Nourishing drinks

Macmillan Cancer Support Medical Reference

If you can’t face a meal, have a nourishing drink instead. You can also drink these between meals to help you put on some weight.

Some people like an occasional glass of stout to boost their appetite. You might like to make your own drinks such as fruit milkshakes or smoothies. Make a smoothie by blending fresh apple, strawberries, banana or other soft fruit with fortified milk, fruit juice, ice cream or yoghurt in a liquidiser or blender.

To make a nutritious milkshake, mix fortified milk with either puréed fruit or a fruit yoghurt and add 2-3 teaspoonfuls of a high-energy powder supplement. A scoop of ice cream will top it off tastily, and add extra energy.

Fortified milk

You can make fortified milk by adding 2-4 tablespoons of dried milk powder to a pint (450mls) of full cream milk. Keep it in the fridge and use in drinks and cooking. Use fortified milk instead of water to make up soups, jellies, custard and puddings. Many of the makers of nutritional supplements can give you recipes that use their products.

Most supermarkets sell dried milk powder, and it is usually on shelves close to the coffee and tea section, or near the milk.

For more information about nourishing drinks, and further advice on eating well during and after cancer, visit Macmillan Cancer Support’s website.