If you are experiencing a sore throat, you should eat food that relieves pain and discomfort, like foods with a liquid or mushy consistency. These foods should be at room temperature to aid swallowing and reduce inflammation. Some great options are oatmeal, pumpkin soup, natural juices and mashed potatoes.

To treat throat inflammation, you can also include honey, lemon tea, echinacea tea or ginger tea. These help to reduce inflammation and sore throats, as well as strengthen the immune system to speed up recovery.

It is important to highlight that a sore throat that does not improve within 3 days should be assessed by a doctor, as more specific treatment may be necessary. Bacterial infections, for example, may require antibiotics to eliminate microorganisms causing the sore throat.

Food for a sore throat

To relieve a sore throat, you should eat liquid or pureed foods. Some examples include:

Porridge
Pumpkin, carrot, asparagus or celery soup
Fruit purees, like apple, pear, peaches, bananas, mangos or avocados
Pasta
Fruit juices that are not acidic
Greek yogurt, milk and soft white cheeses (like cottage, ricotta or mozzarella)
Jello, fruit jellies and honey
Scrambled eggs
Ground beef, ground chicken, fish or pulled pork
Teas, like lemon tea, fenugreek tea, peppermint tea, chamomile tea and echinacea tea (check out other teas for sore throats)
Vegetable-based drinks, like almond milk, hazelnut milk, oat milk and coconut milk

You can also add onions to your meals, as onions contain an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substance called allicin.

Is chocolate bad for a sore throat?

Chocolate contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as fats that lubricate the throat, making it a great home remedy for a sore throat.

If your throat and swallowing are very uncomfortable, place a square of chocolate on your tongue and allow it to melt. This will make it easier to swallow

Food to avoid with a sore throat

You should avoid foods that can scratch your throat and increase pain when swallowing. Some examples include toast, cereal, granola, and acidic fruits or juices.

You should also avoid coffee, sauces, spicy foods, pepper and alcohol. See other home remedies for sore throats that you can use to speed-up recovery.

Sample meal plan for a sore throat

The following table outlines a 3-day meal plan that you can follow if you have a sore throat:

Meals	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3
Breakfast	1 cup of oatmeal with half a banana sliced and sprinkled with cinnamon + 1 cup of lemon tea with 1 teaspoon of honey	1 cup of ginger tea with 1 teaspoon of honey + 2 scrambled eggs with 4 thin slices of avocado	1 cup of fenugreek tea with 1 teaspoon of honey + 2 medium pancakes made with oat flour, banana and cinnamon + peanut butter
Morning snack	1 banana in the microwave with 2 dark chocolate squares (chopped) and sprinkled with cinnamon	200 mL of Greek yogurt with a sliced banana	1 baked apple with cinnamon
Lunch or dinner	1 serving of carrot soup + 90 g of pulled chicken + 1 tablespoon of mashed potatoes + 1 cup of boiled vegetables (broccoli and carrots), seasoned with 1 teaspoon of olive oil + 1 cup of chopped mango	90 g of ground beef with 1 cup of pasta and 1 cup of boiled vegetables (squash, onions and eggplant) seasoned with 1 teaspoon of olive oil + 1 baked pear with cinnamon	90 g of fish with carrot puree and 1 cup of boiled vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli and carrots) seasoned with 1 teaspoon of olive oil + 1 banana
Afternoon snack	1 cup of ginger tea with 1 teaspoon of honey + 1 homemade cupcake	1 serving of Jello	1 serving of fruit salad

The quantities indicated above will vary depending on your age, sex, activity level and general health status. Therefore, you are advised to consult a registered dietitian to ensure your health needs and objectives are met.