When someone you care about is sick, the best things to make them are warm broths, simple soups, and easy-to-digest foods that keep them hydrated and fueled without demanding much from their body. What you prepare depends on their symptoms, but a few staples work across nearly every common illness.
Chicken Soup Works for Real Reasons
Chicken soup isn’t just comforting. A well-known study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that chicken soup significantly inhibited the movement of white blood cells called neutrophils in a concentration-dependent manner. That matters because neutrophils rushing to the site of infection are what cause many of the miserable symptoms of a cold or flu: the congestion, the swelling, the stuffiness. A mild anti-inflammatory effect from the soup helps dial those symptoms down.
Both the chicken and the vegetables in the soup contributed to this effect individually, and the complete soup showed no toxic activity to cells. The warm broth also loosens mucus in the nose and throat, and the salt soothes irritated tissue. A basic version is easy to make: simmer a whole chicken or bone-in thighs with carrots, celery, onion, and a generous pinch of salt for an hour or two. Add egg noodles or rice in the last 15 minutes if the person feels up to eating something more substantial.
Keeping Them Hydrated
Dehydration is the biggest practical risk during most common illnesses, especially when fever, vomiting, or diarrhea is involved. A fever alone increases the body’s energy expenditure by roughly 11% for every degree Celsius of temperature rise, which means the body is burning through fluids and calories faster than normal even while lying still.
Water is a good start, but if someone has been vomiting or has diarrhea, plain water doesn’t replace the electrolytes they’re losing. The World Health Organization’s oral rehydration formula calls for 8 level teaspoons of sugar and 1 level teaspoon of salt dissolved in 1 liter of water. The sugar isn’t just for taste. It activates a transport mechanism in the gut that pulls sodium and water into the bloodstream far more efficiently than water alone. Getting the ratio wrong can be ineffective or even harmful, so measure carefully.
Beyond that, coconut water, diluted fruit juice, and clear broths all contribute to fluid intake. Popsicles and Italian ice are especially useful for someone who can’t keep liquids down easily, since they deliver small amounts of fluid slowly.
What to Make for a Sore Throat
A raw, inflamed throat needs foods that are soft, cool or warm (never hot), and low in acid. The goal is to avoid anything that scratches, burns, or chemically irritates the tissue. Good options include:
- Scrambled or poached eggs
- Mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Plain yogurt
- Soft-cooked pasta
- Smoothies made with non-acidic fruit like bananas
Skip anything spicy, crunchy, carbonated, or acidic. Citrus fruits and tomato-based soups, despite being popular “sick foods,” can sting an already irritated throat. A banana smoothie blended with yogurt and a little honey is one of the most soothing things you can put together quickly.
Honey itself is a surprisingly effective cough suppressant. Studies on children found that a single 2.5 mL dose of honey before bedtime roughly cut cough frequency scores in half, outperforming supportive care alone. A spoonful stirred into warm (not boiling) tea or warm water with lemon works well for adults too. One critical rule: never give honey to a child under one year old, as it can contain dormant spores that cause infant botulism.
What to Make for Nausea
When someone feels nauseated, the last thing they want is a full meal. Start small and bland. Plain crackers, dry toast, white rice, and applesauce are classic choices because they’re easy on the stomach and unlikely to trigger more nausea. Avoid greasy, fried, or strongly flavored foods until the nausea passes.
Ginger is one of the most studied natural remedies for nausea. Fresh ginger steeped in hot water makes a simple tea. Peel a thumb-sized piece, slice it thin, and let it steep for 10 minutes. You can add a little honey once it cools slightly. Flat ginger ale is a common suggestion, but most commercial ginger ales contain very little actual ginger, so the tea is a better bet.
Serve fluids in small, frequent sips rather than full glasses. A few tablespoons every 10 to 15 minutes is often better tolerated than a large drink, which can stretch the stomach and make nausea worse.
Protein for Recovery
Once someone is past the worst of their illness and starting to eat again, protein becomes especially important. During illness, the body breaks down muscle tissue for energy and immune function. Research on hospitalized patients suggests that people recovering from illness need 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, well above the 0.8 grams recommended for healthy adults. For a 150-pound person, that translates to roughly 68 to 102 grams of protein daily.
That doesn’t mean serving a steak to someone with the flu. Gentle, protein-rich foods work better during recovery: Greek yogurt, scrambled eggs, lentil soup, shredded chicken in broth, or a smoothie made with milk or a protein-rich base. Eggs are particularly useful because they’re soft, easy to digest, and quick to prepare in almost any form.
Zinc at the First Sign of a Cold
If you’re caring for someone who just started sniffling, zinc lozenges are worth having on hand. A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials found that taking zinc lozenges providing around 80 to 92 milligrams of elemental zinc per day reduced common cold duration by an average of 33%. The key is starting early, ideally within the first 24 hours of symptoms. Zinc lozenges are available over the counter as zinc acetate or zinc gluconate, and a course of one to two weeks at that dosage is generally considered safe for short-term use.
Zinc won’t cure a cold, but shaving a third off the duration is meaningful when someone is miserable. Pair it with the soups, fluids, and rest that do the bulk of the healing work.
Simple Recipes to Have Ready
Most sick people don’t want complicated meals. Having a few simple preparations ready makes a real difference.
Basic broth: Simmer chicken bones or a whole chicken with an onion, two carrots, two celery stalks, a bay leaf, and salt for at least an hour. Strain and serve warm in a mug. This keeps in the fridge for up to four days or freezes well.
Rice porridge: Cook one cup of white rice in four cups of broth (or water with salt) until it breaks down into a thick, soft porridge, usually 30 to 40 minutes. Top with a poached egg or shredded chicken for someone who can handle more food. Variations of this dish exist in almost every food culture for good reason: it’s gentle, hydrating, and easy to keep down.
Banana smoothie: Blend one banana, half a cup of plain yogurt, a splash of milk, and a teaspoon of honey. This delivers calories, protein, potassium, and fluid in a form that slips past a sore throat without trouble.
Honey-ginger tea: Steep sliced fresh ginger in just-boiled water for 10 minutes, strain, and stir in a spoonful of honey. Good for sore throats, nausea, and general comfort. Make a full pot and let them sip it throughout the day.
The through line with all of these is simplicity. When someone is sick, they need fluids, calories, a little salt, and gentle protein. Fancy ingredients and elaborate preparations aren’t necessary. The fact that you’re making something for them at all is half the medicine.