Your 3000 daily calorie minimum is a GREAT goal!!! Thats a wise plan many patients do not pay enough attention to. Some patients can take in even more (like 4000 or more a day) and still struggle to keep their weight on. No matter what a patient weighs doctors always like to see the patient maintain that weight while going thru cancer treatments and the long recovery phase. I too struggled during rads and wasnt the best example of what patients should and should not do. I quickly discovered all the kind and wise people here who already went thru the things I struggled with, they really were telling me what was in my best interest to do. During recovery your body burns up calories at a significantly higher rate making extra calories a necessity to help patients recovery phase easier.
Something I made almost daily to help maintain the higher intake was a chocolate/peanut butter milkshake which had a ton of calories per shake. I'll repost my recipe below so you can give it a try. When I cook I dont measure or always go exactly by recipes so the shake is very adaptable and can easily be customized to what each person likes best so they will drink the whole thing.
PS....Here is a recipe for something I used to make and drink when I went thru treatments and recovery. The shake has anywhere from 1200-2000+ calories depending on how you make it.
Giant High Calorie Choc-Peanut Butter Milkshake3 or 4 cups chocolate ice cream (regular/full fat type)
2 tablespoons peanut butter (smooth type)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 or 2 cups whole milk (can substitute half and half to add even more calories)
1 scoop carnation instant breakfast
1 scoop high protein whey powder (as with all new or different products used ... check with doc if this is ok)
Blend this extra long to make it very smooth and creamy so it goes down easier. If the shake is too thick, let the shake sit for a half hour so it melts a little or add more milk to thin it down to what works for your own personal preferences. Ive also recently discovered something new... powdered peanut butter which can be used instead of the usual big jar kind. Most OC patients lose their taste for chocolate right away and it takes them a little while to get it back after finishing... for some strange reason I could still taste it a little especially in the giant shakes or when drinking ice cold yoo-hoo which helped soothe my very sore throat. Maybe try drinking things that are ice cold, (this always worked for me) it should help with any swelling you may still have?
Best wishes with your continued recovery!!!
