By Riley Kusuma Dietitian
Key takeaways
- Hydration is vital to support recovery and prevent complications.
- Include nutrient-rich foods even if your appetite is low.
- Protein, vitamins and minerals help repair the body and support immunity.
Cold and flu recovery foods
When you’re feeling unwell with a cold or flu, your appetite may drop. But even if you don’t feel like eating, it’s important to nourish your body to help it recover.
Recovery foods: what to eat when you have a cold or flu
Hi, I'm Riley.
When you're feeling unwell with a cold or flu, your appetite can be all over the place.
It's common for people to lose their appetite during a bout of sickness, but it's important to nurture your body to help you recover.
If you or someone you care for is feeling unwell, staying hydrated is vital.
Drinking plenty of fluids can help you feel better, faster and support your body in avoiding complications.
Water is key, and for young children, it's a good idea to offer them frequent sips so they stay well hydrated. Apart from water, you can also try soups, herbal teas or smoothies.
Fluids are gentle on a sore, scratchy throat, so they are a good option if swallowing is painful.
Frozen options like frozen yoghurt or ice blocks made from juice or herbal tea can be especially soothing.
Soft and easy to swallow foods can be easier to eat and help ensure you are still meeting your nutrient requirements.
Soft foods like porridge, yoghurt, slow cooked stews, fish, eggs or cooked vegetables are great options.
Protein helps to repair cells and maintain our strength, so it's a good idea to try to include foods like lean meats, eggs, legumes, tofu, or fish in your diet. Even when unwell.
Fruit and vegetables provide a variety of vitamins and antioxidants which support our immunity, so it's a good idea to keep up your intake of these two if you're unwell with a cold or the flu.
Hydration is key, but eating a variety of healthy foods can also help support your body in its recovery.
Here are some easy ways to support recovery through food.
Keep up your hydration by sipping warm soups, tea or other fluids throughout the day.
Get in your two serves of fruit by adding soft fruits like berries, ripe bananas, or stewed apples to porridge or smoothies. Include protein at each meal.
Small portions and soft options like fish, eggs, cooked beans or stewed meats are a great choice.
Snack on easy to swallow nutritious foods like yoghurt, eggs or mashed vegetables.
Small, consistent choices help ensure you are still looking after your body.
Unfortunately, there's no single food that will cure a cold or flu while you rest and recover.
Focus on staying well hydrated and choosing nutrient rich foods.
See you next time.
Staying hydrated is the first step and essential to recovery.1 Water is the best choice to stay hydrated, and offering small, frequent sips is especially important for young children.
Other fluids, such as warm soups, herbal teas, smoothies, or frozen options like yoghurt or juice-based ice blocks made from juice or herbal tea can soothe a sore throat while helping you meet your fluid needs.
Soft, easy-to-swallow foods are gentler to eat and help ensure you still get the nutrients your body needs. Options include:
- Porridge or cooked cereals
- Yoghurt or custard
- Slow-cooked stews
- Fish, eggs, or cooked legumes
- Cooked vegetables
Protein helps repair cells and maintain strength, so try to include lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, or beans in meals, even when unwell.2
Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins and antioxidants that support the immune system.2 Soft fruits like berries, ripe bananas, or stewed apples can be added to porridge, smoothies, or eaten as snacks. Eating a variety of colourful fruit and veg will ensure you get in a range of vitamins and minerals.
It’s important to still meet your energy and nutrient requirements, even when you’re feeling unwell. Eating smaller, more frequent meals and snacks can help if your appetite is low.
Easy ways to support recovery through food
- Keep hydrated: sip water or other fluids like soups, herbal tea, or smoothies throughout the day.
- Eat your 2 serves of fruit: include fruit in porridge, smoothies, or as snacks.
- Include protein at each meal: small portions of fish, eggs, cooked beans, or stewed meats.
- Snack on soft, nutritious foods: yoghurt, eggs, or mashed vegetables.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals: instead of 3 main meals a day, eating smaller portions more frequently can help you meet your nutrient requirements
Small, consistent choices help ensure you’re still looking after your body while your appetite is lower than usual.
There’s no single food that will cure a cold or flu. The most effective way to support recovery is to:
- Stay well hydrated
- Choose nutrient-rich foods
- Rest and give your body time to heal
Running at half-strength?
See one of your friendly GPs if you’re not feeling 100%.
Riley Kusuma Dietitian
Riley is a dietitian with a special interest in chronic disease management. She is passionate about supporting people to make sustainable changes to improve their health and wellbeing.
At Bupa, trust is everything
Our health and wellbeing information is regularly reviewed and maintained by a team of healthcare experts, to ensure its relevancy and accuracy. Everyone's health journey is unique and health outcomes vary from person to person.
This content is not a replacement for personalised and specific medical, healthcare, or other professional advice. If you have concerns about your health, see your doctor or other health professional.
1 Healthdirect Australia. (2024). Cold and flu – self-care and recovery.
2 Stephen, J., et al. (2023). Immune boosting functional components of natural foods and its health benefits. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition.
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