Your parents need to eat the right foods. While it may be easier for them to get takeout and heat-and-eat meals, it’s better for them to focus on fresh produce, fish and other lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy.

Your parents may not feel they can afford fresh foods, but it’s not as hard as they might think. Here are some of the top budget-friendly ways to eat well.

Grow Your Own Vegetables

Growing vegetables in containers, raised beds, or backyard gardens is one of the many cost-effective ways to eat well. Seeds don’t cost that much, and one plant gives off a bounty of vegetables. You can get dozens of zucchini from a squash plant, and tomatoes and cucumbers are just as prolific.

Your parents may end up with too much produce. That’s okay. They can grate or blanch extra vegetables, dry it, package it in freezer bags, and use it when the gardening season ends.

Buy in Bulk and Freeze

Your parents may not be purchasing bulk items due to the fear of being able to use it before it goes bad. Some bulk items freeze for a year or longer. You can put brown rice, farro, barley, and quinoa in the freezer until you need it.

Shop Sales

Shop sales to save money. If boneless chicken breast is on sale for the lowest price you’ve seen in months, stock up. You can freeze each breast for later use. You can also shop sales and stock up on seafood, ground poultry, and cheese this way.

At Thanksgiving, whole turkeys go on sale. Your parents could purchase a turkey for a few dollars. When they cook it, the cooked turkey covers several days of meals. You can use the bones for soup broth and use the meat for casseroles, stews, salads, and sandwiches.

Stock Up on Dried Beans

Dried beans are a very inexpensive form of fiber and protein. Soak the beans overnight and use them for soups, salads, stews, and pots of chili. If you don’t have time to soak them, you can boil them on the stove for an hour and let them sit for an hour or two before using them in your favorite recipe. Dried beans don’t take up a lot of room in the pantry either.

Are your parents tired of cooking or have a hard time with the preparation? Senior care services are an easy way to make sure they have the help they need. Senior care aides can take your parents shopping, plan menus with them, and cook their meals. Call to learn more about prices and services.

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Senior Care in South Pasadena, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.