Bit of a weird question, but can anyone recommend what types of food to have during the early days of grief. I feel hungry, but sick at the same time, I have tried eating (forcing it down) and eating more, but the feeling doesn’t go, I’m wondering if it’s just nausea and I’m making it worse by forcing food down, but also have been trying to avoid the shakes.
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@Muttley0509 i can identify with what you are going through - I lost my husband 12 weeks ago. For the last 4 months before he passed I had very little, if any appetite but knew I had to eat and had to make a conscious effort to do so. The same in the weeks following his passing.
You might find grazing helps, eating little and often, rather than full meals. I found things like peanut butter on a slice of brown bread, apples, cereal etc easier to eat and digest. Ginger is very good for nausea and calming the stomach; so, if you like ginger, a small drink of lemon, ginger and hot water will help, ginger biscuits too.
I hope you manage to find foods you can get on with and build your appetite back up.
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Hi,
I feel much the same and just do snacks and ready meals, I have an air fryer and along with a little booklet I bought just with timings for different foods in the air fryer I try my best to cook a meal, chicken and chips etc, also found frozen rice, frozen mash potato, frozen jacket potatoes/ baked beans and my microwave is my best friend. I had never really cooked before so this is all new to me. If I can’t really eat much I just settle for a bowl of cereal. I agree early on it’s the stomach churning feeling like you think you have something wrong with you but eventually it calms down.
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Sorry to hear about your husband 
I have been dieting since New Years Day and couldn’t work out if it was just that with stress, so ate and ate, but no relief, I literally did a speed run round my small Tesco and got some weetabix, wish I’d seen this before I went, I like Ginger…I’ll try and go back tomorrow….
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I love the air fryer and always do my chicken that way, but just can’t seem to fill up since I found out, lack of sleep is probably not helping. I went and got Weetabix, hoping it’ll help.
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Hi Muttley, I live off smoothies, just chuck everything in the blender with soya milk as cow’s milk is indigestible and away you go. No cooking needed.
Good luck
Wishing you all the best
Tom
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Hi @Muttley0509
In the early stages of grief when I couldn’t stomach food . I eat toast with cheese, crackers , soups , ready meals and fruit. Hope you find something that you can eat .
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@Muttley0509 its also a bit of a vicious cycle as well as 80% of our serotonin is produced in our stomach/digestive system, and we need this to balance ‘the feel good’ side of our brain/emotional regulation.
Obviously, going through grief and bereavement annihilates every shred of that; and so it goes round and round … no/low emotions means no appetite, no appetite no eating, no eating no serotonin production. As I said, vicious circle, so please try to find something, even just small things you can eat, to try and break the cycle.
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I’ve just had some weetabix, was an effort, and still got that empty feeling, ugh !!!
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Think I’m going to try and have some peanut butter on toast tomorrow, my weight will no doubt creep back up…
Vicious circle after vicious circle, what with the not being able to sleep as well.
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I lost a lot of weight, I dropped 2 sizes in clothes. I called it the bereavement diet . My appetite started improving after the 3 month mark . It’s pretty much back to normal now . Nearly 8 months now . Hope you manage to get some sleep tonight.
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Oh no, I was hoping for a return to not feeling like I’m going to throw up every 5 mins a bit sooner….I’ve lost 4 stone since New Years Day, I don’t want to destroy the work I’ve put in, but I can’t stand this feeling Thank you, I’m hoping friend will be staying for next few nights….
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I really couldn’t eat much in the first couple of months following my partner’s death. I just wasn’t hungry, I lost about 2 stones in weight. It’s a reaction to the profound shock of losing someone. It really didn’t help that other people were nagging me to eat. Stick with easily prepared microwave ready meals, soups or sandwiches. It’s not a problem in the short term and your appetite will return eventually. Try to stay hydrated, I cried so much I was always thirsty. At seven months I still have days I just can’t be bothered making something more substantial.
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