Chili con carne
A spiced stew of ground beef, beans, tomatoes and chilli.
Well-cooked hot dish
Ingredients
- ground beef
- kidney beans
- tomatoes
- onion
- garlic
- chilli powder
- cumin
- salt
How it is prepared
The beef is browned, then simmered with tomatoes, beans and spices for about an hour.
Food safety with low immunity
- Minced meat and dishes made from it must always be fully cooked — including the middle.
How to prepare it during treatment
With mouth sores or nausea, make it mild.
Your diet during treatment is agreed with your doctor. Sample 7-day menu for the treatment period →
Storage
Cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, and eat within 1–2 days. Divide large batches into small containers so they cool faster.
Reheating
Once, until steaming hot all the way through; in a microwave, stir halfway.
Symptoms it may suit
- Constipation. Fibre (pulses, vegetables, grains) may help with constipation — together with enough fluids.
- Taste changes. Aromatic spices, herbs or a little sourness can help when food tastes bland or metallic (if there are no mouth sores).
- Low appetite. Gives a lot of energy and protein in a small portion — can help when appetite is low.
These are general observations: what suits you can change from day to day.
Treatment phases
- Before treatmentmay suit
- During a coursemay suit
- Low counts (neutropenia)Freshly cooked and hotmay suit
- Between coursesmay suit
- After treatmentmay suit
Phase notes are general. During low counts, follow only your care team’s food rules.
If you have other conditions
- Stomach and gut. Can be spicy. With digestive problems or mouth sores, choose a milder version.
- Stomach and gut. High in fibre. With bowel inflammation, diarrhoea or after bowel surgery, discuss suitability with your team.
- Stomach and gut, Lung disease. Pulses or cabbage can cause wind and bloating; keep this in mind with digestive or lung conditions (bloating can make breathing harder).
- Kidney disease. Can be a source of potassium (tomato, potato, pulses, dried fruit). With kidney disease, discuss potassium limits with your team.
- High blood pressure, Heart disease, Kidney disease. Often salty (stock, salty cheese, sausage, pickles). With high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, discuss salt limits with your team.
Nutrition (per 100 g)
| Energy | 118 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9.8 g |
| Fat | 4.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 10.2 g |
| Fibre | 3 g |
| Sodium | 340 mg |
Figures are for a comparable item in the USDA FoodData Central database: “Chili with meat and beans”. Home recipes vary — treat this as a rough guide, not an exact calculation. USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 2706375
More from this cuisine
Related topics
Food safetyNeutropenic diet (low-microbial diet)PasteurisedCore cooking temperatureLeftoversCross-contamination
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Safer Food Choices for People With Weakened Immune Systems
- FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS). Cook to a Safe Minimum Internal Temperature
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food Safety for Older Adults and People with Cancer, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Organ Transplants, and Autoimmune Diseases
- Food Standards Agency (UK). Chilling
- World Health Organization (WHO). Five keys to safer food manual
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Food Safety During Cancer Treatment
- National Cancer Institute (NCI). Eating Hints: Before, during, and after Cancer Treatment
- BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2019. Neutropenic diets to prevent cancer infections: updated systematic review and meta-analysis
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). FoodData Central — Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS)