Diet and Nutrition
7 Tips for Eating When You Have No Appetite — and Foods That Might Help
There can be many causes of a low appetite, beyond being sick. Many different emotional or physical changes in your body can change your appetite.
Starting with small portions, choosing appetizing foods, and eating often are just a few things that can help stimulate your appetite. This will also help you get the nutrients your body needs to work properly.
Short-term changes in appetite can be normal. But if you find your symptoms are not improving, or if you are losing weight, it’s important to reach out for help.
It can be challenging to get enough nourishment into your body when you don’t feel like eating. Although there are many reasons why you may not have an appetite, eating is still important. You get essential calories, vitamins, and minerals from the foods you eat and beverages you drink. These provide key energy and nutrients that your body needs every day. And they’ll help your body and mind restore balance — and increase your appetite.
There are many possible reasons to experience a lack of appetite. These include:
Temporary illnesses (like a cold or headache)
Chronic illnesses (like kidney disease or diabetes)
Physical changes to your body or injury
Certain medications
Changes in your emotions or increased stress
Mental health conditions (like depression or anxiety)
Changes to your environment
Sometimes a lack of appetite happens suddenly. Other times it happens gradually over time. You may have no appetite for just a meal or a day. Other times poor appetite may last for weeks to months.
In some cases, a loss of appetite can be a symptom of disordered eating. This can happen with any type of eating disorder involving restricted food intake. This includes:
Extreme or restrictive dieting
Over time, consistent food restriction causes the body’s metabolism to slow down. It also changes brain chemistry in a way that makes it harder to feel typical cues of hunger and appetite.
Some types of food may be easier to eat when you have no appetite. Here are some ideas:
Toast: Toast is generally well tolerated and easily digested for most people. Whole-grain bread topped with a nutritious fat source (such as avocado or nut butter) will give your body more nutrients and nourishing calories compared to plain white toast.
Fruit: For some people, a simple food like fruit might feel the most palatable. Fruits can provide helpful nutrients, fiber, and even a little hydration. If you can, try to pair it with some protein and fat. For example, pair an apple or banana with peanut butter. Or top a cup of berries with some yogurt.
Smoothies: Smoothies are easy to eat and can offer a nutrient-dense source of calories in a small portion size. Try adding various fruits and veggies. You can also add a fat and a protein source — like avocado and peanut butter — to pack the most nutrition in.
Soups: Soups can help keep you hydrated. If they’re prepared right, they can also offer a good source of calories from carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Try to choose soups that include a source of vegetables, whole grains, and protein. You can eat the soup a little bit at a time if you’re not able to eat it all at once.
Higher-fat yogurt: Yogurt has many health benefits, including providing protein and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Some yogurts — such as Greek and Icelandic-style — also provide a natural source of nutritious fats and probiotics (bacteria that are good for your gut). For a nutrient-dense snack, mix plain yogurt with toppings, like berries and granola, along with nuts and seeds.
Eggs: Eggs are naturally nutrient-dense and offer an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals. They’re also very versatile, so you can prepare and eat them however you’d like.
Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a warm and comforting food that can provide a good dose of whole grains. Try making it with milk rather than water to add extra protein and nutrients, like calcium and potassium. You can also add extra protein with things like protein powder, nuts, nut butters, and yogurt.
How does stress affect appetite? Some people lose their appetite when they are stressed. And for others, it’s the opposite. We have tips to help with both.
Adding protein to your diet: When your appetite is low, it’s important to get enough protein. Many high-protein foods can easily be blended into smoothies and drinks.
How many calories do you need a day? We help you figure out how many calories to get per day based on your age, body size, weight goals.
Ultimately, it’s generally better to eat whatever sounds appetizing than to not eat anything at all.
If eating doesn’t sound appealing to you, there are ways to help get your body the energy it needs. Here are some things to try:
Start with small portions. You don’t need to overwhelm yourself by trying to eat an entire meal. Eating even small amounts of food, such as a small snack or half of a normal portion, can help fuel and nourish your body.
Eat as often as tolerated. Try to eat every few hours if you can, even if it’s a very small portion of food. This can help train your brain to expect food at regular times and may gradually help improve your appetite.
Eat your biggest meal when your appetite is the best. Try to take advantage of even slight hunger by eating a nutrient-dense meal or snack when it’s most appealing. This may be in the morning when you’ve gone the longest amount of time without food, or it may be later in the day.
Hydrate between meals — not with meals. Too many liquids can fill up your stomach without giving the right balance of nutrients. Some people may find it helpful to drink only after or between meals to have room for enough food at mealtime.
Do simple exercises, as tolerated. Some research suggests that exercise might help stimulate appetite over time. Some types of exercise can also help build muscle, which might boost your metabolism and improve your appetite.
Have prepared foods available. If the thought of having to make food seems too overwhelming to you, feel free to stick to pre-packaged or prepared foods, as needed.
Make food appetizing. Sometimes, adding new colors or flavors to a food can make it more exciting — and make you feel more inclined to eat it. Keep various foods with different flavors and textures on hand, so you’ll have something satisfying to eat when your appetite comes back.
If you find yourself having no appetite for a short period of time, it may not be necessary to force yourself to eat. If your loss of appetite is paired with other symptoms of being sick, such as vomiting, forcing yourself to eat may make you feel even worse.
If your loss of appetite lasts longer than a day or is followed by other symptoms, like fatigue or feeling shaky, it may be a good idea to try eating a small bit of a nutrient-dense food or meal. With time, you may be able to slowly start increasing the portion sizes.
Once you start feeding your body more often, the levels of your hunger and fullness hormones (ghrelin and leptin) will start to rebalance themselves and your appetite is more likely to return.
There’s no exact time frame. But how your body responds to a lack of food can be influenced by many factors, such as:
Your genetics
Your body weight and body composition
Current health conditions
How hydrated you are
Your baseline state of health
Going without food for too long, though, can be dangerous.
Having a loss of appetite for a short period of time is usually not a concern. But you should see a healthcare professional as soon as possible if you have any of these symptoms:
Loss of appetite that lasts more than 1 week
Unintentional weight loss of more than 10 lbs
Uncontrolled nausea or vomiting
Dizziness or weakness
Loss of consciousness
It can be difficult to eat when you have no appetite. But eating is an essential part of staying healthy. Choosing smaller, nutrient-packed meals or snacks (like smoothies, soups, or yogurt with fruit and granola) can ensure you’re still getting important nutrients that your body needs to work properly until you regain your appetite.
Fernandez, M. A., et al. (2017). Potential health benefits of combining yogurt and fruits based on their probiotic and prebiotic properties. Advances in Nutrition.
King, N. A., et al. (2009). Dual-process action of exercise on appetite control: Increase in orexigenic drive but improvement in meal-induced satiety. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Most, J., et al. (2020). Impact of calorie restriction on energy metabolism in humans. Experimental Gerontology.
Réhault-Godbert, S., et al. (2019). The golden egg: Nutritional value, bioactivities, and emerging benefits for human health. Nutrients.
Yeung, A. Y., et al. (2023). Physiology, obesity neurohormonal appetite and satiety control. StatPearls.
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