HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
How to overcome a poor appetite
Me pēhea e patu i te minamina ngoikore
If you're recovering from illness, have just left hospital or have simply lost your appetite, there may be days when you just do not feel like eating. The tips on this page may help you to eat more.
- If you can, be active or go for a walk before meals.
- Eat small meals or snacks every two to three hours.
- Serve meals on smaller plates.
- Chop your food into bite-sized portions to make eating easier.
- Choose foods that you enjoy the taste and smell of.
- Try foods you can quickly and easily digest. For example, eggs, crackers, soup, spaghetti, macaroni cheese, chicken in gravy and mashed vegetables. Also, milk puddings and stewed or canned fruit.
- Add herbs and spices to give your food more flavour.
- If you can, eat with family, friends or neighbours rather than by yourself.
- Try eating while you watch TV or read, to take your mind off the food.
- Ask your GP or practice nurse if your medications may be causing your appetite or taste problems.
Snacks
If you do not feel like eating a meal, choose a nutritious snack. Try some of these ideas:
- sandwiches, rolls, bagels or pita bread with protein fillings like cheese, egg, cold meat, canned fish, hummus or peanut butter
- toast with your favourite spread, such as cheese and marmite, peanut butter, honey or banana
- toast topped with baked beans, spaghetti or creamed corn
- crackers with toppings like cheese, hummus, paté or meat paste
- muffins, scones, pikelets or fruit loaf
- fresh, stewed or canned fruit served with custard, yoghurt or ice cream
- cheese slices or segments
- yoghurt, dairy food, custard or ice cream
- plain or flavoured milk, with Milo or Ovaltine
- milk made into a milkshake or fruit smoothie (see the recipes below)
- breakfast cereal with milk or a cereal bar
- soup with toast or a bread roll.
Fluids
- Try to drink at least eight cups of fluid a day. Water, milk, juice, hot drinks, soup, custard, jelly and ice blocks all count as fluids. See How to get enough to drink.
- Avoid drinking too many cups of low-calorie fluids like tea, black coffee and water. They will fill you up but provide no calories (energy) or nutritional value.
- Drink between meals rather than just before or with meals.
- If you really do not feel like eating, replace a meal or snack with a high-energy drink.
High-energy drinks
You can make these drinks in a blender or food processor. You can also use a shaker or stick blender if you want. Whisk or blend all the ingredients and drink straight away.
Oral nutrition supplements
- Oral nutrition supplement drinks are rich in nutrients and calories. See Oral nutrition supplements.
Milkshake
- 200 ml dark-blue-top milk (whole milk)
- 1 scoop ice cream
- 3 tbsp skim milk powder
- Flavour with 1 tbsp of Milo, Raro, Nesquik and so on, or 2 tbsp milkshake syrup, or half a cup fruit (soft, fresh, or canned)
Fruit smoothie
- 200 ml dark-blue-top milk (whole milk)
- ½ cup yoghurt or ice cream
- ½ cup fruit, such as banana, frozen berries, canned peaches or apricots
- 2 tsp honey, or maple syrup
Yoghurt drink
- 150 g pottle yoghurt
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 banana
- ½ cup orange juice
Spider shake
- 200 ml lemonade
- 2 scoops ice cream
- Place the ice cream in a tall glass and add the lemonade.
On the next page: Oral nutrition supplements
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed February 2022.
Sources
See also:
Review key: HIMWA-28082
