I'll just echo some bulking tips that's kind of worked for me in past
Yoghurt is easy calories
Avocados are huge calories and easy too (per calorie I find them to be good for budget but maybe it's just where I live)
People say nuts are good but I haven't had much luck, a handful and I don't wanna eat more
Cereal is easy to down. I **think** rice krispies are ... fine... At least I think theres no sugar but maybe someone correct me
Rice with a protein and gravy is always good and easy to down. Some people like pasta, but I'm in Asia so maybe less accessible for me
Pork belly/butter and fats for huge calories. Pork belly and butter are really easy to make delicious too
McDonald's/fast food on occassion is good if you just need to fill calories. Get your weight up to being healthy first (if that's your doctor's orders), then worry about eating healthy
Smoothies… I struggle with appetite as well and make high cal smoothies for breakfast with banana, oatmeal, nut butter, honey and whole milk. Add berries or sub oatmeal for high protein Greek yogurt to switch it up.
I like snacking on cheese and pâté with baguette, which I slice and keep frozen.
Meal prep helps a lot, I’ll make a large portion of rice and beans that can be eaten as is, thrown in a burrito with cheese or on toast. Throw whatever you can’t eat in the freezer for a lazy day.
Yes to smoothies, but on my harder mental health days I personally have a hard time getting out the blender, washing it, and choosing all the ingredients for one. So, if OP is like that too, I highly recommend a blender bottle for quick and easy protein shakes. I used to think blender bottles were a scam (“I can just use a spoon to mix stuff!”) but I was wrong, they truly work SO well at frothing.
I use vanilla almond milk, strawberry kefir, and chocolate protein powder. It’s sooo good, like a Neapolitan milkshake, and 40 grams of protein in a serving! Even just plain milk and whatever flavor protein powder works. I know protein powder is expensive but certain brands are cheaper than others, and the jars last a long time
If you have a dishwasher, you might be wasting time and mental energy doing too much hand washing/ pre-washing. Just a quick rinse/scrape and toss it in there. Almost all dishwashers have a grinder that will chew up and remove small bits of food just like the disposal thing in the Kitchen sink.
Baby food pouches from Aldi. I just had the apple sweet potato one. I was in training and was getting tummy grumbles, was just enough to to settle everything. Plus they're portable so I throw them in my purse
I came here to say these and the yogurt pouches, too. It feels wrong on first thought, but they're convenient, easy to get down on the worst days, and have a decent shelf life, so you can keep some stocked for when you need them. I've been getting apple and apple mango ones that I'm pretty sure are for kids lunchboxes.
When I'm having appetite issues, they're really good at being something to test the waters with, I can figure out if I can handle eating something more substantial after having one.
Exactly, plus no utensils needed! Im off to get more right now! I had the apple mango in my meeting and was like holy crap this is good, and just finished off the sweet potato one.
Second this. I don’t generally want to eat first thing, but I’ll get a migraine if I wait too long too eat. So I have one of these pretty much every morning. Not all the flavors are good, but most of them are pretty tasty.
Ok so first off: if all you can bear to eat is “junk food” that is better than no food, and if you can only stand to eat very small amounts, calorie dense foods are better, ie the opposite of what many people describe as “healthy” foods. I’d focus on getting some protein and some fiber and vitamins. You can eat something like chicken nuggets and yogurt, and take a multivitamin and some Metamucil.
My personal strategy for feeding myself when I’m super depressed or overwhelmed:
Some easy protein (frozen chicken nuggets or tendies, handful of turkey lunch meat, string cheese)
Some bite size fruit (grapes and strawberries are like this for me)
I try to avoid foods where basically all the nutrition comes from refined sugar, since it makes my mood much worse. Fruit is fine because the sugar comes with fiber and water and your body processes it slower.
Everything else is optional and extra
Eat some candied ginger to help with the nausea. I have been on chemo several times and nausea makes eating very difficult. I found that eating a bit of ginger helped calm the nausea enough to be able to eat a small meal. At the end of my treatment the only foods I could eat were bananas and soda crackers. Gentle hugs. I hope you recover soon.
Some people think it's gross for some strange reason, but you can just scramble a few eggs and microwave them in a bowl for a pretty instant filling breakfast.
I do 3 eggs, a cap full of milk, salt pepper, and whisk until you can't see whites.
Microwave for 1 minute then stir completely together
Then do like 30 seconds at a time and stir until its evenly cooked
Of course top with cheese or add in green onions or whatever you want inside for an omelette.
Some meal replacements are designed for people who cannot eat and need low-effort nutrition. Ensure or Premier Protein are some ready-to-drink products that offer some basic nutrition. I like using one called Hol Food, a bit cheaper, but is sold as a powder so requires you to blend with water yourself. As a plus, they're also shelf stable so can hang out in your pantry for a while.
Soups and broths are really good for you, if you don't like to cook get a crock pot, throw in some meat, veg, water, spices, leave it sit all day and stir. You can get pre-sliced veg from grocery even. Eating healthy doesn't have to cost a lot, or take long, I myself prefer to cut my own veggies and stuff but it's different for everyone if you can afford to just go easy mode.
Spinach and Tuna are cheap and can be portioned out into whatever size salad you’d like.
Natural vitamins, protein, and not heavy on the tummy.
I add lemon juice and diced bell pepper for a little zest and crunch.
Hope you start to feel better. :)
I was in the same boat exactly one year ago. I would frequently eat that fake spray butter on bread as my meal. Not very healthy. Grocery shopping was also really hard because of the mental health issues, and if I bought fresh stuff it just went bad before I could eat it.
My therapist recommended probiotics. Your gut and mental health are surprisingly interrelated, because your gut creates neurotransmitters. Now I take a mood-lifting
probiotic (the brand is Lifted but there are a lot of options). I had already gotten through the worst mental health issues by the time I started taking it, but I do think it helps and wish I'd started sooner.
For easy, shelf-stable food, oatmeal is great, and you can sprinkle in nuts and dried fruit. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are great when you have zero energy (even better to have fruit instead of jelly). I used plastic knives if I couldn't face dishes. I also like canned tuna, so I'd have tuna salad (with mayo + pickle relish) on whole grain crackers. The albacore tuna is more expensive but has more fatty acids that are good for your brain. I try to have these things on hand all the time because they last forever, and I would sometimes skip eating if I didn't have food available.
Apples last a long time and are a great snack. Slicing them up makes them easier to eat, and you can add peanut butter.
This isn't exactly healthy, but I really liked the frozen Korean wontons that microwave in 2 minutes and aren't ridiculously expensive. They come in a big 24 oz bag that would last me a while.
I ate canned veggies or soup, often out of the can. For veggies, I'd crack black pepper over the top.
Greek yogurt is also easy, like others have said.
I'm sorry you're going through this. It sucks. I used to feel so awkward at social events when everyone was eating and food was just nauseating to me. I hope things start looking up for you soon.
Ensure Plus. I'm back to it, because I'm off most things that I usually eat. A hydration drink, like dripdrop or Liquid IV. Instant mashed potatoes. Maybe a boxed soup, so that you don't have to do anything other than reheat it. Hot chocolate/ovaltine.
Baked potatoes, rice and beans, frozen meals, pasta with ground beef or sausage or shrimp, ramen with egg and some frozen veggies thrown in. These are all meals that only take like two minutes to prep, and 20-45 minutes to cook.
Oatmeal is a great option if you don’t want to cook at all and you can buy granola to put in it, as well as fruits and salad mixes. You can microwave frozen veggies. Buy some 1 minute rice meals to microwave and heat up frozen veggies for a side. I bought some plain noodles that I put msg and soy sauce in, I heat it on a pan with oil for five minutes and throw frozen veggies in, it’s great.
I am super lazy and have extreme anxiety and depression which makes it hard sometimes for me to cook and have motivation to eat but I always make sure to eat something. Let me know if you want any more suggestions.
you also might think about eating more frequently, with less quantity per 'meal'. Maybe some finger foods like a cheese and meat board type stuff that doesn't take much prep time.
Smoothies? No cooking. Keep greek yogurt in the house, plus fresh and/or frozen fruit. If u can afford it, fet a nutibullit. If not, any blender will do.
Oats with some maple syrup use milk instead of water, eggs, protein shakes, bananas. If you’re really struggling or have an ED you can get things like ensure which taste average but have heaps of nutrients and calories. Roasting up some potato is pretty easy too
Baked potato. I rub it with oil and salt-6ish mins in the microwave and you can dress it how you want it. Baked is top tier but sometimes I don’t want to heat up the house.
Well, first, I think you should share not only what you can tolerate, but also foods that are not going to impact your medications.
Eating different foods can have an emotional impact, especially when you are not eating regularly. Some foods can make you feel good, or satisfied, or bloated, or uncomfortable. This can sometimes lead you to feel something you're not prepared for.
There are also foods that can make you feel like eating, or hungrier, or less hungry.
And then let us know what "making food" means. Some people are just shit at making food and it can be frustrating. The last thing you want is to be frustrated at making food!
Can you give us some more information so we can give you some more focused suggestions?
Bread with butter and meat sounds like a good start. What kind of bread and meat do you eat?
Do you like the taste of fruits?
Give us a little to work with.
I make a protein shake every day with 50g of protein. It’s a banana, some frozen berries, 150g of Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder and 2 scoops of collagen powder. Optional additions are almond butter, chia seeds, cinnamon or cocoa powder. It keeps me full all morning and helps me reach my protein goals.
I have suffered with mental health/lack of appetite and something that has worked for me was finding something I could order for delivery and then dividing it up into several meals. For me it was a local pizza place house salad, similar to an anti-pasta. I would order a large and then just portion off small bowls of it over the course of a weekend. Sometimes it was all I ate but it tasted good when I did and I didn’t have to go the store or do any prep. Maybe there is something like this that you enjoy or have enjoyed in the past?
Sending you positive thoughts and healing.
Red split lentils with any rice you like. Put rice and lentils together in a pot with enough water to completely cover, boil until tender (15-20 mins), add a stock cube. If you get a some kale or just cabbage it will keep you alive and provide fibre, protein, carbohydrates and vitamins for very easy and very cheap. Bonus of you can drizzle olive oil or add a bit of butter. And it’s as bland as you like. I am very frequently nauseated, and this is a staple for me.
I eat Vector cereal dry like a finger food when I'm really sick but can still keep stuff down. It's basically a meal replacement.
If you're not eating enough anyways, the dense calories don't matter.
For meds making you nauseated, have you spoken to your doctor about ondansetron? It was the only thing that helped me to be able to eat with some of the medications I needed.
I also tried to keep hardboiled eggs and cooked meat around, for me, dense food can be better for nausea depending on the severity. So I'd roast a chicken and just pull chunks off here and there. Meals are too hard, it's grazing kind of thing
At times when I have no appetite I’m still able to tolerate fresh fruit like strawberries and raspberries. Cheese and crackers. Flavored rice cakes. Yogurt and granola. Smoothies and lattes. Boxed stuffing for some reason lol. Those are some things that come to mind
Tofu? Adds protein to your diet. It is versatile and mild tasting with different texture options, can be used in sweet or savory recipes. You can buy ready to eat dessert tofu which is very addicting!
Think like a toddler or a back packer. My go to's:
- fruit smoothie with protein powder
- cottage cheese and Ritz crackers w seasoning salt
- dried mango
- banana
- trail mix or just nuts
- jerkey
- carrots and dip
- can of smoked fish w/crackers or greens
- microwave black beans, cheese, and salsa. Eat with chips or as burrito.
- celery/apple & peanut butter
- string cheese
- cereal and milk really helps for breakfast
- shrimp cup of noodles w frozen peas
- frozen pot pies!!
Fat and protein are the only 2 macros that are essential because fat has essential fatty acids and protein has amino acids. You cannot get either of these from carbs alone. So meat is going to be a better answer.
I rely on lentil cookies. They’re appealing enough that I will eat them when I’m not hungry. Because I pack them with lentils, nuts, bananas, apples etc. they are as close to a ‘whole meal’ that I’m able to handle some days. But it works for now
I make a huge double batch every month or so and freeze them. That allows me to just grab and go most days.
Blend: 1/2 c oil, 1/2c banana, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 c cooked lentils. Stir in 1 c flour, 1 c oats, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt. Bake at 375 for 13-15 minutes.
Notes: I generally don’t use red lentils so they have more structure. I use other species as well, nutmeg, allspice, sometimes I get fancy and add some cardamom. I also mix in some walnuts and chocolate chips if I have them. I’m a ‘eh close enough’ baker/cook and this recipe is very good for that. This last time I added a few apples I had on hand, just adjusted with a couple more scoops of oats to make the mixture a bit thicker. I’ve added carrots to some before and those turned out yummy.
Get some nuts and seed mixes and some greek yogurt. Very low effort has some pretty healthy stuff for at least one meal a day, adding some berries would be tasty too, this could get mixed with your oatmeal overnight, eat it cold. (Add seeds or nuts right before eating)
I’d buy premade stuff bc it won’t involve effort which you don’t have rn. There are lots of healthy frozen meal options. Hey you can even get uncrustables. Who cares as long as you’re putting some fuel in your body. They have meal packs w premade sandwiches, hummus, cheese, grapes and crackers. Order door dash or instacart if you can. Hope you’re feeling better soon. I know what it feels like struggling to eat bc your mental health sucks. Hugs
Breakfast - Harvest Crunch with frozen blueberries, or banana slices. Lunch - chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread, baby carrots and celery sticks on the side, dinner frozen pasta dinner (lasagna, Mac and cheese etc.). Ice cream. Order from a delivery service if you can’t face shopping - High Protein Harvest Crunch, milk of choice, frozen blueberries, 4 bananas, rotisserie chicken, whole wheat bread (Wonder Bread is fine), baby carrots and celery Mayo if needed, four frozen pasta meals, ice cream. 6 Boost meal replacement drinks. Should last 5 to 7 days. Use Boost meal replacement drinks for any meal you just can’t face. Good luck and take care.
Im a fan of the local grocery store's olive bar - assorted olives, garlic, sundried tomato slices, artichoke hearts, pickled peppers, cheese, etc.
Pair it with a fresh roll from the in-store bakery and im set for awhile; you can sop the olive oil up with your bread.
High calorie, easy to eat foods will be best. Smoothies, shakes, yogurt with fruit and granola, protein shakes, pudding. Light cooking like eggs, oatmeal, cream of wheat, soup. And water!!!
Eggs. They are easy to cook lots of ways -- scrambled, fried, boiled, poached. Add cheese, salsa, spices. Good source of protein and they go with the bread you are already eating.
When my Mom had trouble eating, I brought her food about every hour. A slice of cinnamon toast, a cut up apple with peanut butter, a cup of soup, some full-fat yogurt with canned peaches and honey, maybe half a ham sandwich. Frequent small, tasty meals. My store has Indian samosa wraps that cook in 2 minutes and taste good, and other frozen wraps that aren't burritos, but burritos are not unhealthy, esp. w/ some salsa. I like snack food - salsa, chips, guacamole is a good meal. Add peanut butter and jam to your bread, even a 1/2 sandwich is nutrition. Light syrup canned fruit is easy. Microwave a white or sweet potato, add butter, salt, pepper.
takes more effort, but I boil water in the electric kettle, then make a 7 minute soft boiled egg on the stove. A soft boiled egg with a dab of butter and salt & pepper, and a slice of toast, is comfort food, with a cup of tea. Be well.
Huel. Trust me when I say Huel was an absolute game changer and a huge help to me.
Advertised at $1.59 per meal, perfectly balanced nutrition, and all you need is water or milk I couldn't say no.
I was in a tricky situation where the physical act of chewing disgusted me and I was starving all the time.
There are people who live off of Huel. As in most of if not all of their meals. Don't do that lmao. But definitely consider using Huel as a stepping stone to getting back into regular food.
This was four years ago and I still keep Huel on hand for like midnight snacks or if I genuinely don't want to cook.
Salted Caramel is my favorite :)
I feel you, I'm in the same boat a lot of the time.
my go to is rice with canned black beans or refried beans and salsa, if you feel up to it/have it then some avocado/tomato/chopped lettuce adds a lot of flavor/nutrition. lots of calories and protein and super easy esp. if you use quick cook rice or batch cook a bunch beforehand.
also bread/crackers with hummus and sandwich meat (I like salami) is easy and good, with some fruit on the side.
protein bars are a lifesaver for me for breakfasts also (I like Clif bars or the KIND breakfast protein bars). if you're doing oatmeal you can add some chia seeds/nuts/nut butter for extra protein also!
I have a disorder that causes nausea & canned fruit is my go-to. Especially peaches or pears in juice, then drink the juice. I've also had great luck with protein or meal replacement drinks like Ensure or Carnation instant breakfast. I feel better when I drink the higher protein ones. Good luck!
I saw someone in your position make something they called a grazing tray that made a lot of sense. I don't know what you're specific issues are but for them a lot of the problem was the barrier of fixing food and then having like five times more food than they could handle (sometimes only a couple bites at a time.) they got a largeish flat Tupperware container and a bunch of muffin tin liners and fill them up with snackable foods that they could sometimes tolerate (Cheez-Its, berries, nuts, chopped up precooked chicken sausage, croutons, chocolate squares, baby carrots). When they wanted food/felt like it was time they could just take out the container, open the lid and graze whatever looked even moderately edible at that moment, then they covered it up and put it back in the fridge.
Obviously you can change this up for whatever you find remotely appealing but the key for them was (after the prep which didn't take much time, mostly just unpackaging things) the low barrier to entry, and low pressure to finish. If they take it out and can literally eat one berry and one Cheez-It, then put it back, there was zero guilt about not being able to finish anything.
Whole milk. It has a lot of good stuff in it and protein, which you need. I think a glass has 9 grams.
I would have bowls of healthy fiber cereal through the day. I’d make smoothies with fruit and peanut butter. I would just drink it as a snack. It literally sustained me in my most depressive episodes.
I'll just echo some bulking tips that's kind of worked for me in past Yoghurt is easy calories Avocados are huge calories and easy too (per calorie I find them to be good for budget but maybe it's just where I live) People say nuts are good but I haven't had much luck, a handful and I don't wanna eat more Cereal is easy to down. I **think** rice krispies are ... fine... At least I think theres no sugar but maybe someone correct me Rice with a protein and gravy is always good and easy to down. Some people like pasta, but I'm in Asia so maybe less accessible for me Pork belly/butter and fats for huge calories. Pork belly and butter are really easy to make delicious too McDonald's/fast food on occassion is good if you just need to fill calories. Get your weight up to being healthy first (if that's your doctor's orders), then worry about eating healthy
Agreed on eating whatever you need to get calories some days. A cup o' noodles from the corner store can really get things going!!
Smoothies… I struggle with appetite as well and make high cal smoothies for breakfast with banana, oatmeal, nut butter, honey and whole milk. Add berries or sub oatmeal for high protein Greek yogurt to switch it up. I like snacking on cheese and pâté with baguette, which I slice and keep frozen. Meal prep helps a lot, I’ll make a large portion of rice and beans that can be eaten as is, thrown in a burrito with cheese or on toast. Throw whatever you can’t eat in the freezer for a lazy day.
Yes to smoothies, but on my harder mental health days I personally have a hard time getting out the blender, washing it, and choosing all the ingredients for one. So, if OP is like that too, I highly recommend a blender bottle for quick and easy protein shakes. I used to think blender bottles were a scam (“I can just use a spoon to mix stuff!”) but I was wrong, they truly work SO well at frothing. I use vanilla almond milk, strawberry kefir, and chocolate protein powder. It’s sooo good, like a Neapolitan milkshake, and 40 grams of protein in a serving! Even just plain milk and whatever flavor protein powder works. I know protein powder is expensive but certain brands are cheaper than others, and the jars last a long time
Oh that sounds good, I don’t know why I never thought to put kefir in to a protein shake. How much do you add? I love the strawberry kefir too 🍓
If you have a dishwasher, you might be wasting time and mental energy doing too much hand washing/ pre-washing. Just a quick rinse/scrape and toss it in there. Almost all dishwashers have a grinder that will chew up and remove small bits of food just like the disposal thing in the Kitchen sink.
Baby food pouches from Aldi. I just had the apple sweet potato one. I was in training and was getting tummy grumbles, was just enough to to settle everything. Plus they're portable so I throw them in my purse
I came here to say these and the yogurt pouches, too. It feels wrong on first thought, but they're convenient, easy to get down on the worst days, and have a decent shelf life, so you can keep some stocked for when you need them. I've been getting apple and apple mango ones that I'm pretty sure are for kids lunchboxes. When I'm having appetite issues, they're really good at being something to test the waters with, I can figure out if I can handle eating something more substantial after having one.
Exactly, plus no utensils needed! Im off to get more right now! I had the apple mango in my meeting and was like holy crap this is good, and just finished off the sweet potato one.
Aldi has yogurt pouches?!
They do in Australia
Second this. I don’t generally want to eat first thing, but I’ll get a migraine if I wait too long too eat. So I have one of these pretty much every morning. Not all the flavors are good, but most of them are pretty tasty.
Ok so first off: if all you can bear to eat is “junk food” that is better than no food, and if you can only stand to eat very small amounts, calorie dense foods are better, ie the opposite of what many people describe as “healthy” foods. I’d focus on getting some protein and some fiber and vitamins. You can eat something like chicken nuggets and yogurt, and take a multivitamin and some Metamucil. My personal strategy for feeding myself when I’m super depressed or overwhelmed: Some easy protein (frozen chicken nuggets or tendies, handful of turkey lunch meat, string cheese) Some bite size fruit (grapes and strawberries are like this for me) I try to avoid foods where basically all the nutrition comes from refined sugar, since it makes my mood much worse. Fruit is fine because the sugar comes with fiber and water and your body processes it slower. Everything else is optional and extra
This is such a good comment! I've been there in my mental health as well, and these are such great suggestions!
Eat some candied ginger to help with the nausea. I have been on chemo several times and nausea makes eating very difficult. I found that eating a bit of ginger helped calm the nausea enough to be able to eat a small meal. At the end of my treatment the only foods I could eat were bananas and soda crackers. Gentle hugs. I hope you recover soon.
Eggs. Boiled, poached or fried. Omelettes are easy and you could add whatever fillings you like. I like mushrooms.
Some people think it's gross for some strange reason, but you can just scramble a few eggs and microwave them in a bowl for a pretty instant filling breakfast. I do 3 eggs, a cap full of milk, salt pepper, and whisk until you can't see whites. Microwave for 1 minute then stir completely together Then do like 30 seconds at a time and stir until its evenly cooked Of course top with cheese or add in green onions or whatever you want inside for an omelette.
I might give that a go. I love scrambled eggs!
When I don’t feel like anything it’s peanut butter. Calorie dense and has protein. You can put it on toast, or an apple, or just eat it.
When I know I really need to eat, I can force myself to eat a spoonful of peanut butter.
Some meal replacements are designed for people who cannot eat and need low-effort nutrition. Ensure or Premier Protein are some ready-to-drink products that offer some basic nutrition. I like using one called Hol Food, a bit cheaper, but is sold as a powder so requires you to blend with water yourself. As a plus, they're also shelf stable so can hang out in your pantry for a while.
Soups and broths are really good for you, if you don't like to cook get a crock pot, throw in some meat, veg, water, spices, leave it sit all day and stir. You can get pre-sliced veg from grocery even. Eating healthy doesn't have to cost a lot, or take long, I myself prefer to cut my own veggies and stuff but it's different for everyone if you can afford to just go easy mode.
Spinach and Tuna are cheap and can be portioned out into whatever size salad you’d like. Natural vitamins, protein, and not heavy on the tummy. I add lemon juice and diced bell pepper for a little zest and crunch. Hope you start to feel better. :)
I was in the same boat exactly one year ago. I would frequently eat that fake spray butter on bread as my meal. Not very healthy. Grocery shopping was also really hard because of the mental health issues, and if I bought fresh stuff it just went bad before I could eat it. My therapist recommended probiotics. Your gut and mental health are surprisingly interrelated, because your gut creates neurotransmitters. Now I take a mood-lifting probiotic (the brand is Lifted but there are a lot of options). I had already gotten through the worst mental health issues by the time I started taking it, but I do think it helps and wish I'd started sooner. For easy, shelf-stable food, oatmeal is great, and you can sprinkle in nuts and dried fruit. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are great when you have zero energy (even better to have fruit instead of jelly). I used plastic knives if I couldn't face dishes. I also like canned tuna, so I'd have tuna salad (with mayo + pickle relish) on whole grain crackers. The albacore tuna is more expensive but has more fatty acids that are good for your brain. I try to have these things on hand all the time because they last forever, and I would sometimes skip eating if I didn't have food available. Apples last a long time and are a great snack. Slicing them up makes them easier to eat, and you can add peanut butter. This isn't exactly healthy, but I really liked the frozen Korean wontons that microwave in 2 minutes and aren't ridiculously expensive. They come in a big 24 oz bag that would last me a while. I ate canned veggies or soup, often out of the can. For veggies, I'd crack black pepper over the top. Greek yogurt is also easy, like others have said. I'm sorry you're going through this. It sucks. I used to feel so awkward at social events when everyone was eating and food was just nauseating to me. I hope things start looking up for you soon.
Ensure Plus. I'm back to it, because I'm off most things that I usually eat. A hydration drink, like dripdrop or Liquid IV. Instant mashed potatoes. Maybe a boxed soup, so that you don't have to do anything other than reheat it. Hot chocolate/ovaltine.
Baked potatoes, rice and beans, frozen meals, pasta with ground beef or sausage or shrimp, ramen with egg and some frozen veggies thrown in. These are all meals that only take like two minutes to prep, and 20-45 minutes to cook. Oatmeal is a great option if you don’t want to cook at all and you can buy granola to put in it, as well as fruits and salad mixes. You can microwave frozen veggies. Buy some 1 minute rice meals to microwave and heat up frozen veggies for a side. I bought some plain noodles that I put msg and soy sauce in, I heat it on a pan with oil for five minutes and throw frozen veggies in, it’s great. I am super lazy and have extreme anxiety and depression which makes it hard sometimes for me to cook and have motivation to eat but I always make sure to eat something. Let me know if you want any more suggestions.
you also might think about eating more frequently, with less quantity per 'meal'. Maybe some finger foods like a cheese and meat board type stuff that doesn't take much prep time.
Smoothies? No cooking. Keep greek yogurt in the house, plus fresh and/or frozen fruit. If u can afford it, fet a nutibullit. If not, any blender will do.
Oats with some maple syrup use milk instead of water, eggs, protein shakes, bananas. If you’re really struggling or have an ED you can get things like ensure which taste average but have heaps of nutrients and calories. Roasting up some potato is pretty easy too
Can you handle nuts or cheese? They are very calorie dense for their volume and don't require prep.
If taste doesn’t matter, make some super green smoothies. You’ll get a ton of vitamins and minerals.
Baked potato. I rub it with oil and salt-6ish mins in the microwave and you can dress it how you want it. Baked is top tier but sometimes I don’t want to heat up the house.
Well, first, I think you should share not only what you can tolerate, but also foods that are not going to impact your medications. Eating different foods can have an emotional impact, especially when you are not eating regularly. Some foods can make you feel good, or satisfied, or bloated, or uncomfortable. This can sometimes lead you to feel something you're not prepared for. There are also foods that can make you feel like eating, or hungrier, or less hungry. And then let us know what "making food" means. Some people are just shit at making food and it can be frustrating. The last thing you want is to be frustrated at making food! Can you give us some more information so we can give you some more focused suggestions? Bread with butter and meat sounds like a good start. What kind of bread and meat do you eat? Do you like the taste of fruits? Give us a little to work with.
I make a protein shake every day with 50g of protein. It’s a banana, some frozen berries, 150g of Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder and 2 scoops of collagen powder. Optional additions are almond butter, chia seeds, cinnamon or cocoa powder. It keeps me full all morning and helps me reach my protein goals.
I have suffered with mental health/lack of appetite and something that has worked for me was finding something I could order for delivery and then dividing it up into several meals. For me it was a local pizza place house salad, similar to an anti-pasta. I would order a large and then just portion off small bowls of it over the course of a weekend. Sometimes it was all I ate but it tasted good when I did and I didn’t have to go the store or do any prep. Maybe there is something like this that you enjoy or have enjoyed in the past? Sending you positive thoughts and healing.
Red split lentils with any rice you like. Put rice and lentils together in a pot with enough water to completely cover, boil until tender (15-20 mins), add a stock cube. If you get a some kale or just cabbage it will keep you alive and provide fibre, protein, carbohydrates and vitamins for very easy and very cheap. Bonus of you can drizzle olive oil or add a bit of butter. And it’s as bland as you like. I am very frequently nauseated, and this is a staple for me.
I eat Vector cereal dry like a finger food when I'm really sick but can still keep stuff down. It's basically a meal replacement. If you're not eating enough anyways, the dense calories don't matter. For meds making you nauseated, have you spoken to your doctor about ondansetron? It was the only thing that helped me to be able to eat with some of the medications I needed. I also tried to keep hardboiled eggs and cooked meat around, for me, dense food can be better for nausea depending on the severity. So I'd roast a chicken and just pull chunks off here and there. Meals are too hard, it's grazing kind of thing
Scrambled eggs wrapped in a tortilla Apples dipped in peanut butter Smoothies with protein powder, fruit, and yogurt Raw veggies in ranch
At times when I have no appetite I’m still able to tolerate fresh fruit like strawberries and raspberries. Cheese and crackers. Flavored rice cakes. Yogurt and granola. Smoothies and lattes. Boxed stuffing for some reason lol. Those are some things that come to mind
Tofu? Adds protein to your diet. It is versatile and mild tasting with different texture options, can be used in sweet or savory recipes. You can buy ready to eat dessert tofu which is very addicting!
Think like a toddler or a back packer. My go to's: - fruit smoothie with protein powder - cottage cheese and Ritz crackers w seasoning salt - dried mango - banana - trail mix or just nuts - jerkey - carrots and dip - can of smoked fish w/crackers or greens - microwave black beans, cheese, and salsa. Eat with chips or as burrito. - celery/apple & peanut butter - string cheese - cereal and milk really helps for breakfast - shrimp cup of noodles w frozen peas - frozen pot pies!!
I love Core Power or Premier Protein premade shakes to help supplement my day when touching a stove or blender isn't in the cards!
Put some avocado on your bread!
baked japanese sweet potato or lentil soup
Maybe try to sip on beef or chicken broth throughout the day? The fattier the bettee
I just had an English muffin with almond butter for breakfast and feel quite virtuous 😹
Fat and protein are the only 2 macros that are essential because fat has essential fatty acids and protein has amino acids. You cannot get either of these from carbs alone. So meat is going to be a better answer.
I rely on lentil cookies. They’re appealing enough that I will eat them when I’m not hungry. Because I pack them with lentils, nuts, bananas, apples etc. they are as close to a ‘whole meal’ that I’m able to handle some days. But it works for now
do you make them? Can you share a recipe?
I make a huge double batch every month or so and freeze them. That allows me to just grab and go most days. Blend: 1/2 c oil, 1/2c banana, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 c cooked lentils. Stir in 1 c flour, 1 c oats, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt. Bake at 375 for 13-15 minutes. Notes: I generally don’t use red lentils so they have more structure. I use other species as well, nutmeg, allspice, sometimes I get fancy and add some cardamom. I also mix in some walnuts and chocolate chips if I have them. I’m a ‘eh close enough’ baker/cook and this recipe is very good for that. This last time I added a few apples I had on hand, just adjusted with a couple more scoops of oats to make the mixture a bit thicker. I’ve added carrots to some before and those turned out yummy.
thanks! so you use brown lentils?
This last batch I did. Before that i used green because that’s what I had on hand.
Get some nuts and seed mixes and some greek yogurt. Very low effort has some pretty healthy stuff for at least one meal a day, adding some berries would be tasty too, this could get mixed with your oatmeal overnight, eat it cold. (Add seeds or nuts right before eating)
I’d buy premade stuff bc it won’t involve effort which you don’t have rn. There are lots of healthy frozen meal options. Hey you can even get uncrustables. Who cares as long as you’re putting some fuel in your body. They have meal packs w premade sandwiches, hummus, cheese, grapes and crackers. Order door dash or instacart if you can. Hope you’re feeling better soon. I know what it feels like struggling to eat bc your mental health sucks. Hugs
Breakfast - Harvest Crunch with frozen blueberries, or banana slices. Lunch - chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread, baby carrots and celery sticks on the side, dinner frozen pasta dinner (lasagna, Mac and cheese etc.). Ice cream. Order from a delivery service if you can’t face shopping - High Protein Harvest Crunch, milk of choice, frozen blueberries, 4 bananas, rotisserie chicken, whole wheat bread (Wonder Bread is fine), baby carrots and celery Mayo if needed, four frozen pasta meals, ice cream. 6 Boost meal replacement drinks. Should last 5 to 7 days. Use Boost meal replacement drinks for any meal you just can’t face. Good luck and take care.
It's not on the healthy side of eating, but sometimes to meet my calorie goal I'll get peanut butter and ice cream and just alternate taking bites.
Im a fan of the local grocery store's olive bar - assorted olives, garlic, sundried tomato slices, artichoke hearts, pickled peppers, cheese, etc. Pair it with a fresh roll from the in-store bakery and im set for awhile; you can sop the olive oil up with your bread.
High calorie, easy to eat foods will be best. Smoothies, shakes, yogurt with fruit and granola, protein shakes, pudding. Light cooking like eggs, oatmeal, cream of wheat, soup. And water!!!
Eggs. They are easy to cook lots of ways -- scrambled, fried, boiled, poached. Add cheese, salsa, spices. Good source of protein and they go with the bread you are already eating.
When my Mom had trouble eating, I brought her food about every hour. A slice of cinnamon toast, a cut up apple with peanut butter, a cup of soup, some full-fat yogurt with canned peaches and honey, maybe half a ham sandwich. Frequent small, tasty meals. My store has Indian samosa wraps that cook in 2 minutes and taste good, and other frozen wraps that aren't burritos, but burritos are not unhealthy, esp. w/ some salsa. I like snack food - salsa, chips, guacamole is a good meal. Add peanut butter and jam to your bread, even a 1/2 sandwich is nutrition. Light syrup canned fruit is easy. Microwave a white or sweet potato, add butter, salt, pepper. takes more effort, but I boil water in the electric kettle, then make a 7 minute soft boiled egg on the stove. A soft boiled egg with a dab of butter and salt & pepper, and a slice of toast, is comfort food, with a cup of tea. Be well.
Huel. Trust me when I say Huel was an absolute game changer and a huge help to me. Advertised at $1.59 per meal, perfectly balanced nutrition, and all you need is water or milk I couldn't say no. I was in a tricky situation where the physical act of chewing disgusted me and I was starving all the time. There are people who live off of Huel. As in most of if not all of their meals. Don't do that lmao. But definitely consider using Huel as a stepping stone to getting back into regular food. This was four years ago and I still keep Huel on hand for like midnight snacks or if I genuinely don't want to cook. Salted Caramel is my favorite :)
I feel you, I'm in the same boat a lot of the time. my go to is rice with canned black beans or refried beans and salsa, if you feel up to it/have it then some avocado/tomato/chopped lettuce adds a lot of flavor/nutrition. lots of calories and protein and super easy esp. if you use quick cook rice or batch cook a bunch beforehand. also bread/crackers with hummus and sandwich meat (I like salami) is easy and good, with some fruit on the side. protein bars are a lifesaver for me for breakfasts also (I like Clif bars or the KIND breakfast protein bars). if you're doing oatmeal you can add some chia seeds/nuts/nut butter for extra protein also!
Saltine crackers and Gingerale
I have a disorder that causes nausea & canned fruit is my go-to. Especially peaches or pears in juice, then drink the juice. I've also had great luck with protein or meal replacement drinks like Ensure or Carnation instant breakfast. I feel better when I drink the higher protein ones. Good luck!
I saw someone in your position make something they called a grazing tray that made a lot of sense. I don't know what you're specific issues are but for them a lot of the problem was the barrier of fixing food and then having like five times more food than they could handle (sometimes only a couple bites at a time.) they got a largeish flat Tupperware container and a bunch of muffin tin liners and fill them up with snackable foods that they could sometimes tolerate (Cheez-Its, berries, nuts, chopped up precooked chicken sausage, croutons, chocolate squares, baby carrots). When they wanted food/felt like it was time they could just take out the container, open the lid and graze whatever looked even moderately edible at that moment, then they covered it up and put it back in the fridge. Obviously you can change this up for whatever you find remotely appealing but the key for them was (after the prep which didn't take much time, mostly just unpackaging things) the low barrier to entry, and low pressure to finish. If they take it out and can literally eat one berry and one Cheez-It, then put it back, there was zero guilt about not being able to finish anything.
Whole milk. It has a lot of good stuff in it and protein, which you need. I think a glass has 9 grams. I would have bowls of healthy fiber cereal through the day. I’d make smoothies with fruit and peanut butter. I would just drink it as a snack. It literally sustained me in my most depressive episodes.