15 Sick Day Recipes Besides Chicken Soup That Will Help You

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When you’re sick, the first few bowls of chicken noodle soup are comforting, but the following dozen becomes at best boring and at worst nauseating. Sometime in the history of colds, we got the idea that you could basically just have chicken noodle soup and toast (if you’re lucky) when you’re sick but it’s not really about these particular dishes but rather the ingredients and groups of nutrients they contain that can help you get better. Since, by the time you’re actually sick you lack imagination, let’s look into some other options while you’re well. And if you are sick now, then your roommate or significant other has some homework in the kitchen. Here are some of the best foods to have when you’re sick.

Banana and honey on toast

The potassium in bananas can help fight some of the headaches that come with colds and the flu, and the honey can actually minimize your cough. Toast is just nice and gentle on your stomach when you’re sick.

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Pineapple with yogurt

The probiotics found in yogurt could help you get better quicker, and reduce the number of colds you get. Add the pineapple for sweetness, and for its bromine which can thin mucus.

White rice with lentils

If your sickness comes with nausea, white rice can help fight it. Since white rice is a carbohydrate, it can also boost the production of some calming chemicals like tryptophan, helping usher in that much-needed sleep. Rice can be dry on its own, so add lentils which can boost your immune system and help you get better.

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Honey and chili tea

We already know honey can soothe a sore throat and reduce coughing. Get more of it by using it to sweeten up chili pepper tea. Chili peppers are another food that can thin out mucus.

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Bananas, pumpkin seeds, and oatmeal

Oatmeal is loaded with vitamins you need to recover from a cold, and it can also reduce some of the stomach upset that comes with the flu. Add bananas for sweetness, and pumpkin seeds for their zinc, which can cut down the duration of your cold.

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Salmon and sautéed spinach

Salmon is loaded with inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids, while spinach packs vitamin C, which your body needs plenty of at a time like this.

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Curry on rice

Curry on rice may not seem like a sick food, but it is for many reasons. First off, you have the white rice that calms your stomach, then you add chili powder to thin out mucus, and you mix in plenty of fresh ginger, which is antimicrobial and fights nausea.

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Oatmeal or yogurt with berries

If you want a different way to sweeten your oatmeal or yogurt, add berries—particularly blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. These have compounds that boost your immune system.

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An avocado and lettuce salad

If spinach isn’t your thing, turn to romaine lettuce for your greens. Its antioxidants fight inflammation and it has vitamin A and vitamin K. Mix in some avocado because it’s easy on upset stomachs while providing healthy fats and calories.

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Garlic toast

If you’ve never cut the top off of garlic, drizzled it with olive oil and roasted it for around 20 minutes at 375 degrees, you haven’t lived. Try this, and smother it on toast. Garlic is antiviral and can reduce your sick days.

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Sweet potatoes with honey

Honey makes another appearance, but this time on sweet potatoes. This bright orange food actually contains compounds that help you produce white blood cells, which you need to fight this virus. Honey brings out its sweet flavor.

Dried pineapple and pumpkin seed trail mix

Bring both of these healthy foods on the go by mixing dried pineapple with pumpkin seeds. If you absolutely must leave your bed while you’re sick, this little power mix will get you through it.

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Vegetable soup

Think broccoli, bell peppers and carrots. The broccoli and bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, and the carrots contain many of the same vitamins as sweet potatoes, which can boost your white blood cell count.

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Chicken soup

Well, we weren’t going to leave this classic out. The cysteine in the chicken can reduce your mucus production, the broth can hydrate you, and the noodles can calm your stomach.