# What Do You Eat When You're Sick? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413 "2010-03-05T14:51:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/1 "2010-03-05T14:51:16Z")
I have a cold. Bleh. And I brought Cup-a-Soup to work today. I commented to a coworker that you can tell when I have a really bad cold because I want Cup-a-Soup. I normally wouldn’t touch the stuff. I even keep some in the house, like I keep cold medicine. I get colds all too often. ☹ Back when I was married and I had a cold, my ex would offer to go to the supermarket and get me “sicky food.” He knew exactly what things I wanted, because I always wanted the same thing: –Cup-a-Soup –Ginger Ale –Pastina, carrots, and Herb-Ox chicken boullion in packets\* –Saltines –Progresso Hearty Chicken with Rotini soup (for when I felt a little better) I rarely want the tea and toast or the applesauce that lots of people seem to recommend, though I love tea and applesauce at other times. If I have a stomach upset, I always want seltzer and pretzels. So I’m wondering what other people want when they’re sick. Particularly if it’s things that they don’t normally choose to eat. - This stuff was to make “sicky soup.” I boil up some half-strength bullion and add the pastina and finely chopped carrots. I cook it until the pastina is really soft and has absorbed most of the broth. It makes a kind of gruel. The carrots make it taste good and also make me feel like I’m eating something nutritious. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/2 "2010-03-05T14:54:11Z")
Tea, toast, poached eggs, Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, ginger ale and saltines. Oddly, looking at this list is actually _making_ me feel a little sick. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/3 "2010-03-05T14:57:27Z")
I don’t usually allow myself to drink soda, but if I’m sick, I get to have Coke. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/4 "2010-03-05T15:12:55Z")
A grilled cheese sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/5 "2010-03-05T15:19:01Z")
Soup Boiled eggs Ginger ale Kraft Dinner (Macaroni and Cheese) Bovril ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/6 "2010-03-05T15:21:59Z")
french bread milk cheese Those are the few things I can stand when I have a cold. ---
**Author:** ![Alpine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpine/32/17813_2.png) [@Alpine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpine)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/7 "2010-03-05T15:33:00Z")
I keep chicken noodle Cup’o’Soup for the same reason. I’ve tried having homemade chicken soup in the freezer, but I don’t get sick often enough to use it before it’s unforgivably freezer burned. Ginger ale and saltines, too! Toast. Plain pasta. Herbal tea instead of black, since I can’t put milk in it. Can’t have any dairy when sick. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/8 "2010-03-05T15:34:01Z")
Udon noodles, some bland cold cut sandwich, or if I’m feeling _really_ crazy, chicken soft taco supremes from Taco Bell (good hangover food, too). And I don’t eat sweets very much, but when I’m sick I get this almost uncontrollable craving for chocolate. Otherwise, I never touch the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![breaking-reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/9 "2010-03-05T15:35:49Z")
Whenever I have an upset stomach, I usually opt for mints (think Jr. Mints or Mint Patties) and a sprite or ginger ale. It’s something I learned from my mother. Sometimes I’ll grab saltines as well. When I have a cold, I tend to drink a boatload of tea, usually peppermint or Earl Grey, and eat chicken noodle soup. Mostly I mope around the house with Kleenex and cough drops and a cup of tea. Also, when I’m sick, I switch to putting honey in my tea instead of sugar, or half one and half the other. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/10 "2010-03-05T15:41:57Z")
Vegemite on toast. ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/11 "2010-03-05T15:42:55Z")
When I am sick I don’t really want anything much to eat. I do want 7-Up though, and Jell-O. When I start feeling better, then I’ll want chicken noodle soup or maybe a peanut butter sandwich (that comes from staying home sick from school and that was all I had the strength to prepare myself, so now it is my “sickie” food). ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/12 "2010-03-05T15:48:03Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > french bread > milk > cheese > > Those are the few things I can stand when I have a cold. For me it’s bread and cheese as well, in all variations. Toasted and grilled cheese sandwiches with different cheese, bagel and cream cheese and even pasta and cheese. Unadorned. Last time I was sick, a scrap of stray lettuce made its way into one of my sandwiches and it tasted horrid. And I know I’m on the mend when I get the urge to throw a little ham or chicken into the sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/13 "2010-03-05T16:13:36Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Back when I was married and I had a cold, my ex would offer to go to the supermarket and get me “sicky food.” He knew exactly what things I wanted, because I always wanted the same thing: > –Cup-a-Soup > –Ginger Ale > –Pastina, carrots, and Herb-Ox chicken boullion in packets\* > –Saltines > –Progresso Hearty Chicken with Rotini soup (for when I felt a little better) > > I rarely want the tea and toast or the applesauce that lots of people seem to recommend, though I love tea and applesauce at other times. > > If I have a stomach upset, I always want seltzer and pretzels. You do realize this list just screams salt, Salt, SALT!! Seems to me the intent is ok, but the practical is not. FWIW, this was a list my mother gave us as kids: [ul] [li]Seven-Up.[/li][li]Dry toast.[/li][li]Unsalted salines.[/li][li]Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.[/li][/ul] Nowadays if I get sick, the list remains the same, except for the soup. In this case, I put one big cut up potato in the soup and let it simmer for a while. The potato sucks up all the salt. Of course, you discard the potato before slurping. ---
**Author:** ![metronome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@metronome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metronome)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/14 "2010-03-05T16:28:50Z")
If I can’t taste, the texture of food bothers me, so I eat things that don’t require chewing – soup (sometimes with noodles, always with hot sauce), diet shakes, yogurt, that sort of thing. Lots of clear soda, too, because the fizz feels nice. Then I end up losing weight, because colds usually turn into 2-week-long sinus infections. I don’t usually get sick to my stomach unless I’ve had too much to drink the night before. Then it’s Cheez-Its and Sprite until I stop puking, followed by mountains of bacon and/or Mexican food. ---
**Author:** ![Tess\_Trueheart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Tess\_Trueheart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess_Trueheart)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/15 "2010-03-05T16:39:39Z")
Cold/flu/throat problems (like now) : no caffeine and almost no dairy, both of which I usually have in not-so-moderation. I’ve been living on chicken soup, Sprite, girl scout cookies (because my family sent some), and powerade, the last of which is usually too salty/sugary tasting to me. Dizziness or sick to my stomach : can hardly eat a thing. Might miserably manage a handful of unsalted crackers and a cup of ginger ale or tea a few times a day. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/16 "2010-03-05T17:18:47Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > You do realize this list just screams salt, Salt, SALT!! > > Seems to me the intent is ok, but the practical is not. FWIW, this was a list my mother gave us as kids: > > [ul] > [li]Seven-Up.[/li][li]Dry toast.[/li][li]Unsalted salines.[/li][li]Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup.[/li][/ul] > > Nowadays if I get sick, the list remains the same, except for the soup. In this case, I put one big cut up potato in the soup and let it simmer for a while. The potato sucks up all the salt. Of course, you discard the potato before slurping. You say that like it’s a bad thing. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/17 "2010-03-05T17:42:20Z")
Upset stomach I go for clear soda, tea (no milk), broth, saltines, sourdough bread, chocolate (this last one surprised me, a buddy of mine who was in the Navy said they used to give Hershey bars to seasick Marines, for whatever reason they stay down). Simple soups (like the plain old Lipton chicken noodle). If I’ve got a nasty cold I can still stomach just about anything although I tend to steer clear of cold (as in temperature) foods and dairy. Lots of tea, soups, stews. I like spicy food and when I’m sniffly I crank it up a bit - make myself a pot of 5-alarm chili with a whole habanero (seeds and all), get a bag of chips and some really hot salsa for snacking, that kind of thing - really helps clear my sinuses. It’s more about “comfort foods” than dealing with an upset stomach. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/18 "2010-03-05T18:00:21Z")
So, what’s wrong with salt? Maybe it makes me feel better or something. And it’s good to see that other people like cheese when they’re sick. I sometimes want a sharp cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/19 "2010-03-05T18:54:15Z")
> [@metronome](#): > > \ > I don’t usually get sick to my stomach unless I’ve had too much to drink the night before. Then it’s Cheez-Its and Sprite until I stop puking, followed by mountains of bacon and/or Mexican food. My hangover food used to be McDonald’s - hamburger, fries, and coke. Nothing else seemed to do the trick. My sick food is ginger ale, saltines, and Campbells Chunky Chicken Vegetable soup. Digestive biscuits also go down well. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2010, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413/20 "2010-03-05T19:52:10Z")
Hot and sour soup. Mmmmmm. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-eat-when-youre-sick/531413.md?page=2)