Nutrition is an important part of living a healthy lifestyle, which is why make-ahead meals for seniors are a great idea. Good nutrition can limit or even eliminate a lot of issues that tend to plague our older generation. Seniors tend to eat less than younger adults. This means that each meal a senior eats needs to be packed with healthy ingredients. For caregivers, finding easy and healthy plan-ahead meals for seniors can be challenging.
Aging slows the metabolism, resulting in fewer calories required to stay healthy. Seniors need to be aware of their changing bodies and what nutrients they need for optimal continued health. This is especially important for seniors who are living with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions. When thinking about make-ahead meals for seniors, be thinking about specific dietary needs and how best to accommodate taste and preferences. Seniors with diabetes need a low-sugar diet while those dealing with high blood pressure require a low-salt diet. Talk to your doctor to learn more about what your diet needs to keep you feeling energized and happy.
Nutrition and its role in aging
Good nutrition means nourishing our bodies with whole foods. A good way to figure out whether a food is a “whole” food is where you found it in the grocery store. Most whole foods are found on the perimeter of the grocery store. Fruits and vegetables, healthy lean meats, and whole wheat bread are usually found along the edges, while junk food like chips, cookies, and soda is found within the inner aisles.
Vitamin D is an important vitamin for seniors. Fish (like salmon), eggs, mushrooms, and orange juice all contain Vitamin D. If none of those things delight your taste buds, then make sure to put on some sunscreen and get some sunshine.
If you or a senior loved one needs extra help creating make-ahead meals for seniors or simply need some extra help around the house, call 2nd Family at 1-888-4FAM. Let our certified Caregivers help prepare and serve healthy meals and talk to your RN Care Coordinator about how best to implement doctor-recommended diets.
Try out these delicious and easy recipes! Increase the amount of ingredients for some great make-ahead meals for seniors!
Pineapple “Ice Cream”
2 cups of fresh pineapple (or one can of chunk pineapple) 1 TBSP honey 1/2 cup milk (feel free to use a dairy substitute!)
Freeze fresh or canned pineapple. Put frozen pineapple into a blender or food processor with the honey and milk and blend until smooth. Voila! A healthy and delicious dessert or snack to enjoy on a hot summer’s day! Double or triple the recipe and keep it frozen for additional servings!
Tomato Surprise
Recipe courtesy of the Girod Family
1 can of condensed tomato soup 1 1/2 cups of egg noodles (feel free to add more noodles!)
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the egg noodles and cook to desired tenderness. While the noodles are boiling, heat up tomato soup in a medium pot. The soup will heat pretty quickly so keep it on medium-low heat and stir occasionally. Once the egg noodles are finished boiling, drain but do not rinse, and add them to the heated tomato soup. Voila! A quick and easy lunch. Pair with fruit and/or a vegetable for added nutrients!
Check out the links below to learn more about senior nutrition and healthy practices!
https://www.benefitscheckup.org/getsnap/?_ga=2.83877974.1764950063.1593192471- 1292703622.1583422207
https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/benefits/food-and-nutrition/senior-nutrition