Snack Combos to Keep Your Strength and Energy Up During Cancer Treatment
The Reason You Should be Snacking
Snacks can help you get more nutrients in and improve energy levels during cancer treatment and beyond, especially if eating is difficult. If your appetite has changed or food tastes and smells “off,” small snacks might help you eat better. Snacks can also improve focus and help curb fatigue.
Nutritionist-Approved Snacks
Deciding what to snack on and preparing those snacks can be overwhelming at times. To simplify that, choose a snack that contains both fiber and protein. Fiber paired with protein as a snack provides several benefits. Fiber-rich foods provide vitamins and nutrients that help regulate blood sugar and bowel movements. Protein-rich foods are building blocks for muscles, blood cells, and other tissues that need repair.
Mix-N-Match Fiber and Protein Foods for Every Taste
Pairing fiber with protein is a great combination when making a snack. Choose a fiber food and a protein food mixing and matching to find various combinations you like.
Bonus: Add Fats
Adding some fats to your snacks helps too, especially if eating is difficult lately and/or you’re losing weight unintentionally. A great option is to add fats like olive oil or avocado oil drizzled on top of hummus, toast, or open-face sandwiches. You can also add sliced avocado, nuts, nut butters, or seeds to most types of snacks.
Fiber Foods | Protein Foods |
|---|---|
Whole wheat English muffin with avocado slices (and/or a drizzle of avocado oil) | Hard-boiled egg |
Fruit –sliced apples, bananas, berries, pears, peaches, melon, oranges, pineapple, mango, etc. | Oven-roasted turkey slices |
Whole grain tortilla chips | Cheese – any kind |
Raw vegetables – carrots, bell peppers, celery, snap peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower, etc. | Hummus (drizzle olive oil) |
Whole wheat toast | Low-fat cottage cheese (drizzle with avocado oil) |
Whole grain crackers | Nut butters – peanut, almond, cashew, walnut, or sunflower butter |
Whole wheat pita bread | Seeds – (sunflower, pumpkin, hemp hearts) |
Roasted vegetables – sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, broccoli | Yogurt – plain Greek or Icelandic |
High-fiber breakfast cereal (5+ grams of fiber/serving) | Tuna salad, egg salad, chicken salad, chickpea salad, tofu, or lentil salad |
Popcorn | Super firm tofu |
| Mini quiche |
| Turkey meatballs |
| Edamame |
| Roasted chickpeas |
To schedule a nutrition visit and/or learn more about one-on-one and group nutrition programs, speak with a nurse. They will get you connected with a member of our nutrition team. Our goal is to meet you where you’re at with the resources and up-to-date facts you need to make confident, informed choices about eating well during cancer.
This article meets Iris standards for medical accuracy. It has been fact-checked by the Iris Clinical Editorial Board, our team of oncology experts who ensure that the content is evidence based and up to date. The Iris Clinical Editorial Board includes board-certified oncologists and pharmacists, psychologists, advanced practice providers, licensed clinical social workers, oncology-certified nurses, and dietitians.
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