Quick Tips: Poor appetite

• Take a walk or do stretches before a meal. This may increase your appetite.
• Eat 5 or 6 small meals each day, instead of 3 large meals. For example, eat an 8:30 AM breakfast, 10 AM snack, 12:30 PM lunch, 3 PM snack, 5:30 PM dinner, and a 7:30 PM snack.
• Eat your favorite food, even if just a little bit.
• Drink homemade fruit shakes of nutrition supplements (such as Ensure and Carnation Instant Breakfast) instead of skipping a meal. Drink liquid supplements with a straw if you find that their smell makes them less appealing.
• Keep snacks handy, such as hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and peanut butter. Keep snacks that don't require refrigeration near your bed or by the television.
• Pack foods that don't need to be refrigerated for snacking when you are away from home.
• Stock up on frozen meals in single-portion packages. These are quick and easy to prepare.
• Try different food textures (add chopped nuts, seeds, or water chestnuts to dishes) to make eating more interesting.
• Watch cooking shows and keep cookbooks around.
• Make eating enjoyable--eat with others, eat in a pleasant place, light a candle.
• When possible, do not drink fluids with your meals. They can make you feel full sooner.