Nutrition and Sickness: Importance of Meal Prep

I previously wrote about loss of appetite and nausea. Getting adequate nutrition to help you heal as you battle an infection is so important. And it isn’t always easy to do.

One thing that helps me, specifically when I am sick, is having meals prepared ahead of time. Thinking ahead and preparing meals does take time and energy. So, I usually do this when I am feeling good. But it is important to remember that there is more than one type of premade meals. There are many options available to you depending on your preferences and resources.

Different kinds of premade meals

It is important to make sure you have nutritious meals for when you are sick. But preparing meals will look different for each person. For example, meal preparation could look like getting a few of your favorite premade meals from the grocery store. These are often frozen meals. And they can be stored in your freezer for long periods.

Another way to have premade meals is to make them yourself. This requires more energy but can be helpful – especially if you have a family recipe you love to eat when you’re feeling under the weather. For example, one of my favorites to eat when I am sick is homemade chicken and dumplings.

Not all premade meals require freezing. There are many premade meal options that do not have to be frozen. For example, there are yummy, canned soups that can be a light meal. Additionally, you can store tuna in a pantry, and that is a great source of protein. It takes time to figure out what you like, but it can really help to have things ready for when you are sick.

Storing premade meals

What do you do with the meals and snacks once you have them? You need to figure out a way to store them. This will differ from person to person, just like meals do.

One of the things I have learned over the years is how to store meals and food in ways that make them easy to access. For example, if you are sick, you don’t want to have to dig through a pantry or a freezer to get a meal out. You aren’t feeling well, and your energy is limited. This wouldn’t be helpful at all!

I have two different ways to store food for when I am sick. One is specific to foods that must be frozen. And the other is for foods that can be stored in the pantry.

Storing frozen meals

In my freezer, I have a shelf where I store most of my premade meals. On one side of the shelf are the meals that I bought at the grocery store in the freezer section. These are typically single-serving Bird’s Eye meals or Omaha Steaks. Some other examples of premade, frozen meals you can buy in the grocery store are Marie Callender’s or El Monterrey.

Single-serving, frozen meals are great because they don’t require everyone in your house to eat the same thing. I sometimes crave odd things when I am sick. And this protects my family from my unusual craving!

On the other side of the freezer are small, foil casserole dishes. These small, foil casserole dishes hold some of my favorite homemade meals. Specifically, it stores the meals I know I will crave when I am sick. I will make a normal-sized meal and then section it into smaller portions to freeze. This provides even more options for me.

Storing Pantry Meals

Most of my premade meals that I store in the pantry are in a large Tupperware or an old box I received some mail in. It may not be fancy, but it works! This box will have instant noodles, cans of soup, single-serving bags of tuna, and a few boxes of Easy Mac. I will usually keep it in the back of the pantry and check the dates every few months.

Getting good nutrition when your appetite is low or if you are experiencing nausea is important. Having meals ready to go can help bridge the gap until you are feeling better. And this is especially important if you live alone or do not have a strong support system.

It is also important to remember that preparing meals for when you are sick does not have to be complicated. Think things through, determine your resources, and plan to the best of your ability. Each experience with illness is different, so what worked last time may need to be altered slightly for the future. That’s part of living life with a chronic illness.