How do you eat during chemo when everything tastes bad?

For me it was “bright flavors” like applesauce or lemon curd.
But know that if you find something that appeals to her, the next day it may not. It is frustrating for care givers I am sure.

After I returned home from my Whipple surgery, I didn't have much of an appetite and much of the food was unappealing. Looking for creative ways to prepare food so that I would get much needed nutrition and protein, I ran into a book called "Cook for Your Life" by Ann Ogden Gaffney. The books was many recipes for people that are undergoing cancer treatment. I believe she now also has her own website where you can download more cooking ideas. I keep trying different recipes till I find those that I like yet are are health for my new digestive system and pancreas.

My husband lost 100 lbs during folfox treatment. ( he was overweight). He said everything tasted metallic and couldn’t eat. I read on line that 20% of all cancer patients die from malnutrition. I told him this and he started eating again. The nutritionist suggested Fiji water as it has minerals and electrolytes. We have been drinking it since. Expensive but great H2O.

My brother Frank had a Whipple surgery on August 16 he’s in a skilled rehabilitation hospital now he still has the tube in the abdomen for the stomach bile and they took him off the TBN he also had fluid in his lungs they had to drain he is extremely weak he’s lost quite a bit of weight and he’s eating very little he said everything taste awful Any suggestions for him to gain weight so that he can get his strength back

These links discuss taste changes and how to use seasonings and spices to enhance taste.

Metallic Taste
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/eating-problems/taste-smell-changes.html
https://www.whatnext.com/blog/posts/15-ways-to-battle-metallic-taste-from-chemo
DIET AND NUTRITION
http://media.pancan.org/pdf/patient-services/booklets/Diet-Nutrition-Booklet-Digital.pdf
TASTE CHANGES
Use plastic or wooden cutlery
Sweeten foods that taste salty
Add salt, vinegar, lemon juice to overly sweet foods (if no mouth sores)
Marinate meat in fruit juices
Add spices and herbs to food
Lemon candies between meals
Keep mouth clean (non-alcohol rinse)

one of the BEST things i have learned for myself to deal with the metal taste is cold imitation crab meat...yea that stuff you find in the grocery store that is marketed to go in salads or whatever...i would pick at it throughout the day and tbh i wish i had discovered it sooner than i did, it typically will keep the metal taste away for me for up to 30 min. then i would go get another bite sized piece...shellfish was a go to... fried oysters, scallops, stuffed clams, etc...and of course as someone else recommended lemon candy...i personally got lemonheads...if you don't like lemon, watermelon jolly ranchers also helped BUT they didn't get rid of the taste for as long..

I remember those days when everything tasted horrible.
My go to food was hot dogs, bread and lemonade.
My Pakistani colleague would bring me a dish with green peas seasoned with cardamom!
I could actually eat this- probably because of the spice.
I wish there had been a nutritionist to help recommending healthy options of what I could eat as well as supplements, vitamins etc.
Ensure?

Just an fyi The links don’t work

Metallic Taste
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/eating-problems/taste-smell-changes.html
.
https://www.whatnext.com/blog/posts/15-ways-to-battle-metallic-taste-from-chemo

My husband had the same problem. Nothing tasted good. He would force a protein drink down each morning just to have something in his stomach. And some fruits tasted ok... tangerines and peaches, but I couldn't talk him in to smoothies which we have had almost daily for decades.

They did prescribe mirtazapine for stimulating his appetite, and it seemed to work great. But this was after his 12 folfirinox treatments, so possibly it worked because he was just on a maintenance chemo at that point. He has gained back much of the 20 pounds he lost this summer. Unfortunately has just started folfirinox again so we'll see what happens.

His "go to" meals were crazy and not necessarily healthy. But if I could get him to eat anything I was happy. Spaghetti was ok. Bologna sandwiches on white bread?? We hadn't had bologna or white bread in the house in many, many years. But maybe it reminded him of childhood and just tasted good? Jello was good for a while. A half avacado with salt (he needed sodium). I would try to talk him into a second protein drink, but he just couldn't do two. Tried carrot juice for a while, but I think he only drank it because he could see I was trying... Wish I had a magic idea for you, but for Dan, I just kept trying different things until he would eat a little. And the next day it might be something else that worked. It's hard to watch your loved one not wanting to eat anything.