Making changes to your diet

It is not always easy to make changes to your lifestyle. It can be more difficult when you also have had a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment to cope with.

Some people eat more when life is stressful. This is called comfort eating. Others are so busy that they do not have time to look for healthier options when food shopping. It can sometimes be easier to choose ready meals. For some people, the price of food is an issue.

You may want to make gradual changes to your diet when you feel ready, and at a budget you can afford. Eating a healthy, balanced diet does not mean you have to buy expensive foods. 

You could start by writing down what you eat for a few weeks, and compare it with our information about healthy eating. Then you can see if you need to make changes. 

You can set yourself small, realistic goals and decide how you will achieve them. For example, you could:

• look at the labels of food to help choose healthier options
• try swapping chocolate for a small portion of dried fruit or nuts
• add fresh or stewed fruit to cereal or porridge.

You can set more goals over time. Keep a record of your progress and how you feel physically and emotionally. You may decide to make small or big changes to your diet. It may take time to find healthy foods that you like, or a diet that works for you.

Before making changes to your diet, it can help to talk to a dietitian, your GP or a specialist nurse. This may also be useful if you have special dietary requirements or medical needs. A dietitian can help you make changes. They can also advise you about any other dietary problems you might have during or after cancer treatment.

Making changes can be enjoyable. It can help to try different foods. You may find new foods that you have not tried before. Trying different foods can stop you getting bored. This can help motivate you to continue with a healthy diet in the long term.

Here are some ideas for healthy meals and snacks. You can use our food and activity planner to help plan your meals. To keep a meal healthy and reduce calories, avoid frying foods. If you do fry any foods, use healthier fats, such as unsaturated fats like rapeseed or sunflower oil.

• Low-sugar, wholegrain cereal, muesli or porridge. Have this with skimmed, 1%, or semi-skimmed milk, or an unsweetened, fortified plant-based milk such as almond milk.
• Fresh fruit or berries with low-fat or dairy-free yoghurt.
• A boiled, poached or scrambled egg, or scrambled tofu, with a slice of wholemeal toast.
• A bagel with low-fat cream cheese, nut butter or mashed banana.
• A homemade smoothie, made from fruit, vegetables and low-fat yoghurt or an unsweetened plant-based milk.
• Vegetarian or vegan sausages with a grilled tomato and mushrooms.
• A grilled breakfast instead of a fry-up.

• Homemade vegetable or lentil soup with a wholemeal bread roll.
• Grilled chicken salad.
• A poached or scrambled egg on a slice of wholemeal toast.
• An omelette with a side salad.
• A baked potato with tinned tuna (in spring water), sweetcorn or low-fat coleslaw.
• A wholemeal wrap with reduced-fat hummus and salad.
• Pilchards, sardines, mackerel or baked beans on toast.
• A wholemeal bread sandwich or pitta bread with egg or cold meat, served with salad.
• Falafel and salad with a flatbread.

• Vegetable or meat curry or chilli with boiled brown rice.
• Wholegrain pasta with a low-fat sauce, vegetables and a side salad.
• Grilled or baked fish, with boiled or baked potatoes and vegetables.
• A vegetarian or vegan burger with vegetables or salad.
• Vegetable, turkey or tofu stir-fry with noodles.
• Lean beef, chicken or vegetable casserole with potatoes and vegetables.
• Grilled chicken with vegetables and potatoes.
• Reduced-fat mince or soya mince and potatoes. You could replace half the mince with vegetables or lentils.

• Fresh fruit.
• Seeds, mixed nuts and berries. It can be cheaper to buy these in bulk from a supermarket or health food shop.
• Oatcakes with cherry tomatoes.
• Fresh carrot, cucumber or celery sticks, with a low-fat dip such as hummus or salsa.
• A handful of raisins or other dried fruit.
• Plain rice cakes with reduced-fat cream cheese.
• Homemade plain popcorn.
• Low-fat fruit yoghurt.

The World Cancer Research Fund and British Dietetic Association also have healthy recipes from all over the world.