ready-made drinks that have vitamins and minerals added to them. Others are powders that you can mix into other foods or drinks. Most are also lactose-free, which means you can have them even if you’re lactose intolerant (have trouble digesting milk products).

Always refrigerate ready-made drinks after you open them. Refrigerate powders after mixing them with a liquid.

Bland, unflavored drinks

These drinks are useful for people who like mild sweetness. They can be used as a base for mildly sweetened milkshakes. These drinks are:

• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

Flavored, sweetened drinks

These drinks are available in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and other flavors, depending on the brand. These drinks are:

• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

Low-sugar drinks (for people with diabetes)

These drinks are available in vanilla, chocolate, and other flavors, depending on the brand. These drinks are:

• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

Fruity drinks

These drinks are available in peach, orange, wild berry, iced tea, apple, blueberry pomegranate, and other flavors, depending on the brand. These drinks are:

• Fat-free
• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

Milk-based, flavored, sweetened powders

These powders can be mixed with milk or water, depending on the brand. They’re available in vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

• Most of these products contain lactose.
• The amount of fat per serving depends on the brand and whether mixed with whole milk, low-fat milk, or water.

Unflavored supplements

These supplements can be mixed into drinks or moist foods (such as pancakes, muffins, and puddings) for added calories, protein, or both.

These supplements aren’t meant to be used as your only source of nutrition. Talk with your clinical dietitian nutritionist for help including them in your diet.

Nutritional supplements for people who need to limit their intake of potassium, phosphorus, or both

These drinks are available in vanilla, butter pecan, and berry. They are:

• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

High-calorie, high-protein puddings

These pudding supplements are available in vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch flavors. They are:

• Lactose-free
• Gluten-free
• Kosher

Snack bars for people with diabetes

They are:

• Kosher

Organic nutritional shakes

These shakes are available in sweet vanilla bean, creamy chocolate fudge, iced café mocha, and strawberries & cream flavors. They are:

• Gluten-free
• Soy-free
• 99.3% Lactose-free
• Kosher

High-protein, low-sugar shakes

These supplements are available in pre-made shakes in a variety of flavors or in powder form. They are:

• Gluten-free
• Soy-free
• Low-sugar

Check your local market or drug store to see if they carry any of these nutritional supplements. You can also order them online for home delivery. The contact information is listed below.

Managing symptoms and side effects through nutrition

This section describes some tips you can use to help you with:

• Appetite loss
• Constipation (having fewer bowel movements than usual)
• Diarrhea (having loose or watery bowel movements)
• Dry mouth
• Sore mouth or throat
• Taste changes
• Early satiety
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Tell your doctor or nurse if you’re having any of the things above before following these tips. Diet changes can help, but you may need medication to best manage your side effects. If you’re prescribed medications, be sure to take them as instructed by your medical team.

Appetite loss

Appetite loss is a decrease in your appetite or desire to eat. It’s a very common side effect of cancer treatment.

There may be certain times of the day where your appetite is best and you’re able to eat more. If this is the case, take advantage of those times and try to eat as much as you can. Review the “Getting Calories and Protein” section of this resource for ideas on ways to make sure you’re getting the most from your meals and snacks.

Sometimes, you may not feel hungry at all. If this is the case, try following a meal schedule. For example, eat every 2 hours or so rather than waiting to feel hungry. Setting an alarm for yourself can be a helpful reminder.

Constipation

Constipation is a common problem that makes it hard to have bowel movements. If you’re constipated, your bowel movements might be:

• Too hard
• Too small
• Hard to get out
• Happening less often than usual

Constipation can be caused by many things, including your diet, activity, and lifestyle. Some chemotherapy and pain medications can also cause constipation.

Below are ways to manage constipation through your diet.

Eat more high-fiber foods

Fiber is important because it increases the bulk in your stool. This helps your body move the stool out of your body. Add fiber to your diet one food at a time. Be sure to drink enough liquids to prevent gas and bloating. Examples of high-fiber foods are:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Bran muffins
• Whole grains, such as whole-grain cereals, pastas, breads, and brown rice
• Nuts and seeds

Drink plenty of liquids

Try to drink at least 8 to 10 (8-ounce) glasses of liquids per day. Drink water, fruit and vegetable juices, milk, and other liquids. This will help keep your stool soft. Read the “Staying hydrated” section for ideas of liquids to drink.

Eat at consistent times

Try to eat your meals at the same time each day. If you make changes to your diet, do it slowly.

Move around

Physical movement can also help with constipation. Do light physical activity (such as walking or slowly climbing stairs) to help food move through your digestive system. Check with your doctor before starting any new physical activity.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea is frequent, loose, watery bowel movements. It causes food to pass quickly through your intestines. When this happens, water and nutrients aren’t absorbed well by your body. Diarrhea can be caused by:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Surgery of your stomach or intestines
• Medications
• Difficulty digesting milk and milk products
• Having too many sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol or mannitol, which are found in sugar-free candy
• Other food sensitivities

Check with your doctor before you use the suggestions below to manage your diarrhea.

Drink plenty of liquids

Drink at least 8 to 10 (8-ounce glasses) of liquid daily. This will help replace the water and nutrients you lose when you have diarrhea. Try drinking:

• Fruit juices and nectars mixed with water
• Unflavored Pedialyte®
• Coconut water
• Electrolyte tablets that you add to water, such as Nuun®
• Electrolyte powders that you mix with water, such as DripDrop®
• Water with added electrolytes, such as Propel®
• Caffeine-free soda. Let the soda sit out uncovered for a few minutes before drinking to reduce the fizz.

For more examples, read the section “Staying hydrated.”

Follow the dietary guidelines below

Avoid very hot or cold, high-sugar, high-fat, and spicy foods. These are hard on your digestive system and may make your diarrhea worse. Follow the eating and drinking guidelines below if you’re having diarrhea.

Fruits and vegetables

Starches and carbohydrates

Meat and meat alternatives

Dairy

Condiments

Dry mouth

A dry mouth can be caused by:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy
• Medications
• Surgery on the head and neck
• Infections
• Other health problems

A dry mouth may also cause cavities. This is because you’re making less saliva, which protects your teeth against decay. Oral hygiene (taking good care of your mouth) is very important if your mouth is dry. Avoid alcohol-based mouthwashes. Instead, make your own mouthwash by mixing 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 quart (4 cups) of warm water. Rinse your mouth with this mouthwash every 2 hours.

When your mouth is dry, eating can be hard. Some foods may be hard to chew and swallow. The types of foods you eat can make a difference. Choose foods that have a moist, soft texture and are easy to swallow. Avoid foods that are dry or rough.

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Sipping fluids between bites at meals can make it easier to chew and swallow foods.

Follow the eating and drinking guidelines below if your mouth is dry.

Sore mouth or throat

Mouth and throat sores can be caused by certain chemotherapy treatments as well as radiation to your head or neck.

A sore mouth or throat can make eating difficult. The way you eat can make a difference. The following are some tips to avoid irritating your mouth:

• Cook your foods until they’re soft and tender. Use a blender to purée foods.
• Cut your foods into small pieces that are easy for you to chew.
• Rinse your mouth often. Try using a mouth rinse of 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 quart (4 cups) of warm water. If this does not help, ask your doctor for other mouth rinse recommendations.
• Use a straw to drink. This keeps liquids from touching your sore mouth.
• Brush your teeth and tongue, if your doctor or dentist says it’s OK.
• Drink more liquids to help to keep your mouth clean.

If you have a sore mouth or throat, trying softer, bland, lukewarm, or cool foods can be helpful. Avoid foods that may increase pain, such as dry foods and foods that are spicy, salty, sour, or acidic.

Follow the eating and drinking guidelines below if your mouth or throat is sore.

Taste changes

Your sense of taste can be affected by chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and some medications.

Your sense of taste is made up of 5 main sensations: salty, sweet, savory, bitter, and sour. Taste changes are different from person to person. The most common changes are having bitter and metallic tastes in your mouth. Sometimes, food may not taste like anything. These changes usually go away after your treatment ends.

Taking good care of your mouth is very important to help with taste changes. You can do this by brushing your teeth and tongue (if your doctor or dentist says it’s OK) and drinking more liquids. Your care team may also recommend using an alcohol-free mouthwash, such as Biotene^®. You can also make your own mouthwash by mixing 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 quart (4 cups) or warm water. Use the mouthwash frequently (before and after eating) throughout the day.

If your food seems tasteless

• Change the texture of your foods. For example, you may like mashed potatoes more than baked potatoes.
• Change the temperature of your foods. Some foods may taste better cold or at room temperature.
• Choose and make foods that look and smell good to you.
• Use more spices and flavorings, as long as they don’t cause discomfort. For example:
  • Add sauces and condiments (such as soy sauce or ketchup) to your food.
  • Marinate your meats or meat substitutes in salad dressings, fruit juices, or other sauces.
  • Use onion or garlic to flavor your vegetables or meats.
  • Add herbs (such as rosemary, basil, oregano, and mint) to your food.
  • Blend fruit into your milkshakes or yogurt. You can also try mint or coffee-flavored milkshakes.
• Try sour and tart foods. These may help stimulate your taste.
• Try alternating bites of different-tasting foods within a meal. For example, try:
  • Cottage cheese and pineapple.
  • Canned fruit and plain yogurt.
  • Grilled cheese and tomato juice.

If there’s a bitter or metallic taste in your mouth

• Rinse your mouth with water before meals.
• If meats taste bitter, try marinating them in sauces or fruit juices or squeeze lemon juice on them. Only do this if your mouth isn’t sore.
• Include meat substitutes (such as dairy products and beans) for protein.
• Use plastic utensils.
• Try sugar-free mints or gum.
• Avoid canned food items (such as sauces and soups). Choose items in a glass or plastic jar or a box instead.

If foods taste too sweet

• Add some salt to the food.
• Dilute sweet drinks with water.
• If everything tastes sweet, try more acidic foods, such as foods with lemon.

If foods taste or smell different than usual

• Avoid foods with strong odors (smells). Because beef and fish have the strongest odors, try eating poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
• When cooking, open lids of pots and pans away from you so that the smell moves away from you, not towards you.
• Open windows while cooking if the smell of foods cooking bothers you.
• Choose foods that can be eaten cold or at room temperature. Let foods cool down before eating. Room-temperature or cold foods have less smell than warm foods.
• Experiment with different seasonings and food combinations, such as:
  • Adding sauces to foods.
  • Changing the temperature and texture of foods.
• If your mouth isn’t sore, try tart foods (such as lemon wedges or citrus fruits) to stimulate taste.
• Rinse your mouth out before and after you eat.
• Drink small sips of liquid throughout your meals to rinse out the taste of the food.

Early satiety

Early satiety is when you feel full more quickly than usual when you eat. For example, you may feel like you can’t eat any more when you’re only halfway through your meal. Early satiety can be caused by surgery on your stomach, constipation, some medications, and other things.

If you feel full too quickly, try to:

• Eat small, frequent meals.
• Drink most of your liquids before or after meals. Drinking during your meals can make you feel full more quickly.
• Add foods that are rich in calories and protein (for example, nonfat dry milk, wheat germ, nut butters, avocado, oils, butter) to your meals.
• Engage in light physical activity (such as walking) after you eat. This helps encourage food to move through your digestive system.

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea is a feeling of stomach upset or queasiness. Nausea can be caused by radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. It can also be caused by pain, medication, and infection.

If you have nausea, you may also have vomiting (throwing up). If you’re vomiting, try your best to follow the suggestions in this section. Be sure to keep yourself well hydrated with electrolyte-rich beverages. Read the “Staying hydrated” section earlier in this resource for examples.

Below are suggestions for managing your nausea through nutrition. Ask your doctor or nurse if you need an antiemetic (medication to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting).

General tips

• Pay attention to the amount of food you eat. Eating too much can stress your stomach.
• Try ready-made foods (such as take-out foods or frozen dinners) to prevent nausea while you cook or make foods. If you need to, ask others to cook for you.
• If food odors make you nauseated:
  • Try cold foods, such as a sandwich or salad. These foods don’t smell as strong as hot foods.
  • Leave the area while hot foods are cooking, if you can.
  • Have someone else plate your food for you.
  • Let your food cool down for a few minutes before eating.
  • Avoid places with strong odors.
• Eat small, frequent meals. This can stop you from getting too full and help you take in more food throughout the day.
• Drink most liquids between your meals. This will help you keep from feeling full too fast or feeling bloated.
• Eat slowly and chew your foods well. Avoid activity right after meals. These things help with digestion.
• Eat your meals in a pleasant setting. For example:
  • Choose a relaxing place that has a comfortable temperature.
  • Eat with friends or family. This may help distract you from your nausea.
  • Wear loose-fitting clothing to stay comfortable.
• If you have nausea in the morning, keep crackers or dry toast next to your bed. Eat them before getting out of bed.
• Avoid eating your favorite foods right before or after treatments. If you’re often nauseous during or after treatments, you may start to dislike these foods.

If nausea is a lasting problem for you, it may be useful to keep a food diary. A food diary is a record of the foods you eat, the time you ate them, and the setting in which you ate them. Record any situations when you became nauseated. Discuss this with your doctor, nurse, or clinical dietitian nutritionist.

Fatigue

Fatigue is the most common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments. It may keep you from doing your usual daily activities. It may also impact your quality of life and make it harder for you to tolerate your treatment.

Fatigue can be caused by many other symptoms, such as:

• Poor appetite
• Depression
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation

Managing these symptoms can also help with fatigue. If you have any of the above things, tell your healthcare provider.

Another way to manage fatigue is to save your energy. You can do this by:

• Making larger portions of foods for yourself, if there are days you have more energy. Freeze individual meal portions for an easy frozen meal on a day you aren’t feeling up for cooking.
• Asking family and friends for help with shopping and making your meals.
• Buying ready-made foods when your energy is low.
• Keeping ingredients and utensils that you use often close at hand.
• Sitting instead of standing when cooking.
• Eating small, frequent, high-calorie meals or snacks. If you do this, your body may not need as much energy to digest your food.

If you live alone and can’t shop for food or make meals, you may be eligible for food programs, such as God’s Love We Deliver or Meals on Wheels. There may be age or income requirements for some programs. Your social worker can give you more information.

For some people, doing physical activity may actually increase your energy levels. Talk with your doctor about doing light-to-moderate intensity activities (such as walking or gardening). Research shows that some physical activity can make it easier to do your usual daily activities, boost your energy level, increase your appetite, and improve your mood.

Recipes

Do not add raw eggs to your shakes. Raw eggs can cause food poisoning.

If you have diabetes or high blood sugar, these recipes may not be appropriate for you. Talk with your clinical dietitian nutritionist.

Double Milk

Standard Milkshake

Standard Yogurt Milkshake

Standard Milkshake for People with Diabetes

Standard Dairy-Free Shake

Vanilla Almond Shake

Chocolate Almond Shake

Maple Walnut or Pecan Shake

Peanut Butter Shake

Fruity Shake

Cherry Vanilla or Chocolate Cherry Shake

Other shake variations

Experiment with other ingredients after you have tried the shake recipes in this resource. You can use any of the ingredients below to change the flavor of and add more calories to your shakes.

• Peanut butter and bananas
• Bananas and walnuts
• Pineapple and coconut cream*
• Oreo® cookies*
• M&M’s®*
• Fudge (any flavor)
• Chocolate mint patties, such as York® peppermint patties
• Peanut butter cups*
• Flavored liqueurs* (with your doctor’s approval and for occasional use only)

If you have diabetes or high blood sugar, ingredients with an asterisk (*) may not be appropriate for you. Talk with your clinical dietitian nutritionist before trying them.

Sample menus

Use these sample menus to get ideas for making your own high-calorie, high-protein meals. The menus are divided into 6 small meals and snacks throughout the day. Eating smaller, more frequent meals and snacks can be easier and help you get the calories and protein you need.

If it’s hard for you to make your meals, ask family or friends for help. Try making meals in batches on days when you have the energy and freeze them to eat later. You can also eat ready-made foods such as frozen dinners, whole cooked chickens, or take-out foods.

Key points

• If you have diabetes or high blood sugar, use products that are unsweetened or are made with sugar substitutes. Limit the amount of fruit juice that you drink.
• The amount of liquid in the meal plans is small so you don’t feel full soon after you start eating. Try to drink most of your liquids between your meals. Most adults need 8 to 10 (8-ounce) glasses of liquids per day. This includes juices, water, milkshakes, and soups. It also includes solids that become liquid at room temperature, such as Italian ices.
• If you’re lactose-intolerant:
  • Drink lactose-free milk (such as Lactaid® milk), rice milk, almond milk, or soy milk instead of dairy milk. Try the sweetened versions of these milks for extra calories.
  • Take Lactaid tablets or drops with other dairy foods, such as ice cream or soft cheeses.
  • If you have mild to moderate lactose intolerance, you may be able to eat foods with small amounts of lactose, such as hard aged cheeses and yogurt. Many people are able to eat these without discomfort.
• If you’re vegetarian or vegan, eat more nuts, seeds, and oils to increase your calories. If you’re vegan, take special care to eat foods rich in vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and zinc. Speak with a clinical dietitian nutritionist if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
• These sample menus contain fewer than the 5 to 9 recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables combined. This is because fruits and vegetables are low in calories but are filling. It’s recommended that you focus on foods with more calories and protein to avoid losing weight. If you find that you aren’t meeting the minimum daily recommended servings, speak with your doctor about whether you can take a multivitamin to make up for any nutrients you may be missing.
• Read the “Recipes” section for recipes for Double Milk and the shakes listed in the sample menus.

Regular diet sample menus

*Super premium ice cream has about 100 more calories per serving than regular ice cream. It also has about 20 grams of fat per ½-cup serving.

*Super premium ice cream has about 100 more calories per serving than regular ice cream. It also has about 20 grams of fat per ½-cup serving.

Vegetarian diet sample menus

Vegan diet sample menus

Resources

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND)
www.eatright.org
AND is a professional organization for registered dietitians. The website has information about the latest nutrition guidelines and research and can help you find a dietitian in your area. The academy also publishes The Complete Food & Nutrition Guide, which has over 600 pages of food, nutrition, and health information.

American Institute for Cancer Research
www.aicr.org
800-843-8114
Has information on diet and cancer prevention research and education as well as recipes.f

Cook For Your Life
www.cookforyourlife.org
Many recipe ideas for patients with cancer. Recipes can be filtered by diet type or treatment side effect.

FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/OfficeofFoods/CFSAN/default.htm
Has helpful information on food safety.

MSK Integrative Medicine Service
www.msk.org/integrativemedicine
Our Integrative Medicine Service offers many services to complement (go along with) traditional medical care, including music therapy, mind/body therapies, dance and movement therapy, yoga, and touch therapy. To schedule an appointment for these services, call 646-449-1010.

The Integrative Medicine Service also provides counseling on nutrition and dietary supplements. You can find more information about herbal and other dietary supplements at www.msk.org/herbs.

You can also schedule a consultation with a healthcare provider in the Integrative Medicine Service. They will work with you to come up with a plan for creating a healthy lifestyle and managing side effects. To make an appointment, call 646-608-8550.

MSK Nutrition Services website
www.msk.org/nutrition
Use our diet plans and recipes to help with healthy eating habits during and after cancer treatment

National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
http://ods.od.nih.gov
301-435-2920
Has up-to-date information on dietary supplements.

Contact information for nutrition services at MSK

Any MSK patient is welcome to make an appointment with one of our clinical dietitian nutritionists for medical nutrition therapy. Our clinical dietitian nutritionists are available for appointments at multiple outpatient locations within Manhattan and the following regional site locations:

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge
  136 Mountain View Blvd.
  Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen
  225 Summit Ave.
  Montvale, NJ 07645
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack Nonna’s Garden Foundation Center
  650 Commack Rd.
  Commack, NY 11725
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth
  480 Red Hill Rd.
  Middletown, NJ 07748
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau
  1101 Hempstead Tpk.
  Uniondale, NY 11553
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester
  500 Westchester Ave.
  West Harrison, NY 10604

To schedule an appointment with a clinical dietitian nutritionist at any of our locations, contact our nutrition scheduling office at 212-639-7312.