You want to serve healthy, balanced meals. But what matters most is that he keep his strength up. If all he wants to eat is sweets, this isn't the time to worry about that. In fact, weight loss is the enemy of cancer patients, so high-calorie foods are preferable to low-calories ones if he's struggling to keep weight on.
There are also some easy ways to boost the calorie content of the foods he's already eating. Substitute whole milk or cream in hot chocolate, oatmeal, and other cereals and any recipe calling for milk. You can add whole or whipping cream to desserts, pancakes, and waffles and even to mashed potatoes and pureed vegetable soups. Use butter in sauces on vegetables and fish, or make a rich gravy for meats. And top cakes, pies, and other desserts with whipped cream, ice cream, or cream cheese frosting whenever possible.
If there's a dish that spurs his appetite, don't worry about whether it's what he "should" be eating. This isn't the time to be overly concerned about fat, cholesterol, or other nutritional issues. Think about easy-to-eat snack foods that he has liked in the past, even during his childhood. Muffins, pudding, ice cream, cheese and crackers, and peanut butter are often popular with cancer patients. One caveat, though: During periods of extreme nausea and vomiting, when nothing seems to tempt him, you might want to avoid serving his favorites. Otherwise something he really likes may become associated in his mind with nausea, removing another key dish from the list.
The journal keeping advice.
I know someone who had cancer and he couldn't keep anything down either. He told me what worked for him was Instant Breakfast packets (e.g., Carnation Instant Breakfast) and they tasted good to him. They also provide nutrients if this is the only thing you are taking in. I needed an alternative for my mother, who has AD and has lost 12 lbs. in the last 6 mos. Her dr. wants her to gain some weight and recommended Ensure, but she doesn't like the taste of the canned drink. You might try the instant breakfast or the Ensure. The most important thing is to get the person some nutrition. Hope this helps.
The only thing my father loves to eat /drink is seedless red grapes from local fruit stand or chocalate malts from Beefaroo. We have several dr. appts. so we let him pick his favorite place to eat and let him decide what he will eat. Its always the malts. I think he enjoys being around people that do not appear sick like the people at the dr. office.
Does anyone have any idea for foods to feed your parent when they say they just can't eat anything? I have a friend right now going through chemo for breast cancer and she just can't keep anything down. I even tried smoothies and she couldn't drink them. Please, any suggestions?