Many breast cancer patients find it easier to sip drinks all day than to eat solid foods. Also, if the person you're caring for is having problems with her mouth or throat, such as dry mouth or mouth sores, liquids are much easier to get down.

Luckily, a primarily liquid diet is a perfectly healthy approach to eating. Try serving warm milk, cider, milkshakes, Gatorade, and juice. These are great ways to help someone consume calories -- often nutritious ones -- without feeling sick. Serve broth-type soups in a mug for sipping. Mix fruit and yogurt or fruit and ice cream into smoothies, and boost the protein content with a spoonful of protein powder.

Diet or nutritional supplement drinks such as Ensure, Boost, or Carnation Instant Breakfast also provide calories, protein, and nutrients. And because many of them come in cans and don't need to be refrigerated, you can take them along when you're at doctor's appointments or running errands and offer them between meals. And if the doctor says it's okay, try serving a small glass of beer or wine with meals; it can help stimulate appetite.