Dietary Requirements

The majority of people who suffer with liver disease will experience some form of digestive problem, e.g., indigestion, heartburn, ulcers, nausea and loss of appetite.

The easiest way to counteract all of these problems is to eat little and often. The meal plans shown below are to give you ideas on how to spread your eating over six small meals daily, rather than three large ones. See also our hearty soup recipes.

Plan 1

Breakfast:
Muesli and sliced fruit.

Mid-Morning:
Two crispbread with cottage cheese.

Lunch:
Salmon Patties - Leftover boiled potatoes mashed with a tin of salmon (including the bones), chopped parsley and a little milk. Shape into cakes and fry in a little oil until golden and crispy. Serve with salad.

Mid-Afternoon:
Baked apple stuffed with raisins, or hazelnuts and brown sugar (can be cooked quickly in the microwave).

Dinner:
Stir Fry Chicken and Vegetables - Diced chicken breast, stir fried with vegetables in 2-tsp oil and 1-tsp soy sauce. Serve with rice.

Late Snack:
Slice of granary bread with edam cheese and grapes.

Plan 2

Breakfast:
Porridge and piece of fruit.

Mid-Morning:
Beans on toast.

Lunch:
Spinach Soup - Melt 1oz butter and gently cook a small chopped onion and a bunch of spinach for five minutes, add 1-tbsp of flour and stir for one minute. Gradually blend in half a pint of milk and half a pint of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil stirring, cover and simmer for fifteen minutes. Puree in a food processor, stir in a little yogurt just before serving for a creamier texture. Serve chilled or hot with a slice of granary bread. Makes four servings.

Mid-Afternoon:
Rhubarb or banana fool.

Dinner:
Roast meat with vegetables.

Late Snack:
Crispbread with sliced tomatoes.

Plan 3

Breakfast:
Weetabix and fruit.

Mid-Morning:
Toast with mushrooms and tomato.

Lunch:
Jacket potato filled with tuna and mixed salad in a dressing of your choice.

Mid-Afternoon:
Rice pudding with a spoon of jam for a treat.

Dinner:
Choice of meat or fish served with potatoes and broccoli and cauliflower bake. - Lightly cook broccoli and cauliflower, place in an ovenproof dish, pour over cheese sauce and sprinkle with almonds. Bake in oven for thirty minutes.

Late Snack:
Sandwich or fruit.

Changes can be made to suit you and your family's tastes and lifestyle. Remember, you can leave anything out if you do not like it, but it must be replaced with something of similar nutritional value. It is essential to be aware of taking in enough vitamins and minerals through your food.

To help fight against osteoporosis, some calcium rich foods like spinach (makes a good soup if you don't like it as a vegetable), sprats, yogurt, milk (skimmed and semi-skimmed are higher than full cream), sardines (tinned), pilchards in tomato sauce, muesli, figs, baked beans and winter cabbage are included in the meal plans.