By Mayo Clinic Staff

Sometimes cancer or cancer treatment can cause changes in your appetite.

If you don't feel like eating, it can be hard to get enough calories and protein. Use this information to help plan meals and snacks that may be more appealing and provide the nutrition you need. If you still have trouble with your appetite, tell your healthcare team.

For some people with very advanced cancer, eating more may not help. This can be hard for you and the people who care about you. They may urge you to eat because they are worried. But this can add stress or make symptoms such as nausea worse. Your healthcare team can help you decide what approach to nutrition is right for you.

• Eat small meals more often. If you feel full after eating only a small amount, try eating small amounts throughout the day when you feel able to eat. You may find it easier to eat small amounts several times each day rather than eating larger meals at mealtimes.
• Schedule mealtimes. If you rarely feel hungry, it may help to eat on a schedule rather than to rely on appetite.
• Eat more when you're hungry. Many people have their best appetite in the morning.
• Limit fluids during meals. Liquids may make you feel full. Try drinking most fluids between meals rather than at mealtimes.
• Create a pleasant mealtime setting. Eat with others, when possible. Play soft music or use nice dishes.

When it comes to snacks, try to:

• Keep snacks handy. Have easy snacks ready so that you can eat when you feel able. Options that need little or no preparation include cheese, ice cream, canned fruit, nuts, nut or seed butter with crackers, and milk.

• Have a bedtime snack. Bedtime may be a good time to snack because it's less likely to affect your appetite at your next meal.

These tips might help make food more appealing at any time:

• Try cold foods. Foods that are cold or at room temperature may be more appealing, particularly if strong smells bother you. Cold sandwiches or main-dish salads, such as pasta salad or tuna, chicken, egg and ham salads, are good choices.
• Try different foods. Favorite foods may or may not appeal to you. Foods you usually do not choose may taste better now.
• Add gentle movement. Light activity may help the body process food you eat. Exercise also may help with fatigue, which can make it harder to plan, prepare or eat meals. Check with your healthcare professional to be sure exercise is safe for you. Pick an activity you enjoy and start slowly.
• Try shakes and instant drink mixes. Nutritional supplement drinks, such as instant breakfast mixes and canned or powdered shakes, can provide calories and nutrients and need little or no preparation. It may be easier for you to drink than to eat something.
• Make your own smoothies. Combine fruits and vegetables with yogurt, ice cream or milk to make your own smoothies. Choose the ingredients that are most appealing to you. This lets you customize the recipe to your tastes and nutritional needs.

During illness, treatment or recovery, you may need more calories than usual. The following suggestions can help increase the number of calories you consume:

• Add butter or oils to foods. Use butter or margarine on potatoes, bread, toast, hot cereal, rice, noodles and vegetables, and in soups. Put olive oil or another oil on bread, rice, pasta and vegetables.
• Spread peanut butter or other nut butters on toast, bread, apple or banana slices, crackers, or celery. Dip pretzels in peanut butter.
• Add shredded cheese to eggs, casseroles, salads and vegetables. Add sliced cheese to sandwiches.
• Choose higher-calorie cooking methods, such as breaded, sauteed or fried meat, chicken, fish or tofu.
• Top hot cereal with brown sugar, honey, dried fruit, cream or nut butter.
• Top pie, cake, gelatin or pudding with ice cream, whipped cream or cream.
• Use fruit canned in heavy syrup. If you prefer fresh fruit, add sugar and cream.
• Drink beverages that contain calories, such as fruit juice, lemonade, fruit-flavored drinks, malts, floats, soda, cocoa, milkshakes, smoothies and eggnog.

Some of these suggestions add more fat and sugar to your diet. For many people, this may not be a concern since these diet changes are temporary until the appetite returns. Talk with your healthcare professional or a dietitian if you have concerns about changing the way you eat.

If you've been ill, you may need extra protein. These suggestions may help you add protein to meals and snacks:

• Add extra meat, poultry, fish, cheese or beans to casseroles, soups or stews.
• Make your own high-protein milk, and use it as a beverage and for cooking. Add 1/4 cup powdered milk to 1 cup whole milk. Or add 1 cup powdered milk to 1 quart whole milk.
• Grate cheese into sauces, vegetables, soups and casseroles.
• Add chopped eggs to salads and sauces.

High-protein foods include:

• Meats, such as beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork and turkey.
• Eggs.
• Dairy products, such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk, milkshakes, pudding and yogurt.
• Nuts, seeds and other plant-based options, including peanut butter and other nut or seed butters, beans, tofu, and hummus.
• Protein-enriched foods, such as protein bars and protein powders.

If your loss of appetite keeps you from eating well for more than a few days, ask your healthcare professional about taking a multivitamin. Cancer treatments and other medicines can interact with nutritional supplements, so talk with your health professional first.

Check the label, and look for a multivitamin that does not give you more than 100% of the Daily Value of all the vitamins and minerals.

If you are eating or drinking nutritional supplements, such as bars, cookies, smoothies and other products that are fortified with vitamins and minerals, you may not need a multivitamin or additional supplements.

• Eat small amounts more frequently. If you feel full after eating only a small amount, try eating small amounts throughout the day when you get the urge to eat. You may find it easier to eat small amounts several times each day rather than at mealtimes.
• Schedule mealtimes. If you never seem to feel hungry, it's often helpful to eat according to a schedule rather than to rely on appetite.
• Eat more when you're hungry. Take advantage of the times when you feel your best to eat more. Many people have their best appetite in the morning, when they're rested.
• Limit fluids during meals. Liquids can fill you up and limit your intake of higher calorie foods. It may help to drink most of your liquids at least a half-hour before or after meals.
• Create a pleasant mealtime atmosphere. For example, use soft music, candles or nice place settings.
• Make meals more appealing. Select foods with a variety of colors and textures to make your meals more appealing.
• Avoid smells that make you sick. Pay attention to smells, as certain scents may decrease your appetite or bring on nausea. Avoid smells that have this effect on you.

• Keep snacks handy. Have snacks readily available so that you can eat when you're up to it.

  Cheese, ice cream, canned fruit in heavy syrup, dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter with crackers, cheese with crackers, muffins, cottage cheese and chocolate milk are examples of high-calorie snacks requiring little or no preparation.

  Don't be too concerned that some of these options are high in cholesterol or fat. Once you regain your appetite, you can focus on lower calorie snacking options.

• Have a bedtime snack. Bedtime may be a good time to snack because your appetite for the next meal won't be affected.

• Try cold foods. Foods that are cold or at room temperature may be more appealing, particularly if strong smells bother you. Cold sandwiches or main-dish salads, such as pasta salad or tuna, chicken, egg and ham salads, are good choices.
• Experiment with foods. Once-favorite foods may no longer appeal to you, while foods you were never fond of may become appealing.
• Exercise to increase your appetite. Regular exercise may help stimulate your appetite. Ask your doctor whether exercise is safe for you.
• Try shakes and instant drink mixes. Nutritional supplement drinks, such as instant breakfast mixes and canned or powdered shakes, can provide a significant amount of calories and require little or no preparation. It may be easier for you to drink rather than to eat something.
• Make your own smoothies. Combine fruits and vegetables with yogurt, ice cream or milk to make your own smoothies. Choose the ingredients that are most appealing to you. This option takes more effort than pre-made smoothies, but it allows you to customize the recipe to your tastes and nutritional needs.

During illness, treatment or recovery, your need for calories and protein may be greater than usual. The following suggestions can help increase the number of calories you consume:

• Add butter or oils to foods. Use butter or margarine generously on potatoes, bread, toast, hot cereal, rice, noodles and vegetables and in soups. Put olive oil or another oil on bread, rice, pasta and vegetables.
• Spread peanut butter or other nut butters — which contain protein and healthy fats — on toast, bread, apple or banana slices, crackers, or celery. Dip pretzels in peanut butter.
• Use croissants or biscuits to make sandwiches.
• Add powdered creamer or dry milk powder to hot cocoa, milkshakes, hot cereal, gravy, sauces, meatloaf, cream soups or puddings.
• Add sliced avocado or guacamole to salads and sandwiches.
• Add seeds, such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds, to salads, stir-fries and casseroles.
• Add ground flaxseeds to yogurt, smoothies, hot cereals and casseroles.
• Top hot cereal with brown sugar, honey, dried fruit, cream or nut butter.
• Top pie, cake, gelatin or pudding with ice cream, whipped cream or cream.
• Use fruit canned in heavy syrup. It has more calories than does fresh or juice-packed fruit. If you prefer fresh fruit, add sugar and cream.
• Drink beverages that contain calories, such as fruit juice, lemonade, fruit-flavored drinks, malts, floats, soda pop, cocoa, milkshakes, smoothies and eggnog. Nutritional supplement drinks are convenient options.

Though some of these suggestions add more fat and sugar to your diet, this shouldn't be a concern since you're only adding the extra calories until you can get your appetite back on track. Check with your doctor or a dietitian if you have concerns about changing the way you eat.

Protein is important for growth, health and repair of your body. If you've been ill, you may need extra protein. Some suggestions include:

• Add extra meat, poultry, fish, cheese or beans (pinto, navy, black, kidney) to casseroles, soups or stews.
• Choose meat salads, such as chicken, ham, turkey or tuna.
• Make your own high-protein milk: Add 1/4 cup powdered milk to 1 cup whole milk, or add 1 cup powdered milk to 1 quart whole milk. Use it as a beverage, add it to malts or shakes, or use it in cooking.
• Try a commercially prepared protein supplement.

If illness has made red meat — beef, pork or lamb — less appealing to you, try the following foods, which also are good sources of protein:

• Cheese
• Cottage cheese
• Beans
• Lentils
• Eggs
• Fish
• Poultry
• Nuts and nut butters
• Peanut butter
• Milk
• Milkshakes
• Custard
• Pudding
• Vegetarian burgers
• Yogurt
• Quinoa

Drinking plenty of fluids also is key to helping your body during treatment. Try to drink at least 64 ounces (2 liters) of fluid a day, unless your doctor has directed you to limit your fluid intake.

Try to choose drinks that contain calories. If sweetened beverages are too sweet, try flavored water or fruit juices diluted with water.