Nutrition handouts: How to eat more calories and protein when eating is a chore (2024)

Download the "How to eat more calories and protein when eating is a chore" PDF

Why are calories and protein important?

Eating enough calories and protein can help you:

• Keep your strength and energy
• Maintain your weight and muscle mass
• Cope with side effects from your treatment
• Lower your risk of infection
• Lower your risk of a hospital stay
• Heal and get better faster

How do I know if I am getting enough calories?

Watch for changes in your weight. If you lose weight without trying, you may not be getting enough calories. See below for a list of high-calorie foods to add to your diet. Weigh yourself at least once a week and write it down. If this is too stressful, ask your health care team to weigh you at each appointment.

How do I know if I am getting enough protein?

A dietitian can help you determine how much protein you need each day. In general, people with cancer need more protein than usual. Try to eat a protein food at every meal and snack. See below for a list of high-protein foods.

Do I need to take vitamin and mineral supplements?

No, unless your doctor tells you differently. Your vitamin and mineral needs when you have cancer are the same as when you were healthy.

A regular dose multivitamin-mineral supplement may help if you cannot eat a variety of foods. Your doctor or dietitian may recommend a multivitamin-mineral supplement.

Big doses of vitamins and minerals can be harmful and are usually not recommended. Talk to your doctor, dietitian, or pharmacist about any vitamin and mineral supplements you are taking.

I am never hungry – how can I eat enough?

• Choose high-calorie, high-protein foods often. See below for ideas.
• Keep foods and snacks where you can see them as a reminder to eat. Stock up on snacks like muffins, crackers, cheese, trail mix, and yogurt.
• Eat small meals and snacks every two to three hours. Do not wait to feel hungry.
• Eat your favorite foods at any time of the day. For example, try breakfast for dinner.
• Go for a walk before meals to increase your appetite.
• Eat your biggest meal when you feel most hungry, not when you usually would.
• Choose fluids that give you energy like milk, smoothies, soups, and 100 per cent fruit juice.
• Limit fluids with no calories and no protein like water, tea, coffee, and broth. These will fill you up but do not have any protein or calories.
• Drink fluids in-between meals, not during meals, so that you do not fill up as quickly. If you do drink with meals, take small sips.
• Make cooking easier:
  • Keep easy-to-make foods that you know you like on hand, like frozen entrées, canned foods, eggs, and prepared foods from the grocery store.
  • Order take-out.
  • Accept offers from friends and family to cook meals or grocery shop.
  • Cook and freeze meals when you have energy, to have on hand.
• Eat what tastes good, even if that means eating the same foods every day.
• Try nutrition supplement drinks. Choose “plus” varieties for more calories. If these are too sweet, add plain milk or blend them in a smoothie.

High-calorie foods

♥ Heart-healthy
*Plant-based

Note: For lactose-free choose “lactose-free” cow’s milk products or plant-based options.

High-protein foods

These foods are also a good source of calories.

♥ Heart-healthy
* Plant-based

What are nutrition supplements?

Nutrition supplements are high-calorie and/or high-protein products that can replace or supplement (add extra nutrition to) a meal or snack. Examples are:

• Nutrition supplement drinks like Ensure, Boost, and generic store brands
• Nutrition supplement puddings
• Protein powders like whey, soy, or pea protein

Try to get as much nutrition as you can from a variety of foods. If you cannot do this, nutrition supplements are a great choice.

Samples are available for patients at the Nutrition Resource Centre, T-wing ground floor, TG-261 (across from the café).

High-calorie and high-protein meal and snack ideas

Breakfast ideas:

• Oatmeal or cream of wheat cooked with milk or soy milk instead of water. Whisk in an egg while cooking or stir in peanut butter. Add cinnamon, raisins, chopped nuts, fresh fruit, and brown sugar.
• Smoothie with added protein foods like Greek yogurt, nut butter, tofu, protein powder, or skim milk powder. Use milk, soy milk, or high-protein milk* as your fluid.
• Scrambled eggs or tofu topped with cheese. Serve with sliced avocado or baked beans.
• French toast or banana pancakes* topped with syrup, fresh fruit, ricotta cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, or whipped cream.
• Omelet made with vegetables, cheese, and olives and fried in olive oil or butter.
• Cereal with high-protein milk* and added chopped nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
• Greek or Icelandic yogurt or cottage cheese with honey, fruit, and chopped nuts or seeds.
• Toast, bagel, or bun with peanut butter and honey, butter and cheese, or cream cheese and smoked salmon.
• Fried rice with protein foods like fried eggs, chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu. Add extra olive oil to rice for even more calories.
• Congee with protein foods like eggs, chicken, tofu, shrimp, or pork. Stir in olive oil for extra calories or flavourless protein powder for more protein.

Lunch and dinner ideas

• Sandwich with a high-protein filling – try egg, tuna, salmon, chicken, or chickpea salad, peanut butter, hummus, or cheese. Spread with butter, mayo, or avocado.
• Soups with cream, chicken, fish, tofu, beef, eggs, or legumes (dried beans, peas, or lentils). Add flavourless protein powder or chickpea flour for more protein.
• Samosas filled with meat.
• Meat or fish served with gravy and high-protein mashed potatoes.*
• Meat pies served with high-protein mashed potatoes.*
• Quiche made with cream, ham, and cheese.
• Stir-fry made with tofu or meat and served with peanut sauce.
• Chili with extra beans or ground meat, topped with full-fat sour cream, grated cheese, or avocado.
• Nachos or tacos topped with beans, cheese, olives, guacamole, full-fat sour cream, and/or salsa.
• Dhal topped with plain Greek yogurt and served with roti or naan.
• Stew made with meat or legumes (dried beans, peas, or lentils), and served over high-protein mashed potatoes.*
• Pasta or lasagna with meat or lentils added to the sauce.
• Pierogis or dumplings filled with meat, cheese, or beans, pan-fried, and topped with full-fat sour cream and grated cheese.
• Fried rice with protein foods like fried eggs, chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu. Add extra olive oil to rice for even more calories.
• Congee with protein foods like eggs, chicken, tofu, shrimp, or pork. Stir in olive oil for extra calories or flavourless protein powder for more protein.

Snack ideas

• Peanut butter with apple slices, celery sticks, or crackers
• Banana muffin with peanut butter or cheese
• Hummus or tzatziki made with Greek yogurt spread on pita bread
• Cottage cheese with chopped apple, cinnamon, and maple syrup
• Cottage cheese on crackers with sliced cherry tomatoes
• Egg, tuna, salmon, chicken, chickpea, or lentil salad with vegetables or crackers
• Fruit smoothie with ¼ cup skim milk powder or protein powder
• Handful of edamame beans or roasted chickpeas
• Hardboiled egg
• Bean dip with crackers, vegetables, or chips
• Popcorn with butter or olive oil and parmesan cheese, mixed with nuts
• Sliced cheese with fruit
• Trail mix made with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and cereal
• Yogurt with nuts and seeds, honey, and fruit
• Avocado mashed with white beans and spread on toast

Dessert ideas

• Rice pudding or coconut mango sticky rice with added skim milk powder or protein powder
• Dessert tofu with fruit
• Ice cream, frozen yogurt, or milkshakes
• Cheesecake
• Pudding/custard made with milk, soy milk, or high-protein milk*
• Creamy Jell-O*

*see below for recipes

Recipes

Note: This is not a full list of brands or products. The Odette Cancer Centre does not recommend one brand over another and is not responsible for any products listed.