7 Best Foods To Eat When You’re Sick

Whether it’s the cold or the flu, finding suitable foods to eat while you’re down and out is one of the worst parts of being sick. You don’t want to cook, don’t want to go out for food, and don’t want to eat anything fatty or demanding.  That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best foods to eat when you’re feeling lousy.

Matzah Ball or Chicken Noodle Soup

While not exactly the most original suggestion, there’s a reason over concerned mothers have been suggesting these two delicious soups as the perfect remedy for at-home children. Rich in essential nutrients, tasty, and filled with broth that hydrates your much-tried body, it’s hard to get better than a nice, hot bowl of chicken noodle or matzah ball soup.

Toast

Sometimes simplicity is king. You want something that will stay down easy, fill you up a bit, and don’t want to spend more than 35 seconds ‘cooking.’ Pair it with peanut butter and honey to get an extra calorie boost and to soothe your aching throat.

Ice Cream

This won’t necessarily help you heal, but it will make you feel better. Sometimes feeling sick is about treating yourself to whatever pleasures still exist under that fever. On top of being easy on an agitated throat, ice cream always makes you happy, so live a little and treat yourself to a nice milkshake or an extra scoop.

Bananas

Bananas, often heralded as a secret super fruit, really do a lot for you. They provide potassium, they are filling in the way more watery fruits aren’t, and are as cheap and accessible as anything. While we wouldn’t suggest eating a half-dozen a day, keeping bananas as an essential part of your sick diet is a good call because it provides a dose of fruit when you least feel like taking the time to eat healthily.

Smoothies

Perhaps the only thing easier on this list to prepare than toast is a fruit and veggie rich smoothie that can help kickstart your immune system and give your body many much-missed nutrients. You can use bananas as a creamy base and pack your blender with frozen strawberries and blueberries, avocado, mango, and, if you can bear it, kale and spinach. Using apple or orange juice as a liquid over milk is essential, as dairy is known to create more mucus and phlegm. The key here is to use items high in vitamin C.

‘Ants On A Log’ AKA Celery, Peanut-butter and Raisins

Embrace your inner kid with this recess favorite. Part savory, part sweet, part hydrating goodness, this time-honored combo is a little immature and a lot delicious. The peanut butter — we recommend using natural as you want to avoid added sugars as much as possible — will help coat your throat, while the celery hydrates and the raisins provide a touch of iron and a lot of deliciousness.

Carrots, Sliced Pepper, Etc.

These suggestions are for when you’re feeling a bit better. Lush veggies you normally associate with dipping are a great way to get those precious nutrients and sneak extra hydration into your diet. Of course, if you’re feeling up to pairing these with hummus, then definitely go for it. Your body is often desperate for good fats that are easy to digest. If heavier dips are pushing it, stick with some sliced veggies to snack on throughout the day.

No one likes being sick, but these seven suggestions can help make the healing process a bit more tolerable.