Over winter break, I was unlucky enough to get super sick. What a great way to spend my time off, right? An unfortunate side effect of being diseased, besides being quarantined in your house, is that sometimes, you just can't stomach eating anything.
Whether you've got a stomach bug, a sore throat, the flu, or anything else, your appetite and eating habits are sure to be affected. Lucky for you, I've already been down that sick road and I've already come up with different varieties of soft and easy to swallow foods for when you're sick that you can eat in place of plain old chicken broth.
1. Mashed Potatoes (Or Sweet Potatoes!)
Who doesn't love mashed potatoes? This super soft food is easy to swallow on a sore throat and won't irritate your already touchy stomach. You can cook potatoes by wrapping them in wet paper towels, poking some holes in them with a fork, and popping them in the microwave for a few minutes. Mash them and make them extra smooth by adding milk and butter so they'll slide right down.
#Spoon Tip: Try mashed sweet potatoes as an alternative. Get a little extra vitamin A, C, and all the other great health benefits of sweet potatoes, while giving yourself a lil extra flavor.
2. Scrambled Eggs
To add a little protein into your monotonous diet, whip up some easy scrambled eggs. The soft texture goes down easily, AND it provides you with some much needed nutrition and flavor. Whisk in a little extra milk for softer set eggs that won't irritate your throat or your stomach.
3. Cottage Cheese
Sure, this is sort of a controversial food and a ton of people don't like it. But for those of you who do, the soft but unique texture of cottage cheese can be a nice change from the constant liquids that (I hope) you're drinking. If you're up to it, mix it with some fruit for a salty-sweet snack or meal.
4. Yogurt
I'm not going to lie to you, I pretty much survive on yogurt even when I'm not sick, so I'm kind of biased here. But yogurt is a great food for when you're sick too! The probiotics might be helpful if your digestive system is out of whack, and the cool, smooth texture is soothing on a sore throat. My recommendation would be plain Greek yogurt, but I know not everyone is a fan, so buy your favorite kind and be sure to keep your sugar intake down by checking the ingredients before you make your purchase.
5. Smoothies
Pull out your blender and start whipping up some healthy and delicious smoothies! Since they're make-your-own, you can include any ingredients you want: fruits, greens, yogurt, juice or other liquids. You can even add protein powder or peanut butter! The options are literally endless, so you don't have to worry about getting sick (haha) of the flavors, and they're really beneficial for your health if you're mindful of the ingredients you put in there. All you have to do is convince someone else to clean the blender for you (I mean, you ARE sick...).
6. Apple Sauce
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, right? So, I'm sure that's true of apple sauce too. Get your VERY necessary vitamin C (seriously, you can't have enough of it when you're sick) in a smooth liquid-y form instead of struggling to actually eat that crunchy apple. Look for a no-sugar-added version, because honestly, that added sugar is just unnecessary and it tastes just as good without it.
7. Refried Beans
It might not seem like your favorite taco side dish fits the bill as a food to eat when you're on your sickbed, but refried beans are actually perfect for when you're struggling to swallow hard foods. They provide a nice savory break from all the sweet foods to eat when you're sick on this list, and are high protein and filling. All in all, a win-win for you.
8. Pudding
Get your dessert fix (or breakfast or lunch or dinner) with a creamy bowl of pudding. Chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, tapioca, lemon, banana cream, whatever, we don't judge. It may not be the healthiest food, but who cares? Just let the velvety goodness slide right down your irritated throat and be happy.
9. Jello
Sure, jello is kind of gross. But when you have a sore throat or just got your wisdom teeth out, that slimy texture can dull your pain in the best way. Even if you wouldn't eat it when you're healthy, the cool soothing factor makes it worth your while when you're not feeling so hot and it is one of the top foods for when you're sick.
10. Ice Cream/ Ice Pops/ Milkshakes
The holy grail of sick foods! Cold, creamy ice cream is perfect any day, but its especially ideal when you're under the weather. Plain fruit juice ice pops (that you can even make yourself!) are easy on the stomach, and milkshakes are perfect if straws are the way to go. A nice big bowl of ice cream can't hurt either...
Hopefully you can try out some of these foods, so that chicken soup won't forever ruined for you after a period of being sick. Obviously, you should check with your doctor about what to eat regarding your specific circumstances, but here's to hoping you get better soon. This flu season can't end soon enough!