What foods worked best during chemo & radiation for throat cancer?

Posted by jxssicascott @jxssicascott, Dec 23, 2025

Hi all! I’m looking for suggestions on how to help my dad eat more during his treatments for throat cancer. He’s getting chemo & radiation on his neck/throat area, and he’s not eating nearly as much as he used to as food tastes metallic & it’s hard for him to swallow certain foods. We’ve already ruled out any spicy or acidic foods, those are just too harsh on his mouth & throat. I also ordered him some “miracle berries” that are supposed to help change the taste of certain foods & flavors, but he hasn’t tried them yet. So if you’ve gone through the same treatment & struggled with eating or everything tasting metallic, what foods worked best for you? Or was there anything you did to help alleviate the metallic taste? Thank you for any help!!!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Head & Neck Cancer Support Group.

jxssicascott | @jxssicascott | Dec 30, 2025

In reply to @mojo244 "Well as for me I was dependent upon a feeding tube for nearly a year because..." + (show)

@mojo244 he’s currently on a feeding tube right now. I was hopeful I could find something that he would be able to actually eat because I know he’s so frustrated with having to use the feeding tube, but he’s having a hard time with everything other than liquids right now.

Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Dec 30, 2025

Hello @jxssicascott and welcome to Mayo Connect. It is wonderful that you are looking for help for your dad. I can see that @mojo244 and @sandy8043 have already responded to your post with great suggestions based on their personal experiences.

You might also find helpful information on Connect's Head and Neck Cancer support group. Here is the link,
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/head-neck-cancer/
How long ago was your dad diagnosed?

Jody aka mojo244 | @mojo244 | Dec 29, 2025

Well as for me I was dependent upon a feeding tube for nearly a year because I couldn’t get anything but sips of water down. 9 years later I still can’t swallow solids without a bunch of water to wash it down.
As for taste he should see some relief after a few months from what I’ve heard.

sandy8043 | @sandy8043 | Dec 24, 2025

I made tapioca pudding in my slow cooker/crockpot. I found the recipes on Pinterest. Sometimes I ate it warm sometimes cold. Also I found a warm drink helped with swallowing. I'm a caffeine sensitive person so decaf tea with honey was my go-to.