Holiday Food Gift Ideas for Cancer Patients

In 2003, I spent my last Christmas with my best friend, Pam. She had been diagnosed with leukemia and was in the midst of chemotherapy treatments. Complications resulted in a long hospital stay, so our gift exchange took place in a sterile room wearing HAZMAT suits and masks.

Christmas' past, my gift had always been a basket of homemade goodies. Pam loved my chocolate covered cherries the most. She was always giddy with anticipation and reminded me of a kid at Christmas. I'd barely pass the basket before she had the wrapping shredded and was diving into the chocolates.

This particular Christmas, I brought Pam calming music CDs, a journal and pen, and a handmade card that included photos of the many holidays we had shared together. Inside, I tucked a gift certificate for unlimited homemade chocolate covered cherries. We toasted in Christmas Eve with the clink of nutritional beverage cans instead of our usual sugar feast and champagne.

Our conversation that night revolved around food. Although the eternal optimist, Pam shared she was sad and feeling left out of the holiday fare due to her limited desire for food and limited ability to eat it.

That Christmas Eve, Pam and I made a list of foods she would like to have. They included vanilla ice cream, chicken noodle soup, fettuccine alfredo, and banana cream pie. She explained the vanilla ice cream soothed her tongue and inside cheeks. Chicken noodle soup is comfort food. She ate fettuccine alfredo on her first date with her husband, and banana cream pie was a childhood favorite.

A lot of patients undergoing chemo treatments develop painful mouth sores. Anything spicy, salty, sugary, or sour can ignite a painful response. They can experience difficulty swallowing, feel full after a few bites, or become queasy at the hint of anything scented.

There is no one-size-fits-all holiday food basket for chemo patients, but by keeping a few considerations in mind, you can bring extra cheer to loved ones who aren't feeling well.

Things to Consider When Buying or Making Food Items for Cancer Patients

1. Keep Foods Light: Chemo drugs usually alter patients' taste buds. Choose foods that are light in flavor and texture. Strange as it may sound, many people undergoing chemotherapy treatments crave seaweed. Perhaps it is nutrients or high levels of natural iodine. Pam never liked seaweed before or after chemo, but couldn't get enough during treatment. Seaweed is easily found at health food stores. Nori is a good choice because the layers are thin and nearly dissolve in the mouth. Cotton candy can be a fun option, but avoid if scents emit through packaging.

2. Keep Foods Smooth: Swallowing is often difficult for cancer patients. While Pam craved ice cream, she preferred the consistency of flavored shaved ice. Gelato, sorbet, and sherbets can be good alternatives. If you have an ice cream maker, consider blending up vanilla bean or banana ice cream. Package in small freezer containers. If your friend is hospitalized, ice cream can be labeled and stored at the nurse station.

3. Keep Food Portions Small: Chemo patients usually don't have big appetites and seeing large portions of food can eliminate any appetite they do have. When putting together a holiday gift basket, include a variety of individual items such as suckers, hard candy disks, brownie bites, and miniature candy bars.

4. Avoid Heavily Scented Food Items: If the scent of food emits through packaging chances are it will overwhelm a person going through chemotherapy. Peppermint, lemon, and lavender can be comforting smells to healthy people, but nearly suffocating to cancer patients. Although dark chocolate is healthier than milk chocolate, the latter is a better choice scent-wise.

5. Ask for Food Preferences: While most of us prefer to choose gifts for loved ones during the holidays, it can be more beneficial to ask what types of foods cancer patients can tolerate. Personalize their favorite choices by using colored food grade packages, or with wrapping paper and bows.

Creating a personalized holiday gift basket gives you the opportunity to let your creativity flow. Make a bookmark with your favorite quote, or a photo of the two of you sharing a fun moment. Add packets of green or red teas. Include sports memorabilia. Make a themed basket. Most important, keep it fun.

Unfortunately, cancer has stricken many of my friends and loved ones. The one thing I have learned is cancer has a way of taking over a person's life. There's a long list of medications to track, doctor appointments, hospital visits, and sickness. It's up to healthy friends to bring joy and lift the spirits of loved ones fighting cancer.

The greatest gift you can share with a person going through chemo during the holidays is to give a gift from your heart. They aren't going to consume everything in the food basket, but they will relish that you took time to give them a little piece of normality.

If you have friends who love homemade chocolates, consider making them a batch of Pam's favorite chocolate covered cherries this holiday season.