Those little drinks for invalids

Don’t know if this will help, but now and the. I indulge in the little Cow and Gate pots of puréed fruit for babies. Delicious!

I think I’d make some tasty lentil and vegetable soup, fairly thick (e.g. onions, carrots, swede, potatoes, celeriac) with plenty of seasoning via chicken/vegetable stock cubes, and then purée it in the blender.
If you make it thick enough you can thin it down a bit with milk, for extra protein.

I hate to say this but your friend may well of decided enough is enough and this her way of telling you. If I’ve got it wrong I apologise. I tried to encourage my husband to eat in his last weeks until a very good friend said I think he’s decided it’s time and then I let him decide if he wanted something.
I’m sorry your friend is so ill.

You can get those little bottles in fruit flavours. They helped me when I was very poorly.

I would make chicken stock and reduce it then add a flavour she likes ie cream, puréed veg of choice. I suspect her sense of taste has been altered so quite a challenge. Sorbet? Not an acidic one. Creamy scrambled egg, porridge, mashed banana with soft brown sugar.

We've done the home made soup thing, using every trick in the book to make it both tasty and easy to eat. Thanks for the recipes, but these aren't the issue.
Friends, myself included, call in most days and want to leave her husband easy meals for her.
I'm popping in tomorrow so I'll check and see whether she has any fruity drinks in her cupboard. I seem to think I've seen a lot of banana flavour which makes me think she especially doesn't like that flavour.
I take on board she may be ready to go and am now wondering if we're being selfish in keeping her alive.

Perhaps just some sweet things or flavoured ice cubes to suck may help?

Ready made baby foods are by default bland, but there is nothing to say you couldn’t decant into a suitable dish and season with a little salt and pepper. Seasoning becomes more important when you are older for tempting the appetite.

You’re definitely not being selfish Exdancer, it’s a basic human instinct to want to feed people you care about. Have you asked your friend how she feels about eating and if there’s anything she fancies? It doesn’t matter if it’s not healthy, at this stage any calories will be ok. Is there a nurse visiting that you can talk to?

It’s natural to want to feed those you care about.

But having nursed a few dying relatives I would say that there comes a time when eating is difficult. Taste changes, the swallowing reflex does not function well and the digestive systems shut down so that food can remain uncomfortably in the stomach or intestine.

Plenty of fluid - even sugar water with a little salt, which is basically hydration and sometimes a spoonful of something they really fancy. My mother asked for trifle on her last day and really enjoyed one little taste. Another relative wanted a Bovril -just an egg cup.

Making her comfortable is the most important thing.

Greek yogurt
Or ice cream.
But maybe she doesn't want it.
There are special pastilles to such for sore mouths.
Can't remember the trade name now but chemist will know.
All the best.

Some oromorph?

My aunt loved those little pots of rice pudding, and jelly also.

Granmarderby10

Ready made baby foods are by default bland, but there is nothing to say you couldn’t decant into a suitable dish and season with a little salt and pepper. Seasoning becomes more important when you are older for tempting the appetite.

Just what I was going to say. You can add sugar to sweet things as well. Anything goes if it will give her some enjoyment. If her taste has altered and you have to add what seems like too much salt to you, but she can enjoy the taste, even of a little bit, where's the harm?

What about pots of ambrosia custard. Full of protein, smooth and tasty. Full fat yogurts are another option. 😊

Last week of my mom's life she would only eat porridge for breakfast and dinner but I made it with full fat cream and dark brown sugar to get calories into her she only weight 6st. But she eat a bowl full. For lunch she only wanted chocolate and biscuits so that's what I gave her . Made sure she had plenty of cups of tea and water.

Have you asked to your friend if there is something she fancies to eat perhaps something she loved as a child . It doesn't matter if it's not healthy as long as she enjoys it.

Thank you for your recipes and suggestions.
However, does anyone actually know if there are any firms producing drinks that contain all the nutrients necessary for a balanced diet that really taste nice?
That was the question.

If you Google the firm that makes the drinks they may have some suggestions on how to use them in recipes, also look at the Macmillan website. Does she have a Palliative care nurse? They may be able to help. I know our default is to feed and " you must eat" but does she want to? Protein enriched yoghurt they also do a yoghurt drink. But don't expect her to eat a load in one go it's just not possible. And I think you need to accept it. A teaspoon amount may be all she can cope with.

ExDancer

Thank you for your recipes and suggestions.
However, does anyone actually know if there are any firms producing drinks that contain all the nutrients necessary for a balanced diet that really taste nice?
That was the question.

My mum had those pots in her final stages. She hated them and I couldn't find anything really better in that line. I started to buy her little pots of jelly, custard and the like. Unless you've been specifically told (or I'm missing something), I really don't see that it matters if the meals are for a balanced diet and full of nutrients. Towards the end, my mother was craving cream cheese, cider and whipped cream with chocolate sauce so that's what I gave her.

I'm so sorry to hear this, ExDancer. Food is something that can give so much pleasure that it is very sad when people are denied that sensory enjoyment. I remember reading John diamond's column when h pointed out that being married to Nigella Lawson and not being able to appreciate food was so cruel.

I don't really know what to suggest, other than puddings and ice cream - somehow pureed sweet things seem less horrible than savoury ones other than soup.

Maybe I have misunderstood but I suspect that she might not need a balanced diet as such.

One thing that I learned when my MIL and my Mum were dying was that pineapple juice helps with sore mouth and tongue. She can suck it slowly from a mouth swab sponge and it is very soothing.
My niece fed my mum some whippy icecream, and she seemed to enjoy that too.
My neighbour had jellies and yoghurts, although I felt that she was eating them to oblige others really.

I think it’s about her enjoying small amounts of tasty food now.

When I was very ill last year, my dietitian told me to drink fortified milk (full fat milk with Marvel milk powder added) make milkshakes, Hot chocolate or any milky drink. I couldn’t take the prescription nutrition drinks but the fortified milk option is much better. I’m so sorry for your situation 💐

Don’t know if your friend has difficulty swallowing but if that is the case thickening a liquid makes it easier to swallow and less likely to splutter and choke
Others have mentioned various options so see if her preference is for warm or cold
There have been suggestions to add extra calories in the form of fats such as double cream If food is too rich it can cause indigestion and acid reflux.
Trial and error is the name of the game and I wouldn’t worry too much.about the extra calories Enjoyment should be a priority and not trying to pressurise her

I don't know if you can buy Ensure in the UK. Here (Canada) my friend, when dying, really liked the chocolate Ensure served cold. It has all the nutrients. You say her mouth is sore. It's possible she has oral thrush. Easy treated if that's the case.

Here Ensure is sold in pharmacies. It is in cans. I bought the 6 packs