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If you feel weak or tired all the time, you may find it difficult to shop, prepare and cook food. This can lead to reduced dietary intake.
Here are some suggestions to increase your overall food intake:
● Eat ‘little and often’ rather than restricting yourself to set mealtimes.
● Have convenience meals available for days that you do not feel like cooking e.g. frozen meals, ready meals and tinned food. Defrost frozen foods thoroughly and follow cooking instructions carefully to avoid any risk of food poisoning.
● Ensure your store cupboard is well stocked with convenience foods such as tinned soups, tinned fruits and puddings, packet instant desserts, tinned meals and snacks for days when you are feeling more tired and less active.
● Plan ahead if you know when you are likely to be tired. Stock up on convenience foods mentioned above or prepare food while you are feeling active and freeze portions ready for times when you are too tired to cook.
● Include starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes, and cereals as these provide slow-releasing energy.
● If you are preparing meals for yourself, try sitting on a chair or stool to conserve your energy.
● Rest for 10-15 minutes before mealtimes.
● Try to plan your meals and snacks a few days in advance; this may help to avoid last minute shopping trips and the stress of deciding what to eat each day.
● If you are eating less, try to include some nourishing drinks in between meals such as milk, milkshakes, smoothies, fruit juice, Horlicks, Ovaltine, hot chocolate.
● Keep snacks within easy reach. Eating small amounts often is less tiring than having a full meal.
● Ask friends and family to help you by doing some shopping and cooking or do your food shopping online and have it delivered to your home.
● Try local meal delivery services, which can deliver meals of your choice to your home.
● Reserve time to yourself to rest and have meals and ask visitors not to come to see you during these times.
