Loss of interest in food

Chase_Corin · 02-02-2012, 08:07 PM

My dad is at the point where if its not sweet tasting he says it tastes like sawdust.

So, most things that my mom and I would eat my dad turns his nose up at.

Chicken has no flavor, steak is too tough, ham is okay, pork requires too much chewing too.

He dosn't like things like beans and peas, well actually any green vegtable.

So a lot of Tomato sandwiches are eaten, eggs and mashed potatoes, eggo waffles... but he is getting so tired of that sort of thing we are just at a loss for what to give him that might be appitizing.

We will go to the grocery store and get him things that he thinks that he wants to eat but when they come home and he tries them once again they taste like sawdust. Along with that his appitite is really bad when it comes to dinner. Breakfast and Lunch he has a appitite but at dinner time.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I am a good cook and have no issues about trying new things but I feel at a compleet loss as to what to feed dad. It has to be easy to chew and very flavorful.

vzandt · 02-02-2012, 08:43 PM

stews in the crock pot. my husband HATES turnip and squash but I cut it up small and put it in the crock pot and he doesnt even know its there and he loves the stew. the meat cooks up very tender. macaroni and cheese with a little tiny bit of salsa to give it zip. fruit in the blender with some veggies. you dont taste the veggies. scalloped potatoes with tiny bits of ham. Im hungry

Katie C · 02-02-2012, 09:09 PM

I would try to work with what you know... he likes breakfast and lunch so focus his calories there. Add cream and cheese and whatever to his eggs.. if you can slip in some veggies fine. Then if he's not that hungry at dinner, let him have dessert! Puddings, custards, etc can actually have some nutritional value as well as some good calories. Ensure comes in pudding form that tastes pretty good and may have that sweetness he needs. And yes... you can put just about anything in the blender with some cream or broth so it doesn't need chewing, especially as the muscles weaken. Also... try going with four or five snack sized meals instead of three larger meals.. they'll take less energy to eat and may get some more calories in.

penny1 · 02-03-2012, 08:46 AM

My husband loved my super milk shake, and it is loaded with good stuff . 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 pkg instant breakfast, 3 scoops of ice cream. I fiqured the cal at about 800. We would use fruit or jelly in the vanilla make up our own flavors. If using fruit or jelly blend with a small amount of the milk to blend before adding the other stuff. At this point anything he will eat is good, your goal is keeping his weight up, if it is with milk shakes and pie, so what. Penny

cervus · 02-03-2012, 10:36 AM

It's really difficult if nothing tastes good. Bob didn't lose his taste buds, just his ability to eat. But until he did, he ate whatever he wanted to (his big chance) and it was great. Are his meds making his food taste like saw dust? In the mean time, all I can suggest is to make sure he's well hydrated and if he is going to have lots of sweet stuff, make sure he has good oral care.

KKay · 02-03-2012, 12:39 PM

My husband eats alot of pasta and "anything" parmesan. I have found a new favorite pasta by Culinary Circle called Tritottle (?), something like that. It is big but very thin and easy to chew(not alot of chewing). Cream chipped beef on mashed potatoes is also a fave. Because using a straw can sometimes be exhausting I will make the shake extra thick and spoonfeed it.

Al · 02-09-2012, 04:15 PM

I'm getting fussy too. I still like pot roast with mashed potatoes, meat loaf and Costco salmon fillets. All easy to chew and with gravy for extra calories.

AL.

LizT · 02-09-2012, 04:25 PM

Cant you ask him what he would like?

cubcake · 02-09-2012, 06:21 PM

Second shout out for the Costco salmon fillets. And you can flavor them all sorts of ways. I make a really nice orange pan sauce to go on ours. I don't know what I'd do without Costco, at this point. (I got a great deal on my VitaMix there!).

My brother calls me a Cost-Ho.

notgivnup · 02-09-2012, 06:50 PM

I have loss my appetite, eat small amounts and have only certain things I now eat. Mostly easy things as I dont cook anymore unless it is in microwave (hate them things, but useful). My son made me a big meal (he also was a chef at the Hyatt at one time so a very good cook), but after the meal, I felt sick to my stomach. Just not use to real meals anymore I guess. But I do love my sweets, I know we must keep our weight up though....Bring on the goodies...

cubcake · 02-09-2012, 07:27 PM

Honestly, with the diagnosis that we all have, I say you should have whatever you want. Goodies? Eat them all!

Besides having ALS and FTD, we also have Celiac disease, so he can't have any gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc) and it is a challenge. Back in our prediagnosis days, I really encouraged him to eat in a very health manner. We surpassed, everyday, our daily doses of fruits and veggies, stuck to simply prepared lean meats and whole grains, and I severely limited the foods his momma brought him up on. I mean really.....tamales on a weekly basis? Those things are a Heart Attack in a Husk! But now, he eats whatever he can choke down, and I'm happy to serve it. His FTD makes his reality of ALS pretty much impossible for him to comprehend, so he just thinks I've come to my senses and have come around to the good life. Tamale, anyone?

Who says you can't have your pudding if you don't eat your meat?

Katie C · 02-09-2012, 07:45 PM

Lol! Cubcake... LOVED your closing line!

kiwisally · 02-09-2012, 11:22 PM

Cupcake I'll take two please! Someone was looking out for your dear husband when you walked into his life, of that I certain.

DeansWife · 02-10-2012, 07:24 AM

I'm jumping in here as well. We finally found something other than pasta that my dh will eat and enjoy! Frozen pot pie's. We baked it in the oven (I don't like them microwaved) then chopped it up really fine. There is usually a lot of gravy in them so they are good and moist. He wolfed down every bite last night - without choking - yea! He does eat the pudding, jello etc. but has never been a sweets person. He loves eating the cream pies, leaves the crust. So now he has variety - pasta and pot pie! Sometimes mashed potatos n'gravy. I think the less stressed I become about his eating the better he does. I'm learning......

st123 · 02-10-2012, 12:12 PM

Hi Chase, we're having similar issues with my Dad. I guess we're no longer worried about clogging arteries, but he's an insulin-dependent diabetic so we're still counting carbs and sugar. He is also having a terrible time with constipation. OTC meds don't seem to help so we're trying to address with diet as well, but he's not very cooperative. Very frustrating. I think back to those days when I was a kid and we had to "clean our plates" of whatever was served or face Dad's wrath (no idea why that was such a big deal to him) and sometimes wish I could use 'authority' rather than 'coercion', but it ain't happenin', lol.