7 Days of Healthy Recipes

By Elyse Notarianni –
When going through cancer treatment, maintaining good nutrition is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body and immune system strong. You’ve grown up learning about healthy eating and the food pyramid, but nutrition can look different for cancer patients.
Treatment can change the way your body processes food, so nutritional requirements may change. Some people need more protein or calories than they used to. Eating healthy can help curb treatment side-effects, lower the risk of infection, prevent other health issues, maintain a healthy weight and keep you feeling your best. Talk to a nutritional health specialist about what foods will best benefit your body.
In general, a CSC page on Nutrition and Cancer Treatment suggests that cancer patients should:
- Eat lots of (washed) fruits and vegetables
- Eat dark, green, leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and kale
- Limit red meat
- Avoid sugar and high-fat foods
- Eat grains and legumes
- Avoid alcohol
- Drink lots of fluids
- Avoid raw meat, fish, eggs, and shellfish
Embrace your nutritious diet with a week’s worth of healthy meals that we have created! (These are just suggestions for delicious and healthy meals to try. Please consider your own dietary needs and restrictions.)
MONDAY
Breakfast: Kale and Egg Breakfast Cups
Lunch: Honey Lime Quinoa Fruit Salad
Snack: Chocolate-Peanut Butter Granola Apple Bites (Make sure to use dark chocolate for the antioxidants)
Dinner: Creamy Sundried Tomato and Parmesan Chicken Zoodles (Just buy a spiralizer for a healthy, tasty pasta alternative)
TUESDAY
Breakfast: Spinach and Egg white Omelet
Lunch: Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta
Snack: Sea Salt and Garlic Kale Chips (Don’t let the kale turn you off, they’re actually easy to make and surprisingly satisfying)
Dinner: Four-Ingredient Chicken and Rice Casserole (Just swap out the white rice with brown)
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Savory Oatmeal with Cheddar and Fried Egg
Lunch: Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Snack: Garlic Roasted Asparagus
Dinner: Brown Rice Stir-Fry with Vegetables
THURSDAY
Breakfast: Fried Egg and Avocado Toast
Lunch: Black Bean & Sweet Potato Tacos
Snack: Cinnamon Apple Chips
Dinner: Toasted Brown Rice with Mushrooms and Thyme
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Double Berry Breakfast Parfaits
Lunch: Veggie-Stack Pita Pockets
Snack: Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries
Dinner: Roasted Winter Vegetable Soup
SATURDAY
Breakfast: Pepper Ring Omelet
Lunch: Apple, Peanut Butter, and Granola Sandwiches
Snack: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Dinner: Butternut Squash Barley Risotto
SUNDAY
Breakfast: Sun Butter, Banana and Chia Seed Toast: With 100% Whole Wheat Bread
Lunch: Roasted Vegetable Power Bowl with Cream Avocado Dressing
Snack: Cholate-Dipped Almond Butter Banana Bites
Dinner: Pesto, Mozzarella, Baby Spinach, Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich
For other recipes, check out cookbooks geared specifically towards cancer survivors like Cancer Fighting Kitchen and One Bite at a Time.