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Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients
Nutrition is an important part of life, cancer treatment, recovery, and prevention. Food is one of the few things you can be in control of during your treatment. The oncology certified registered dietitians at the Stanford Cancer Center are here to help you make informed choices about nutrition, answer your nutrition-related questions, and help you to achieve and maintain good health.
Care and Treatment
High Calorie Snacks as Part of Your Cancer Diet
Calorie guidelines during cancer treatment
Each individual's calorie and protein requirements will vary. For a rough estimate of calorie needs, plan on consuming 25 to 35 calories for each kilogram of weight (1 kilogram equals 2.2 pounds). The current recommended daily allowance for protein is 45 to 60 grams per day. It is important to discuss your individual calorie and protein requirements with your physician or registered dietitian. With some cancers, the metabolic processes can cause a situation known as hypermetabolism that affects how the body uses proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. With hypermetabolism you may need to increase your calorie and protein intake. Discuss this with your physician or registered dietitian.
What foods are high in calories?
Listed below are some suggestions for adding calories and protein to your meals and snacks:
- Add butter or margarine (45 calories per teaspoon) to puddings, casseroles, sandwiches, vegetables, cooked cereal, breads, and pasta.
- Add wheat germ (25 calories per tablespoon and 2 grams protein per tablespoon):
- To hot cereals
- To meat dishes, cookie batter, and casseroles
- Add avocados, mayonnaise or salad dressing (45 calories per teaspoon) liberally to sandwiches, salads, and as a dip for raw vegetables or sauce on cooked vegetables.
- Add evaporated milk (25 calories and 1 gram protein per tablespoon) in place of whole milk in desserts, baked goods, meat dishes, and cooked cereal.
- Add sour cream (26 calories per tablespoon) to:
- Potatoes, casseroles, and dips
- Sauces and baked goods
- Add sweetened condensed milk (60 calories and 1 gram protein per tablespoon) to:
- Pies, puddings, and milkshakes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and spread on toast
- Add gravies (40 calories per tablespoon) liberally on mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, and meats.
- Add peanut butter or any nut butter to bread/toast or shakes.



Recipes
Cancer Fighting Recipe of the Week: Week 3
In honor of Colon Cancer Awareness month, we'll be featuring four colorectal cancer friendly recipes each week during the month of March.
Basil Broccoi
Broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are all cruciferous vegetables. This vegetable family contains powerful phytochemicals, including carotenoids, indoles and glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, which have been studied and shown to slow the growth of many cancers.
- Asparagus and Scallion Soup with Almonds
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Broccoli Sunflower Salad
- Butternut Squash Soup
- California Citrus Greens Salad with Garlic Dressing
- Carrot and Apple Soup
- Creamy Irish Soup
- Crunchy Chicken Salad
- Curried Chicken Salad
- Curried Chickpea Salad with Walnuts
- Easy Pea Soup with Tarragon
- Egyptian Red Lentil Soup
- Fall Stew in a Pumpkin with Poblano-Cucumber Salsa
- Pumpkin Bisque
- Roasted Asparagus Salad
- Salmon Salad with Pimento and Herbs
- Shredded Carrot and Beet Salad
- Spicy Black Bean Salad
- Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Spinach, Red Bell Pepper and Feta Cheese Salad with Yogurt Dressing
- Spring Pea Soup
- Summer Rice Salad
- Sweet and Spicy Carrot Salad
- Vegetable Soup
- Whole Grain Salad
- 10 Minute Italian Chicken Stir Fry
- Anytime Burrito
- Baked Tofu Kabobs
- Barley, Turkey & Butternut Squash Casserole
- Bean and Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
- Bean Surprise
- Broiled Portobello Mushrooms
- Cajun Salmon over Polenta
- Chicken Chili
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Cranberry Salmon
- Cranberry-Turkey Salad Sandwiches
- Crispy Parmesan Turkey Cutlets
- Crunchy Veggie Wrap
- Easy Spinach Lasagna
- Eating Well Sloppy Joe
- Egg, Spinach, and Bacon Sandwiches
- Fish Filet with Squash and Herbs
- Greek-Style Scallops
- Grilled Ginger Tuna
- Grilled Halibut with a Tomato-Herb Sauce
- Grilled Portobello Burgers
- Grilled Vegetable Polenta with Pan Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Sauce
- Halibut with Citrus and Garlic
- Healthy Jambalaya
- Hearty Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables
- Hearty Mediterranean Stew
- Herbed Polenta with Grilled Portobello Mushrooms
- Indonesian Salmon
- Lasagna Rolls
- Lemon Dijon Salmon
- Mediterranean Grilled Veggie Pockets
- Molasses-Cured Pork Loin with Apples
- Mushroom Goulash
- New American Plate "Tetrazzini" Casserole
- New Tuna Salad
- Peppers Stuffed with Barley, Parmesan and Onion
- Pizza Meat Loaf
- Pumpkin Gnocchi
- Quinoa and Mushroom Pilaf with Dill
- Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Maple Mustard Sauce
- Scallion Crusted Arctic Char
- Seared Scallops with Beet Puree and Arugula Salad
- Soft Tacos with Southwestern Vegetables
- Spaghetti alla Carbonara
- Speedy Summer Ratatouille
- Spicy Broccoli, Cauliflower and Tofu
- Steamed Halibut on Spinach with Lemon Sauce
- Stuffed Cornish Hens
- Summer Tofu Kebab with Peanut Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- Tofu Cutlets Marsala
- Turkey & Cranberry Wrap
- Turkey Reuben Grilled Sandwiches
- Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut Ginger Sauce
- Veggie Pita Pizzas
- White Wine Coq au Vin
- Whole Wheat Pasta with Fennel, Peas and Arugula
- Zesty Roasted Chicken
For Patients
PREPARE FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
- Bring your photo ID and Insurance Card
- Maps, directions, parking, public transit options, and contact information
Ask your physician for a REFERRAL for a Cancer Center Nutrition Appointment
Our dietitians are available for 45 minute consults by appointment only, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Download our nutrition appointment flyer.
Questions about your appointment or need to make a change?
RESOURCES
For Health Care Professionals
Our dietitians are available for 45 minute consults by appointment only on: Mondays – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
HOW TO REFER
Call us at 1-650-498-6000 to refer a new patient for a nutrition consultation. If you wish to refer a patient to the Stanford Cancer Center, please call the Physician Helpline.
Download our nutrition appointment flyer.
Returning Patient
Questions about your appointment or need to make a change? Call:
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients at Stanford Cancer Center Palo Alto
650-498-6000
Nutrition Services for Cancer Patients at Stanford Cancer Center South Bay
408-426-4900