What did you eat when you lost your sense of taste/smell?

With chemo, I had no sense of taste for a little over 4 months. So, not COVID, so I can't speak to that.

When I couldn't taste anything, I literally could not eat any of my favorites like bread, bagels, sandwiches, granola bars - anything that involved a lot of chewing and staying in my mouth made me gag. Anything that needed a lot of saliva to process it.

I lived on soups and smoothies. Things I could almost drink down, or not chew a lot. The other thing I craved and ate a ton of was watermelon - and if I sprinkled a LOT of Tajon seasoning on it, I could almost taste it. Oh yeah, the weird one was the little containers of chef boyardee microwave mini ravioli. I could eat one of those and it would suffice as a lunch.

I hope that your sense of taste returns quickly!!! it really is awful to literally not be able to taste things.

My friend's daughter lost her sense of taste last year and still hasn't gotten it back. She is a little teeny tiny thing too so she can't afford to lose any weight. And when I say teeny tiny... she is just naturally that way. I asked her mom about it and she said that stuff like milkshakes or higher calorie drinks were helpful. Also, those drinks like protein drinks were helpful keeping her weight up. She just had no taste for anything. Once and awhile she will make up some weird concoction that she thinks she can taste.. I'm trying to think what she made the other night I was there.. it was so gross.. something like a bagel, a pickle and ranch dressing??

I ate a lot of cold, smooth foods, like applesauce and pudding. It was early June, so reasonably warm weather. I also had a very sore throat for a few days, so smooth, easily swallowed food was best. If it had been winter, I probably would have gone for soup.
I lost my sense of taste on the day I tested positive and can’t remember how long it took to come back - within two weeks at the most.

I only lost taste and smell for about 4-5 days. I drank a lot of peanut butter milkshakes. It was the only thing that I wanted.

It’s been almost a year since I had Covid and my smell is still not normal. I smell burnt rotten garlic all the time, when it’s not there. I can’t eat anything with onions, garlic, or greasy. All those smell make me nauseous. I love onions and cook with them and garlic frequently. It’s made it hard for me to even cook.

Like elaine, mine was due to chemo. The only foods that tasted good were creamy things like ice cream, pudding, yogurt … I’m thinking the sweetness and creaminess compensated for the lack of flavor. And for whatever odd reason, vegetables.

My mom flew out from New Mexico to make me a pot of vegetable beef soup because I was crying that I couldn’t eat anything.

I couldn't smell or taste for about a month. I could taste salty, sweet though. Pizza was the 1st thing I could really taste with the spicy, salty, so I ate lots of that. ha. Otherwise. the same things as usual, just not much of an appetite.

I only lost smell/taste for three days, so not as long as most people. I really didn't feel like eating much at all. It was kind of a "What's the point?" situation. This did lead me to understand how often I eat when I'm not hungry.

My memory of losing my sense of taste will always be eating a strawberry. If you've never had strawberries from Western WA, you are missing out. They don't last long but they are perfection. I ate a berry and told DH it was like chewing water. I tasted nothing.

 Did you end up testing positive for Covid??

Aww, what a lovely mom! 

I lost my taste in Nov 2020 with covid round 1. Took at least a year before taste and smell came back fully, and some things still didn't taste/smell right.

I got Covid 2 Electric Bugaloo the first week of July (so two and a half weeks ago) and lost my taste and smell AGAIN, but thankfully it is already back.

Both times since I couldn't taste or smell my food texture became really important.

I really craved crispy/crunchy, like extra potato chips on a PBJ. I also eat a lot of saltines when I really didn't feel like eating anything.

It gets really frustrating and sad at times. There were times when I said why bother eating something when I couldn't taste it anyway (culinary pity party for 1).

I was able to cut back on the amount of sugar in my coffee, because why make it so sweet qhwn I couldn't taste it.

My dad lost his sense of taste and spell when he had covid in December 2020. He still hasn't gotten all of it back.

He uses a lot of hot sauce.

I "totally lost" my sense of taste and smell for about 5 weeks. For about 2 months after that, it was altered.

Interestingly, the first things to come back were anything tart. Apples. Plums. Or crazy spicy (and I'm already "that person" that tells the waitress at any new Korean or Thai spot I go to that I want Korean spicy. Not American spicy lol)

It was the strangest thing! I was happily making white chicken chili on a fall day.. YUM onions and garlic! And I throw in some red pepper flake mix... It smelled heavenly, spiced just right! I went, sad down and finished a movie in the living room. My guy came home from golf and asked if it was done. I told him I didn't know, stir it and see... He said yes, and got us both a bowl. He handed it to me. I took a bite and about spit it across the room! Taste and smell completely gone, in the space of an hour! The good news.... my guy and my son said it was the best I ever made

What did I eat? Honestly, I remember being kind of weirdly excited that THIS IS MY CHANCE!! I FINALLY get to lose alot of weight being sick! YAY!

But no. It became a challenge to see what I could and couldn't taste lol One of my favs while compromised was pineapple jalapeno margaritas!!!! OMG. It became an obsession! I don't usually like sweet things, so now that I taste the sweet they are jalapeno margs I enjoy HAHAHAHHA

Get better soon!!!

I had the smoke smell and most food smelled rancid. Threw out 3 jars of peanut butter before I realized it was me.

Same as Elaine - not covid, but when I had chemo last year and early this year, I lost my taste and appetite. At one point, for a couple of weeks, I couldn't even stand the feeling of food in my mouth, I could only tolerate really smooth stuff, so I lived on milk and jelly (jello) for those weeks. Then slowly I could handle other textures, even though I still couldn't taste.

Just eat whatever you can tolerate, but make sure you're getting vitamins too, maybe asuppliment while you don't feel like eating. Hope you'r over it soon .