This won't be an easy answer.
In my normal diet I try for high protein low-carb. More vegetables than starch.
I just moved so kitchen really not set up. And then I got sick and it's just difficult to even stand. I've gotten carry out /delivery food three times in the last seven days. Not pleased with myself for that. And, because I don't want a huge plate of rice or noodles or a pizza, my DoorDash options get costly.
Can I just live off of protein bars?
I'd love to go get some real meat and veggies and make myself some real tacos. Right now the thought of loading groceries into a cart and standing in line makes me want to hurl though. I'm feeling pretty sick.
What to eat when I'm sick and can't cook?
byu/lostboots04 inFrugal
Posted by lostboots04
45 Comments
What if you did grocery delivery as a middle ground? Getsl things into the house that you can easily feed yourself with. One time cost for the delivery vs multiple restaurant deliveries.
Don’t go out and get other people sick
When I’m sick my normal diet goes out the window. Chicken noodle soup and ramen are my go-to’s. If I need extra protein I may stir in an egg. Get yourself some instacart from the grocery store.
Delivery is is a worthy expense for times like these. Either grocery or food delivery. Eat whatever you can keep down, and you can get back to your usual habits when you feel better.
Do instacart or some other delivery service. You could get something like a roast chicken and fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables delivered. I was home sick with Covid once and had the goods delivered to make a pot of chicken soup. Took a bit of time to put together but I had something nourishing and easy for the next four days.
Soup.
It’s cheap to make at home, cans or freezes well, and you can have in it anything you want. I find I often don’t want to eat when I’m sick, but still get hungry—soup is easier to eat than most things.
If you’re not set up yet, pick up (or have delivered—I’ve never done that) a few cans of concentrated soup. Just need water, a pot on a stove, and 10 minutes to prepare.
I would get groceries delivered from Instacart. Some stores are marked as having “same as in-store prices” – stick to those, otherwise every item will be marked up over in-store. I think you can probably get a free trial for free delivery, they seem to be running those kinds of promotions all the time (if you just set a reminder to cancel it!).
This is also probably a time when spending the extra $$ for prepared meals, pre-cut veggies, pre-cooked meat, etc is worth it. If the alternative is ordering DoorDash, the prepared/semi-prepared food will be a lot cheaper.
What about Instacart and get some real food delivered to you? Or join a supermarket rewards program that includes delivery. It’s still cheaper than a restaurant.
For now, go with convenience. Get some canned or precooked chicken and some prechopped veggies. Throw in some salsa or whatever toppings you like for tacos. A bag of low-carb tortillas makes your tacos. A bagged salad gives you taco salad. Order some frozen or canned meals while you’re at it.
This is an emergency and it is one reason you are frugal. You’ll go back to your regular habits when you feel better. Take care!
I always keep chicken stock in the freezer, and I usually have two or three kinds of soup in the freezer that I made with chicken stock.
I also love hot spicy Indian food when I have a bad cold. It clears my sinuses and it is food I can smell and taste even when I’m sick.
When you are sick, whether it’s a digestive illness or a cold or whatever, your body prioritizes the immune system fight, and deprioritizes eating. If you eat a bunch of heavy stuff, difficult to digest stuff, like dense protein bars, you can make matters worse because your body is going to be really slow to digest them which can make you feel more sick.
I mostly eat lighter, smaller things when I am sick and only when I am feeling like eating. I don’t force myself to do so. Once you are done being actively sick, your body turns all those signals back on and you’ll be starving and craving calorie dense foods.
If you can order door dash, can’t you order instacart or similar and have some groceries delivered? A little fruit, some juice, lighter soups…easy to digest stuff that still offers some nourishment?
You’ll survive on protein bars or drinks if that’s all you have. Or, for now, get Instacart with some rotisserie chicken or deli turkey if you’re craving protein. Most grocery stores have prepared food you can put in the Instacart. Eggs for scrambled eggs and toast is great. Yogurt or cottage is easy too. Some fruit cups are easy. I always have a box of Lipton chicken noodle soup on hand for moments like this. And you can poach an egg or two in it for protein. It’s really easy and comforting. Hope you feel better soon.
# r/lowspooncooking
Grocery delivery! Get some pre-cooked meat (there’s shredded chicken, various “ready to heat” meat entrees you can put into the oven, rotisserie chicken, etc). For vegetables there are those microwave steam-able bags of frozen veggies you can just toss into the microwave as-is, or you can get pre-chopped fresh vegetables. Cans of soup. Tasty Bites microwave pouches of chickpeas/lentils/etc. Microwave pouches of rice if you do decide you want a little bit of rice to go with something. Premade protein shakes might go down slightly easier than bars, depending on how your body is.
And go easy on yourself! If you can afford it, it’s okay to pay more for convenience options when you’re literally unable to stand long enough to cook. It’s a temporary thing, you’ll go back to your better habits when you’re able.
Canned soup and crackers
I eat whatever sounds appetizing at the time.
It’s hard for me to relate as I’ve never been so sick I can’t move but you need to have freezer food prepared ahead or someone to help you by making you food.
If you have a place nearby that has miso soup and bok choy…. That’s my go-to sick food. I put bok choy in my miso broth and it’s like an internal hum of contentment.
Get some Campbells chunky soups, possibly delivered. Lots of variety and most of the labels have the protein amount (usually 13 – 16g). Not the greatest, but filling and relatively inexpensive. With luck, you’ll only be feeling unwell for a short period of time.
Supermarkets deliver.
There are heaps of options in the freezer section that you can pop in the airfryer/oven and have dinner in 30 minutes.
Grab frozen vegetables, chicken and fish. You’ll be set.
A lot of stores do free curbside for orders over a certain dollar amount and a pickup window several hours out. You can get a rotisserie chicken or two for easy protein (and easy tacos!). Also get some bone broth and eggs if you don’t already have them to make easy egg drop soup.
Soup cans, microwave food, oatmeal. Get target delivered.
Crackers, peanut butter, nuts, fruit, eggs, sandwich, soup, and ginger ale.
I always have a bunch of chili in the freezer
I do grocery pick up a lot. They will bring it out and put it in my car.
My preferred “sick food” is egg drop soup. I hope you feel better soon.
Panera soups in the refrigerated area of the grocery store come in handy
Do you have any friends/family who know you’re sick and want to help? you could ask them to drop by with some meal preps or frozen items for you.
How about Instacart-ing a rotisserie chicken, some of those steam-in-bag veggies, higher protein soups, and LC frozen dinners. Upside is all the salt will encourage you to stay hydrated which is good when you’re sick.
Ramen with a can of chicken thrown in.
I always have ensure or a protein drink on hand in case.
Steamable veggies. Boiled eggs. Low carb frozen microwave meals. Not cheap but cheaper than takeout.
I find egg drop soup or wonton soup are best for me when not feeling well.
If you have a good Chinese restaurant by you, order several containers of both wonton soup and egg drop soup. You can eat/drink them individually or mix them together as you like.
Both have enough protein to keep you powered and neither is going to tax your system.
Ask them to put the wontons separate from the broth, and tell them NOT to send crunchy noodles.
Hope you feel better soon. And congrats on the new move.
Part of adulting is keeping cans of soup, crackers, and clear broths and warm clear soda and teas for when you are unwell.
Part of adulting when you move is having funds to order grocery delivery if you can’t get to the store.
Crackers
Breakstone cottage cheese
Doet doesn’t matter when you are sick.
It is what you can eat and keep down.
I have yakisoba ramen (teriyaki chicken& orange chicken), cans of Italian wedding soup, cans of chicken and dumplings, instant mashed potatoes with butter I can top with chucked chicken.
All of these take 5 minutes or less in the microwave. The spice rack is right there if I want to add something.
Your body needs nutrients and many medications need food to work properly or to help you keep them down.
Screw the health kick when you are sick.
I just eat 12oz canned chicken and half a can of canned green beans, over rice if I need it, when im not feeling well. You can heat it up but honestly I just eat them out the can. Pretty affordable too, sometimes simple is best. Just careful for salt content, maybe get salt free green beans
– delivery groceries
– frozen chicken cutlets/nuggets/kievs/any meat that can be cooked in the oven
– hotdogs that only require warming up
– microwaveable rice. Instant, portioned carbs.
– shelf stable silken tofu (if you have a kettle, cover with boiling water, count to 60, drain the water, repeat: you now have hot tofu that doesn’t taste grassy) and a jar of chilli oil/chilli crisp or a bottle of soy sauce
– tinned tuna (and mayo, or soy sauce and sugar)
– spring onions because you only need scissors to cut them
– fruits and vegetables you can eat raw with no prep: blueberries, presliced carrots, grapes, radish, olives, prunes…
– vegetables you can eat with minimal prep: cucumber, lettuce, spinach…
– cottage cheese, peanut butter, honey or golden syrup
– cheese and bread
Adapt this list depending on what appliances you have.
Greek yogurt, protein shakes, rotisserie chicken, canned soup, pre-cut fruit, or those microwaveable veggie packs. They’re easy on the stomach and don’t require standing in the kitchen.
Pull out a frozen meal. One you made earlier.
my go-to when Im sick and can stomach food is instant mash potatoes with gravy and either chicken nuggets or shredded chicken. you can make it really easy by getting those instant mash potato cups that just need water, using a gravy packet or buying pre-made gravy, and using an airfryer for the nuggets (or a rotisserie chicken for shredded chicken). you can also include a veg by steaming vegetable or making it easier by buying the pre-seasoned frozen veggies that can be steamed in the bag
Rotisserie chicken and microwave frozen vegetables or salad kit. Maybe some packaged broth based soup. Grocery pickup order.
Try to have some meals on hand (pantry or freezer) for these unexpected times – for when you’re sick, too busy, stressed out, or your city shuts down for snow. Could be cans of soup or frozen chili that you’ve made. Reheat and eat is not a bad thing when you’re stressed our or unable to cook. I always have chili, dal, and chicken soup in my freezer for these times (comfort foods are best when you’re sick) and canned soups, tinned fish, and instant noodles for real emergencies (earthquake, snowstorms). It’s not the healthiest but something in the pantry for emergencies is just a good idea.
If you do delivery, look for a local service, and one that charges in-store prices and respects sales. It’ll be cheaper than Instacart or the big delivery services, both for fees and the cost of your items.
It’s more frugal to get groceries delivered than it is to have an ER bill due to passing out in the bread aisle
Eggs and meats
Broth