Is eating potato chips better than nothing in terms of pure nutrition and wholesomeness?

Yes, if that's all you can eat, definitely get the calories.

If you're really that sick for that long, I would honestly call a doctor for some advice. Where I live there's a number, 811, for non-emergency medical advice. Maybe there's something like that where you are.

A while back my dad almost died from the flu because he couldn't eat well enough to keep his electrolytes balanced, you'll want to avoid that before it becomes potentially life threatening.

I agree with this! Ask a health professional for help.

And I hope you can ask family/friends/neighbors to check on you and help, if you are this sick or feeling down!
Worst case you can always be admitted to a hospital and get fed through IV.

If you don't eat you die. So yes, chips are better than nothing

Strictly speaking, yes. It's better to get calories and marginal nutrients than no calories and no nutrients.

Definitely seek medical attention though. Eating like that isn't sustainable and a cold shouldn't last that long.

are potato chips better than death? yes, i think so. just barely.

They have calories (energy) which your body needs for defending itself. So eat all the simple carbs you want, if that’s what you can stomach.

Switch it up. even just tortilla chips and hummus or salsa too with plenty of water and you might even survive! Nuts are great too. Dense calories and nutrients, underrated.

Anything is better than nothing. Except maybe feces for illness reasons, but some survivalists may debate that and say that its still better than absolutely nothing.

Yes, potato chips are completely fine in that situation. I don't know why people say they have too much salt. Sure, they have a lot, but when you have a cold, you're supposed to drink a lot of water, so that balances out. You can lose a lot of salt due to sweating (especially if you have a fever) and peeing. And salt is a very important electrolyte. And the fat and starch gives you calories.

When I had a miserable case of Covid (the variant that gives extreme nausea) the only way I was able to eat anything at all was saltine crackers. The only way I could drink anything was ice cubes (sucking on them slowly)

Try those out! If they don't work, definitely call a doctor. Have someone check up on you, last thing you want is to black out and die (which is very easy to have happen)

In that case I can recommend soup in a cup, like these: https://c8.alamy.com/comp/K6GXEY/knorr-chicken-soup-instant-food-on-isolated-white-studio-background-K6GXEY.jpg

Try them with plain yogurt. Cuts the grease somehow and good for you.

If you just need calories, pick something with less salt. I've had bad colds before but I never went to potato chips for sustenance. Also 3 weeks is a lot, you should get in touch with a doctor.

A nice way to go anyway

As others mentioned- saltines.

They’re basically flour and salt. Also, I recommend getting some kind of juice and mixing it with something like sprite or 7 up.

They’re empty calories, mind, but your body is okay with empty calories for a bit. It’s much more important to avoid crash diets and such. Though junk food is only more healthy than absolute starvation

There isn’t any flour in potato chips. They aren’t empty calories either. There is an enormous amount of nutrients in potatoes, far from being empty calories.

The reason potato chips are bad for you isn’t the potato. It’s the oil they are cooked in and the amount of salt.
- Compared to the amount of calories in a potato chip, and what they do to the potatoes to make it…. They’re pretty damn close.
  
  Are they better than nothing? Sure. But not something you can survive on for even a few weeks.
  
  In any case I was speaking to saltines being mostly flour. (There might be some additives, possibly a leavening agent. There’s also water to make the dough but that baked out.)
  
  If the reason for the restrictive diet is an upset stomach, saltines are going to be less offensive to that stomach than potatoe chips.

Stay hydrated, that is the most important thing. The potato chips can help because salt & potassium, maybe that is why you are craving them. Water with electrolytes or diluted Gatorade can also be good. Dehydration is a real risk when you have fever.

If your hungry then eat something with lots of nutrients like liver or eggs.

If your not hungry then don't eat. Don't force yourself, while your sick.

Definitely see a doctor.

I find it hard to believe that potato chips would be your only option. If you're not feeling well, and you're not hungry, you have to eat something so it might as well be something easy and nutritious. try something like this: MealSquares.com; Ketolent; JimmyJoy.com; I can't remember the rest but there are dozens of other things just like that.