Please Note: For those of you who linked right to this page and are not aware, the Never-Ending Squirrel Tale is a web site for the parents of kids with cancer. They have special dietary needs and this forum is used to exchange ideas from parent to parent on what worked for them. Nutrition-Related Topics: Loss of Appetite Nausea & Vomiting Diarrhea Mouth Sores & Difficulty Swallowing Taste Alterations Dry Mouth Recipes Hi, your site is excellent! I don't have cancer, rather I've had fibromyalgia for a long time. Fibromyalgics often have bad/metallic tastes in mouth. For the record, I just wanted to comment that these foods leave me with metallic taste: Prunes, spinach & Pau D'arco tea. I'd also get a metallic taste from eating salmon that was scraped off the sides of salmon can (the part of the fish that adhered to the can). The common denominator of all this seems to point to iron & metal.

Chemotherapy, radiation or the cancer itself can cause your child to complain that nothing tastes right. While most children haven't lost their sense of taste completely, many do experience changes in their sense of taste. Sometimes sweets taste too sweet, meat tastes bitter and the taste of other foods are dulled. Each child's sense of taste may be affected in a different way at different times throughout their treatment. Practical tips to get your child to enjoy foods despite changes in taste Marinate meats in sweet fruit juices, soy sauce, teriyaki, sweet and sour or barbecue sauces. If meat or other foods taste metallic, plastic utensils and dishes may make a difference. Tart foods will often overcome a metallic taste - (e.g., citrus juices, cranberry juice, pickles, relish, fruit.) Cold or room temperature meat/alternatives are often better accepted - (cold cuts/deli meats, tuna or egg salad.) If your child doesn't like meat, substitute chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, beans and milk products. Fresh fruit often leaves a pleasant taste in the mouth. Sugar-free candies, gum or ginger ale will sometimes eliminate a "bad" taste in the mouth. Season veggies with bacon bits, ham strips, grated cheese or onions. Some seasonings are easier to take than others, such as lemon juice, mint, basil and those used in curried, ItaIian or Mexican dishes. Add salt to decrease the sweetness of sugar foods. Add sugar to tone down the salty and acidic foods. Fresh fruit may improve the taste of milkshakes, ice creams and puddings. Experiment with new textures, temperatures and seasoning variations. Try new forms of a particular food - ( fresh, frozen, canned) Try to serve food attractively and in a pleasant atmosphere.