WONDERING WHAT TO EAT WHEN SICK? GET WELL SOON WITH THESE COMFORTING FOODS
Sniffles? Running nose? Just feeling blah? We hate being sick.
When we’re sick and want to get well soon, we love to lounge on the couch, snuggle up with a blanket, and snack on our favorite comfort foods.
We reach for tasty foods that are filled with hydration, nourishment, and feel-good ingredients. Sick of being sick? Try these comfort foods and get well gifts that will make you and your loved ones feel better fast.
What’s The Best Comfort Food for an Upset Stomach?
If you’ve got an upset stomach, it’s advised to follow what’s called the BRAT Diet, which stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. The BRAT diet consists of easily digestible, doctor-recommended comfort foods for an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.
Read More: What is Comfort Food?
What are the Best Foods to Eat When Sick?
Good comfort foods for sick people are your favorite foods that are hydrating, nutrient-rich, and palate-pleasing. Which foods are the best comfort food varies by person as everyone has their favorite foods that satisfy and soothe.
The best comfort foods when sick include:
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Tartine Bakery’s Country Loaf
Whether you have an upset stomach or just want to carbo load on the couch, bread is a classic comfort food to eat when sick. From toast to grilled cheese to peanut butter & jelly, simple sandwiches are a popular comfort food when sick.
The famed San Francisco bakery bakes one of the most famous breads ever. Tartine Bakery’s Country Loaf is made from flour that is fresh-milled from single-variety grains.
Read More: Favorite Fall Breads for all the Cozy Fall Feels
Frog Hollow Farm’s Organic Mixed Fruit Box
An apple (or berries or a banana) a day may keep the doctor away. Fruits are important 365 days a year, but even more so when you’re not feeling well. Pick fruits high in antioxidants like Vitamin C, which aids in recovery.
Fruits high in vitamin C include:
- Grapefruit
- Kiwis
- Oranges
- Strawberries
Some of the best fruits to eat when sick are:
- Bananas: bananas are packed with potassium and fiber, which help replenish electrolytes.
- Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.
- Grapes, Oranges, and Melons: Juicy fruits are hydrating.
Get fresh-from-the-farm organic fruits from Brentwood, California’s, Frog Hollow Farm. Their Organic Mixed Fruit Box includes 5 lbs. of seasonal fruit.
Commander’s Palace’s Three-Course Shrimp & Grits Dinner
Grits are warm and comforting. From eggs and cheesy grits for breakfast to spicy shrimp & grits for lunch or dinner, grits are a great option when you’re not feeling well.
It’s important to avoid greasy foods and processed foods when you’re sick as these are hard to digest. Grits taste indulgent and adding spice can help break up congestion caused by colds.
When you’re too sick to dine out, get a taste of New Orleans delivered straight to your door with Commander’s Palace’s Three-Course Shrimp & Grits Dinner. The award-winning restaurant’s dinner kit includes:
- Creole cream cheese grits
- Garlic bread
- Pecan pie
- Shrimp
- Turtle soup or seafood gumbo
World Famous House of Mac’s Five Cheese Truffle Mac & Cheese
Go ahead and mac this side dish the main event when you’re sick. The combination of gooey cheese and soft noodles is comforting, soothing, and oh-so-tasty.
Hip hop legend Derrick “Chef Teach” Turton opened World Famous House of Mac in 2018 and the rest is delicious history. This Miami, Florida, mac ‘n’ cheese joint makes super creamy mac ‘n’ cheese like Five Cheese Truffle Mac & Cheese with penne pasta and Cheddar, Jack, and Monterey cheeses.
Milwaukee Pretzel Company’s Bavarian Soft Pretzel Bites
We get it. The last thing you want to do when you feel sick is make a meal. Sometimes, even microwaving a meal is too tiring. When hunger hits, enjoy some munchies like salty crackers, crispy or soft pretzels, and plain popcorn.
Milwaukee Pretzel Company makes exceptional Bavarian pretzels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Matt and Katie Wessel’s Bavarian Soft Pretzel Bites are perfectly poppable. Each 1 in. by 1 in. pretzel is crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, and bursting with flavor.
La Newyorkina’s Fruity Popsicles
Whether you have a sore throat, a cold, or the flu, a refreshing popsicle or paleta hits the spot. Juicy popsicles are hydrating and a nice break from tea or water. Plus, they’re fun to eat and spark joy.
Fany Gerson makes her perfect paletas (Mexican popsicles) in small batches in Brooklyn, New York. La Newyorkina’s Fruity Popsicles are made in Mexican-inspired flavors like:
- Coconut
- Cucumber Lime
- Mango Chile
- Mixed Berry
- Passion Fruit
- Pink Limeade
Dangerously Delicious Pies’ Chicken Pot Pie
Why is chicken noodle soup such a popular cold remedy? Cysteine, the amino acid in chicken, helps loosen secretions, thin out mucus, and promotes coughing that helps clear your nose and throat. If you’re tired of soup, reach for a freshly baked chicken pot pie.
Since 1999, Dangerously Delicious Pies has been hand making savory and sweet pies with locally-sourced ingredients in Baltimore, Maryland. Dangerously Delicious Pies’ flaky Chicken Pot Pie is packed with:
- A touch of cream
- Candied carrots
- Corn
- Fresh herbs
- Peas
- Roasted chicken
- Redskin potatoes
2nd Ave Deli’s Matzoh Ball Soup
Matzo Ball Soup is known as the “Jewish Penicillin” thanks to its powerful and healing broth, easily digestible matzo balls, and hydrating vegetables. 2nd Ave Deli’s Matzoh Ball Soup is a kosher chicken consomme soup brimming with handmade matzoh balls, noodles, and carrots.
Soups are packed with flavor, ingredients, and nutrients that will make you get well soon. The seasonings, veggies, and broths are hydrating and boost the immune system. Proteins like chicken and turkey and carbs like noodles and rice provide the energy you need to fight illness.
The best comforting soups include:
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Matzo Ball Soup
- Pho
- Ramen
Read More: Best Soups For a Cold
Madame ZuZu’s Emporium’s Artisanal Tea Sampler
Tea is a tea-rrific beverage in sick times and well times. Tea is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Any hot tea (black, green, white, or herbal) creates steamy vapors that serve as a natural decongestant.
Add ginger to relieve nausea. Add honey to soothe a sore throat. Honey also has antibacterial properties.
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and his wife, fashion designer Chloe Mendel founded Madame ZuZu’s Emporium in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2012. Their Artisanal Tea Sampler includes a quartet of teas:
- Crema Earl Grey
- Lemon Berry Meritage
- Soothing Sunshine Ginger Turmeric
- French Kissed Moroccan Mint
Norwich Meadows Farm’s Farmer’s Choice Box
Everyone knows vegetables are healthy, but they are critical when you have a cold or flu. Veggies are packed with germ-fighting, immunity-boosting vitamins like vitamin C.
Some of the best vegetables to eat when sick are:
- Kale: Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins and fiber. Adding kale to a smoothie is an easy way to add more green foods to your diet.
- Lettuce: Another leafy green, lettuce is not only packed with good-for-you nutrients but also aids in hydration.
- Spinach: Dark green vegetables are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Adding spinach to a soup is an easy way to eat more greens.
Veg out on the couch with vegetables straight from farms and farmers markets. Norwich, New York’s Norwich Meadows Farm ships its perfect produce to New York City’s top chefs and you. Their Farmer’s Choice Box includes 20 servings of in-season organic produce.
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