So individual. For my husband, homemade custards, cheese, for some reason pineapple. NOT red wine - it tastes like metal. Some people say that they have to eat off plastic utensils as their taste of metals is so heightened. This of course is a chemo based side effect (Cisplatin gives this metallic taste). There are great soft food cookbooks out there.

Unfortunately chasing that food intake was a loosing battle for me - my husband lost 50 lbs (and he didn't need to) no matter what I prepared. Has gained about 15 back, but this week feeling crappy and down 5 again :-(

Best wishes,
j.

I think everyone is different, but I found that blander foods were discusting to me during chemo. I couldn't even stand the smell of my favorite meal (roast beef, mashed potatoes & gravy) until I was done with chemo. Spicy foods like Mexican food, chili, etc, though not good for acid in the stomach, tasted good to me. Also tunafish sandwiches tasted good, and I normally don't care that much for them. I also bought a smoothy maker (Bullet) and found that I liked banana smoothies made with 1 banana, a little ice, enough low fat milk to cover the ice, and vanila flavered ERA Soy Protein powder. The powder is 175 calories a scoop so it helped with my weight. The smoothies didn't make me sick, but drinks like Ensure did make me sick for some reason. I also could eat toasted whole wheat bagels with no butter, and instant oat meal. Hope that helps.

I'm with Dan....although they dont always like me, I found very strong flavors to be the only things I could taste. Salsa, red sauce, spicy chinese sauces. I also found, as they told me I would, I now like foods I've never liked before. Mustard was an anathema to me...not even on a hot dog. Now, I love it on all my sandwiches. I ate salad every day of my life....cant eat it anymore...no taste whatsover. Same with most green vegetables. I made a decision early on that I was going to live my life...and not have it controlled by EC.....I drink wine, I eat pizza, I eat burgers and fries....havent had a steak in 2.5 years, though....too dense....Life goes on....ML.

My father has seemed to be drawn to cold, bland foods. He really likes the Oscar Meyer deli style chicken sandwiches with Mayo only and cottage cheese. He struggles with anything with as strong smell because it makes him nauseated. He also enjoys sweets a lot. I'm a CMA in a nursing home and with my experience, the "sweet" taste buds are the last to go when you lose them. Some of my residents that have struggled with cancer also don't like anything but sweets. Even if they get at plate of food that they won't touch, if I sprinkle sugar all over it they will tear it up.

I missed a couple of your postings.... Thanks for the advice.

I had a tuna sandwich one day at the hospital when my husband was getting his chemo. He ate half the sandwich much to my surprise. The next time it 'didn't taste good" but the problem was it was too dry.

My husband wants everything sweet too. I thought it was his diabetes but maybe it's his taste buds. I will need to focus more on this.

I remember foods not tasting right after chemo for some time. I agree about the sweets. I also learned I could not tolerate milk in any form, or tomatoes, both of which I loved. I still can't tolerate them.

I also had the same thing happen after my strokes recently. Everything tasted like card board. Sweets came back first. The rest are still on the way.

Things should get better.

All the best,

Fred

Hi, My brother seems to be able to get liguids down much easier than solids. Trying using a juicer (like jackalane's. You can juice up some delicious drinks and add whey powder to it. Whey powder provides a lot of protein with just a scoop of it. You can find it in anygrocery store and it comes in vanilla, chocolate and tasteless, and additionally is very economical. Soups, salads and seafood also seem to be easier to eat compared to meat cheese and breads or starches . Good luck, I will pray for you! P.S. His taste buds may be damaged by the radiation but should come back with time, and time will bring back the taste of foods.