Eating when you have a cold: healthy recipe ideas
When your nose is running, your throat is scratchy, and you can't stop coughing, it's often hard to think about eating. But when you have a cold, it's especially important to eat healthy foods that provide your body with valuable nutrients. But what should you eat when you have a cold? We have four healthy recipe ideas for when you're feeling peckish.
What to eat when you have a cold? “Nicecream” with raspberries, of course!
Eat ice cream when you have a cold? Of course! Nicecream is a vegan ice cream that can be made super quickly from frozen bananas. This healthy recipe idea can be particularly beneficial for sore throats, as the coldness of the ice cream can help to temporarily relieve the symptoms. The raspberries add a pleasant freshness and provide vitamin C, which supports the immune system. The fructose in the bananas is responsible for the gentle sweetness, so the ice cream contains no industrial sugar. And eating ice cream when you have a cold can also help you forget the frustration of being ill for a moment.
Ingredients for “nice cream” with raspberries:
- 2 ripe bananas
- 25 ml plant-based milk
- 70 g frozen raspberries
Here's how to make it:
For healthy ice cream when you have a cold, simply cut the bananas into small pieces and place them in the freezer for at least three hours – even better: leave them to freeze overnight. Place the frozen bananas, frozen raspberries, and plant-based milk in a powerful blender and purée to a creamy consistency. If the consistency is still too thick, simply add a little more plant-based milk. Transfer the “nice cream” to a bowl and enjoy ice-cold.
Hummus with vegetable sticks – Arabic food for cold frustration
When asked what to eat when you have a cold, vegetables are always a good answer – they are rich in valuable vitamins and minerals. But a few carrots or celery sticks as a snack can taste quite bland. So how about a delicious dip to go with them? Hummus is quick to make and also rich in proteins, which are important for our immune system. This healthy recipe idea for healthy eating when you have a cold is therefore a real power snack.
Ingredients for hummus with vegetable sticks:
- 1 can of chickpeas
- 60 g tahini
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- Approx. 80 ml water
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil (optional)
- Vegetables of your choice (e.g., carrots, celery, radishes)
Here's how to make it:
Drain the chickpeas and purée them with the remaining ingredients in a blender. Arrange the hummus in a bowl and serve with the sliced vegetables.
Cottage cheese patties: Hearty food for when you have a cold
Eating pizza when you have a cold? Then cottage cheese patties are just the thing! They taste just as hearty and cheesy as the toppings on this Italian classic, and they're really healthy too: tomatoes and zucchini provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while cottage cheese is a real protein bomb.
Ingredients for cottage cheese patties:
- 400 g cottage cheese
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 100 g zucchini
- 60 g flour
- Italian spices
- Salt
- Pepper
Here's how to make them:
Wash the tomatoes and zucchini and cut them into small cubes. Mix with the remaining ingredients. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, form small patties from the mixture, and bake at 220°C for about 20 minutes.
Energy balls as a healthy cold remedy
Small, sweet, and packed with valuable nutrients—the perfect snack when you have a cold. What's more, this snack is a real energy booster. Dried dates contain a lot of natural sugar, but they are also rich in fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, and antioxidants. Nuts and cocoa powder are particularly beneficial due to their healthy fats. So how about a little healthy snack?
Ingredients for energy balls:
- 180 g dates
- 100 g chopped nuts
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 pinch of salt
- Shredded coconut
Here's how to make them:
Soak the dates in boiling water. Blend all ingredients except the shredded coconut in a mixer. Form 20 balls from the mixture and roll each one in the shredded coconut. Your energy-rich snacks for healthy eating when you have a cold are ready.
