Can I eat ice cream if I have mumps?

October 15, 2025 •

4 min read

According to health authorities like the HSE, yes, you can eat ice cream if you have mumps, and it can even be beneficial. The primary challenge for mumps patients is chewing and swallowing due to swollen, painful salivary glands. Consuming soft, cold foods like ice cream can provide relief and necessary calories when a full meal is too difficult.

Quick Summary

Cold, soft foods like ice cream can help soothe the pain of mumps-related swollen glands by providing a numbing sensation. A diet of easy-to-swallow, bland foods is crucial for maintaining nutrition and hydration while avoiding irritation to inflamed salivary glands. Learn which foods are best and which to avoid during your recovery.

Key Points

Yes, you can eat ice cream: Plain, non-acidic ice cream can provide soothing, cold relief and easy-to-ingest calories during a mumps infection.
Choose soft, easy-to-swallow foods: Focus on a diet of soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, and soups to avoid painful chewing.
Avoid acidic and spicy foods: Citrus juices, pickles, and spicy dishes can stimulate saliva production and aggravate swollen salivary glands.
Stay hydrated with plenty of fluids: Drink lots of water, broths, and non-acidic fluids to prevent dehydration, which can be caused by fever and reduced appetite.
Chewing is often painful: Swollen parotid glands make chewing and swallowing difficult, so hard or crunchy foods should be strictly avoided.
Consult a healthcare provider: While supportive care is key, professional medical advice is essential, and medications like aspirin should be avoided in children.

Why Ice Cream Can Be a Good Choice During Mumps

When dealing with mumps, the viral infection causes the salivary glands to swell, making chewing and swallowing very painful. This discomfort often leads to a poor appetite and potential dehydration. Consuming cold, soft foods provides two key benefits:

Soothing Relief: The cold temperature offers a numbing effect, which can help to reduce the pain associated with inflamed salivary glands.
Easy to Swallow: Its soft, smooth texture means it requires minimal chewing, making it a viable option for getting calories when other foods are too painful.

It is important to choose plain, non-acidic flavors. Acidic options, such as fruit-flavored sherbets or sorbets, can stimulate saliva production and worsen the pain. For those with lactose intolerance or sensitivities, options like non-dairy ice cream, milkshakes, or frozen yogurt can offer similar benefits.

What to Eat and What to Avoid

While ice cream can provide temporary relief, a balanced diet of other soft foods is essential for a full recovery. Rest and proper nutrition are the core components of mumps treatment, which is focused on managing symptoms until the viral infection passes.

Recommended Foods

Yogurt and Smoothies: Plain yogurt, especially probiotic-rich versions, can be soothing and provide helpful nutrients. Smoothies made with non-acidic fruits like bananas, papayas, and berries are also excellent choices.
Mashed Potatoes and Soft Vegetables: These require very little chewing and are easy to swallow. Add butter for extra calories and flavor.
Soup and Broths: Warm (not hot) chicken or vegetable broths help with hydration and provide warmth and essential minerals. Creamy, blended vegetable soups are also a great option.
Eggs: Scrambled or boiled eggs are soft, high in protein, and easy to consume, providing essential amino acids for healing.
Oatmeal and Porridge: These are bland, soft, and easy to swallow, making them a comforting and nutritious choice.
Soft Tofu: A good plant-based protein source that is very easy to consume.

Foods to Avoid

Acidic and Sour Foods: Citrus fruits and juices (oranges, lemons, grapefruit), pickles, and vinegar-based dressings can stimulate salivary glands and increase pain.
Spicy Foods: Chilli, hot sauces, and other spicy ingredients can irritate the inflamed glands, causing further discomfort.
Hard and Crunchy Foods: Anything requiring significant chewing, such as nuts, raw vegetables, chips, toast, or crackers, should be avoided to prevent stressing the jaw muscles.
Sticky Foods: Sticky rice or other foods with a tacky texture can be hard to chew and swallow, causing irritation.
Excessively Sugary Foods and Drinks: While some ice cream is fine, large amounts of sugar can be pro-inflammatory and offer little nutritional value for recovery.

Comparison Table: Best and Worst Foods for Mumps


Food Category	Recommended (Soothing/Easy)	To Avoid (Irritating/Difficult)
Frozen Treats	Plain ice cream, frozen yogurt, non-acidic ice pops	Acidic fruit sorbet, excessively sugary popsicles
Dairy	Yogurt, milk, smoothies	Cheeses that require chewing, overly chilled dairy
Fruits	Bananas, unsweetened applesauce, papaya	Oranges, lemons, grapefruit, other citrus fruits
Grains	Oatmeal, porridge, soft-cooked rice	Toast, hard bread crusts, crunchy crackers
Proteins	Scrambled eggs, soft tofu, tender cooked meats	Hard-fried chicken, tough cuts of beef
Liquids	Water, broths, herbal teas, coconut water	Acidic juices, sodas, caffeinated beverages

Understanding Mumps Symptoms and Supportive Care

Mumps is a contagious viral illness typically characterized by swollen, painful salivary glands. Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Since it is a viral infection, antibiotics are ineffective. Treatment focuses on supportive care, which includes:

Rest: Giving your body time to recover is crucial.
Hydration: Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, helps prevent dehydration caused by fever and reduced food intake.
Pain Management: Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce fever and discomfort. Aspirin should not be given to children or teenagers due to the risk of Reye's syndrome.
Compresses: Applying warm or cool compresses to the swollen glands can provide additional relief.

By following these supportive measures and a soft-food diet, recovery is typically smoother and more comfortable. Most people recover from mumps within one to two weeks.

Conclusion

In summary, yes, you can eat ice cream if you have mumps. This simple, cold, and soft treat can be a very effective way to provide comfort and calories when chewing and swallowing are painful due to swollen salivary glands. However, it should be part of a broader, gentle, and non-acidic diet that prioritizes easy-to-swallow foods like soups, yogurts, and mashed vegetables. It is critical to avoid acidic, spicy, and hard-to-chew foods to prevent irritating the inflamed glands further. By focusing on proper rest, hydration, and a supportive diet, you can manage the symptoms of mumps and aid your recovery. For any concerns, always consult a healthcare professional. For additional guidance on health conditions, reliable information can be found at health service websites such as the HSE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eating is painful with mumps because the infection causes the salivary glands, particularly the parotid glands in the jaw and neck area, to become swollen and tender. Any jaw movement, including chewing, can put pressure on these inflamed glands, causing discomfort.

You should avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, and acidic foods when you have mumps. This includes nuts, chips, toast, sticky rice, citrus fruits, and spicy dishes, as they can all irritate the inflamed salivary glands and increase pain.

The best foods for mumps recovery are soft, bland, and easy to swallow. Examples include soups, broths, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and non-acidic fruit smoothies.

Yes, milk and other plain dairy products like yogurt are generally acceptable and can be part of a soft diet. Plain yogurt is particularly beneficial as it is soothing and can contain probiotics. However, monitor for any personal sensitivities.

Cold foods like ice cream provide a temporary numbing effect on the swollen glands, which can help to reduce pain and discomfort. Their soft texture also makes them easy to consume when chewing is difficult.

Yes, warm foods are acceptable, provided they are not excessively hot or require much chewing. Warm broths, soups, and oatmeal can be comforting and hydrating. Always ensure the temperature is comfortable to avoid further irritation.

You will likely need a soft diet for the duration of the infection, which is typically one to two weeks, or until the swelling and pain in your salivary glands subside. As symptoms improve, you can gradually reintroduce more solid foods.