1. Vegetable Broth

My go to food of all bland foods to eat when you’re sick is plain old vegetable broth. You can make it yourself, or buy the no-sodium-added variety in a carton. I prefer organic brands personally, and these are also very affordable. Vegetable broth is very healing to the gut lining, and helps repair it and nourish it, while having no fiber to require digestion, which can cause tummy issues to occur when you’re sick. The natural sodium in vegetable broth also helps heal the gut lining, and only comes from the vegetables used in the broth.

2. Crackers

If you don’t tolerate gluten, there are many gluten-free crackers out there to choose from, but if you do tolerate it, plain old saltine crackers will work. These crackers might not be the latest health food, but they are tremendously easy for your stomach to break down, and if your tummy is stressed, they can be easy to eat just to get something in your body. They go great with broth or soup.

3. Plain Oatmeal

Usually, grains can be difficult to digest for someone dealing with stomach issues, but oatmeal seems to work well, so long as you leave the sugar and milk out. If you need to sweeten it, opt for liquid stevia, which won’t cause issues, and consider sprinkling some cinnamon and ginger in it, both of which ease digestion. Oatmeal will help soak up excess liquid in the gut, but will also be easily digested so you don’t get even more sick.

4. Skinless Poultry

Plain chicken and plain turkey breasts are very easy to digest, and if you don’t eat meat, try eating plain steamed fish if you can stomach it. The amino acids will help repair gut lining, and will strengthen your digestive system and immune system. Skinless poultry and fish are both easier to digest than red meat or most forms of dairy, along with being easier to digest than beans or legumes as a protein source. Just keep the seasonings down so they stay pretty bland.

5. Applesauce

Applesauce is great to eat when your stomach is feeling out of sorts. Just be sure to buy unsweetened. Applesauce is low in sugar, and it won’t cause digestive issues. The fibers in it are soluble fiber, which as with oatmeal, will help soak up liquids, but won’t cause digestive disruptions.

6. Plain Yogurt

Dairy causes more issues for some people, but I actually find that plain Greek yogurt helps my stomach when its upset. I avoid adding anything funny to it, except for cinnamon and stevia, and just eat it plain. The probiotics help replenish bacteria, and the milk coats the stomach, helping to ease digestive stress. If you don’t tolerate dairy, then try a vegan alternative, but be aware, most of these have sugars and lots of additives that are even harder to digest than dairy.

7. Almond Milk

One thing that seems to help my stomach when I’m sick is Silk Pure Almond milk, unsweetened vanilla. The calcium is very soothing to the stomach, and unlike dairy milk, which can be harder to digest, almond milk goes down very easy. It can be a good way to get something in your stomach when you don’t feel like eating, and it will stabilize your blood sugar. I like to sweeten mine with stevia, cinnamon and ginger if I want it to taste better.

Along with these foods and beverages, I also suggest peppermint tea and ginger tea. These are very healing to the gut and can help with other issues when you’re sick as well. What’s your favorite bland foods to eat when you’re sick?