Magnolia Meals at Home^® partners offer excellent resources related to health-promoting foods and dietary wellness for people living with cancer.

Visit CancerCare or Cancer Support Community to learn more.

Certain types of cancer or cancer treatment may have specific dietary restrictions. Remember to consult with your health care team before making changes to your diet.

Good nutrition is especially important when your body is fighting a disease like cancer. Eating the right kinds of foods may help manage treatment-related side effects. Side effects of cancer therapy may also affect a patient’s eating habits.ⁱ

Below are tips to help manage common eating difficulties during and after cancer treatment:

Tips for getting help with nutritionⁱⁱⁱ

Recipes

Get Nutty Whole Grain Banana Bread

Quick and nourishing
Recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research website

Servings: 12

Nutrition per serving: 221 calories, 13 g total fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 5 g dietary fiber, 60 mg sodium, 9 g sugar, 0 g added sugar

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Ingredients:

3 ripe medium bananas, peeled, mashed

½ cup milk or soy milk, plain, unsweetened

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 tbsp. chia seeds

1 tsp. vanilla

¼ cup brown sugar

1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

Pinch salt (optional)

2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

2 tbsp. coconut, unsweetened, shredded

2 tbsp. sliced almonds

3 tbsp. pistachio nuts

3 tbsp. chopped walnuts

Nonstick cooking spray

Note: You may substitute other nuts and seeds for those listed, such as sesame, hazelnuts, pecans, flaxseed and pumpkin seeds

Cooking directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, whip together bananas, soy milk, vegetable oil, chia seeds, vanilla and sugar for two minutes. For best results, use an electric mixer. Stir in remaining ingredients, mixing only until well combined. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for about 65 minutes, until fork inserted in center comes out clean. Remove, cool slightly before slicing. Enjoy!
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Easy Summer Lasagna

Rich in cancer-fighting fiber and natural plant compounds, called phytochemicals, which protect cells from damage!
Recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research website

Servings: 12

Nutrition per serving: 360 calories, 11 g total fat (5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 44 g carbohydrates, 23 g protein, 9 g dietary fiber, 400 mg sodium, 12 g sugar, 0 g added sugar, 65 mg cholesterol

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Ingredients:

2 eggplants (about 3 lbs.), quartered lengthwise

6 medium zucchini (about 3 lbs.)

Canola oil cooking spray

15 oz. low-fat ricotta or low-fat cottage cheese (or a combination of both)

2 eggs

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. garlic powder

4 cups low-sodium tomato sauce

1 lb. whole-wheat, no-boil lasagna noodles

3 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cooking directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan, set aside. Slice the eggplant and zucchini in ½-inch slices. Layer on two baking sheets and coat both sides of the vegetables with cooking spray. Roast for about 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and/or cottage cheeses, eggs, Parmesan, nutmeg and garlic powder. To assemble: spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the prepared pan. Cover with a layer of pasta. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture on top of pasta. Sprinkle ¼ of the mozzarella over the ricotta. Spoon ⅓ of the roasted vegetables on top. Top with ½ cup of tomato sauce and continue the assembly as directed until you have 4 layers of pasta and 3 layers of filling. Spread the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Macaroni and Cheese

A simple take on a classic
Recipe from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website

Servings: 8

Nutrition per serving (½ cup): 200 calories, 4 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 120 mg sodium, 34 mg cholesterol

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Ingredients:

2 cups macaroni

2 cups onions, chopped

2 cups evaporated fat-free milk

1 medium egg, beaten

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 ¼ cups low-fat cheddar cheese, finely shredded

Nonstick cooking spray, as needed

Cooking directions:

Cook macaroni according to directions—but do not add salt to the cooking water. Drain and set aside. Spray casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Add onions to saucepan and sauté for about 3 minutes. In another bowl, combine macaroni, onions and the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Transfer mixture into casserole dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
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Greek Veggie Balls with Lemon Tahini Sauce

High fiber meal!
Recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research website

Servings: 4

Nutrition per serving: 370 calories, 19 g total fat (2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 43 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 9 g dietary fiber, 45 mg sodium, 15 g sugar, 0 g added sugar, 0 mg cholesterol

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Ingredients:

Veggie Balls

2 15 oz. cans black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained (or 3 ½ cups cooked)

1 medium red onion, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup ground flaxseed

½ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs (may use gluten-free)

½ cup nut meal (e.g., almond meal, hazelnut meal or peanut meal)

5 large Medjool dates, pitted, finely diced

¼ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. fennel

1 tbsp. oregano

½ tsp. black pepper

1 pinch sea salt (optional)

1 large lemon, juiced

3 tbsp. olive oil, divided

Tahini Lemon Sauce

⅓ cup tahini

2 lemons, juiced

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ tsp. black pepper

Water, as needed

Smoked paprika

Note: When making the Tahini Lemon Sauce, a thicker sauce is preferred when serving on the side with appetizer veggie balls, while a thinner sauce is preferred when serving on top of an entrée serving of veggie balls.

Cooking directions:

Place black-eyed peas in large mixing bowl and mash with potato masher to achieve a smooth texture with some lumps. Stir in onion, garlic, flaxseed, breadcrumbs, nut meal, dates, tomatoes, parsley, fennel, oregano, pepper and salt, if using. Mix well. Add lemon juice to moisten and mix well to create a slightly moist mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make Tahini Lemon Sauce. Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper. Add enough water to make a smooth sauce, according to your desired texture. Heat 1½ tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Roll veggie balls into 28 golf-size balls with clean hands, and place in skillet. Cook balls, turning regularly, so that all sides are browned, for about 15 minutes. Remove, place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Add remaining olive oil to skillet and cook remaining veggie balls using same technique. Serve with Tahini Lemon Sauce garnished with smoked paprika. Enjoy!
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Important Dietary Information Please note, certain types of cancer or cancer treatment may have specific dietary restrictions. Speak with your doctor before starting the Magnolia Meals at Home program to make sure the meals are right for you.

Note: These recipes are not part of the Magnolia Meals at Home menu.

ⁱBenefits of good nutrition during cancer treatment, American Cancer Society, Mar. 16, 2022.

ⁱⁱDealing With Treatment Side Effects, American Institute for Cancer Research, n.d.

ⁱⁱⁱThe Importance of Nutrition During Treatment, CancerCare, Jun. 2, 2020.

Good nutrition is especially important when your body is fighting a disease like cancer. Eating the right kinds of foods may help manage treatment-related side effects. Side effects of cancer therapy may also affect a patient’s eating habits.i

Below are tips to help manage common eating difficulties during and after cancer treatment:

Tips for getting help with nutritioniii

Recipes

Good nutrition is especially important when your body is fighting a disease like cancer. Eating the right kinds of foods may help manage treatment-related side effects. Side effects of cancer therapy may also affect a patient’s eating habits.ⁱ

Tips for getting help with nutritionⁱⁱⁱ