People with cystic fibrosis need extra calories for several reasons. Although they take pancreatic enzymes, they still aren't able to use 100 percent of the energy they consume because enzymes cannot break down everything they eat or correct their problems with absorbing nutrients.
Fighting infections and coughing on a regular basis also burns extra calories. Maintaining a healthy weight -- and sometimes increasing it -- is key to fighting infection and keeping your lungs and body strong. By making small changes in your daily routine, you can make a big difference in your weight.
Tips for Planning and Preparing Meals
Give yourself time to plan. Before you go to sleep, think about the busy day ahead. Where will you be spending your time? Where can you easily stash food? Is there a refrigerator nearby? Microwave? How about a place to eat? Will you have enough enzymes?
Think about “packability.” Plan meals or snacks that you can carry in your backpack, purse, or briefcase and store in your desk drawer, locker, or a cooler in your car. Buy a variety of foods so you don't get tired of eating the same foods every day.
Cook once to eat three times. When cooking, make enough to pack a meal for tomorrow's lunch or use plastic containers to freeze meals that you can easily “grab 'n' go.”
Use a slow cooker. For breakfast, overnight oatmeal made with heavy cream and dried fruit and nuts is a hearty start to the day. If you find that you have more energy earlier in the day, make dinner in the slow cooker so that at 5 p.m. you don't settle for pizza or fast food.
If you are cooking for only one or two people, look for magazines and recipe books designed for smaller portions so food doesn't go to waste. Or, make a full portion and freeze part of it for when you're not feeling up to cooking.
The webcast below highlights the following information:
- Women with CF should consume 2,500 calories a day to maintain their weight and 3,000 calories a day to gain weight.
- Men with CF should consume 3,000 calories a day to maintain their weight and up to 3,700 calories a day to gain weight.
- People with CF will not be able to benefit from fat-soluble vitamins if they don't eat enough fat or take enough enzymes to digest those fats.
- People with CF may need to increase their enzyme dose if they have bulky, greasy stools.
- Women with CF who want to become pregnant should take a prenatal vitamin to ensure they get enough folic acid. Once they are pregnant, they will need at least an extra 300 calories a day if not more.
Adult Nutrition | Webcast
Organize Your Kitchen
Organize your kitchen so that everything you need for “grab 'n' go” snacks and meals are within arm's length. Stock up on things like paper bags, plastic bags, napkins, and food containers.
Create a shelf in your kitchen or refrigerator just for your “grab 'n' go” favorites.
Keep plastic containers on hand to store meal-sized portions in the refrigerator or freezer. In the morning, just grab a filled container to take to work or school or wherever you go.
Organize Your Shopping
Avoid wandering aimlessly around the grocery store by planning ahead. Plan out your menu for the week so you have what you need on hand and don't have to play the “What's for dinner?” game.
Many cooking websites provide creative ideas for menu planning, such as theme meals (Taco Night or No-Meat Mondays). Thinking ahead ensures you have more nutritious and satisfying options.
Buy peanut butter, jelly, cream cheese, and other foods in single-packet servings you can just toss in your bag. If you have trouble finding these in your grocery store, there are countless varieties available online at restaurant supply stores. (Use the search phrase “restaurant supplies condiments.”)
To save, buy in bulk. You can save money by buying in bulk at discount stores and individually wrapping foods yourself in plastic wrap, plastic bags, or foil.
Read food labels. Food labels will help you learn to choose foods that meet your goals. For more on food labels, see the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website.
Keep an eye out for new ideas. Just look around you. “Grab 'n' go” options are everywhere. Check out the selection in convenience stores, vending machines, corner markets, food stands -- even bookstores and sporting events.
The webcast below highlights the following information:
- Making use of grocery specials and coupons to plan your menu for the week.
- Going to dollar stores, low-cost grocery stores, and warehouse stores.
- Buying store brands instead of name brands.
- Getting seasonal produce from a farmers market.
- Stocking up on canned or frozen goods when they are on sale.
- Buying cheaper, high-protein foods such as tuna packed in oil, peanut butter, beans, extra-large eggs, and chicken.
Cooking on a Budget: Eating High Calories for Less | Webcast
The webcast below highlights the following information:
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Ideas for a quick breakfast on the run include: high-calorie muffins, nutritional supplements, an English muffin with peanut butter, a bagel with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese with fruit, or microwaved eggs
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High-calorie lunches: peanut butter and jelly, pasta salads, or cream soups
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Easy ways to boost calories: adding ingredients such as heavy cream, dry powdered milk, margarine or butter, maple or chocolate syrup, or chopped nuts
Secrets to Cooking Up Calories | Webcast
Grab 'n' Go Meals and Snacks
Eating should be enjoyable. Planning your meals and snacks ahead of time can help you avoid added stress or going hungry during any part of the day. The following ideas can inspire you and even boost your appetite.
Breakfast
- Scramble an egg or two with cheese, and wrap it in a warm tortilla that you have spread with a little butter.
- Microwave a breakfast sandwich while you are dressing.
- Keep canned shakes, yogurt drinks, and other high-calorie beverages in your book bag or briefcase.
- Buy giant muffins in bulk, and wrap and freeze each in its own bag.
- Before you go to bed, fill a water bottle with your favorite beverage or shake each night. Grab it before you head out in the morning.
- Make a batch of French toast or pancakes, wrap individual servings and freeze. In the morning, pop a serving in the microwave.
- Keep single-serving oatmeal (in a packet or a prepackaged insulated bowl) in your pantry or cupboard. Just add hot whole milk or cream and take it with you.
- Buy cold cereal in individual containers (bowls or boxes) or pour your favorite cereal into a plastic container. Take along single servings of boxed liquid whole milk (the kind that does not need to be refrigerated).
- Keep a bowl of fruit by your house or car keys. Grab a banana, orange, or apple on your way out the door.
Mini-meals
- Top bagel halves with spaghetti sauce and shredded cheese, olives, and pepperoni for a pizza bagel.
- Make sandwiches (PB&J, ham, or turkey with cheese) at the beginning of the week and freeze them. Toss one in your bag and let it thaw during the day. You can also look for frozen sandwiches in the grocery store.
- Think about refrigerated wraps or burritos. Buy microwavable burritos so you can wrap one in a paper towel, heat it, and run.
- Pack microwavable instant soup, instant noodles, fun-size containers of spaghetti and meatballs, or macaroni and cheese.
- Try a tuna kit (comes with tuna fish, crackers, and mayo).
Snacks
You never know when you're going to be held up or stuck somewhere -- carry a snack with you. Easy-access snacks are particularly important for those with CF-related diabetes.
Keep these snacks cool with an ice pack in an insulated lunch bag or cooler:
- High-fat deli meat and cheese “roll-ups”
- Cheese sticks and single servings (peel-and-eat varieties such as Gouda, cheddar, and string cheeses)
- Single servings of whole-milk cottage cheese
- Whole-milk yogurt and yogurt drinks
- Hummus in a small container and pita bread cut into triangles
- Single-serving canned pears, peaches, or fruit cocktail with heavy syrup
Keep these anywhere:
- Trail mix
- Granola, protein, and snack bars
- Fig bars
- Cheese and cracker packs
- Shakes (canned or bottled)
- Individual peanut butter packets
- Muffins
- Graham crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnap cookies, animal crackers
- Nuts (peanuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts)
- Sunflower seeds
- Raisin bread
- Pretzels or chips
- Cereal
- Single-serving juice or milk boxes
- Dried fruit
- Bottled coffee drinks
- Pudding snacks (some brands do not have to be refrigerated)
- Hot cocoa mix
- Fresh fruit