If you are an informal caregiver, getting your aging loved one to eat enough healthy foods can be frustrating. For reasons that include changes in appetite, chronic pain, and dementia, seniors tend to be picky eaters the older they get. With everything else on your “plate,” finding nutritious meals that you can prepare quickly – ones that will tantalize even the most finicky tastebuds – is essential for your loved one’s health and well-being. What follows are three nutritious meal ideas that you can easily prepare within 30 minutes or less.
Why Seniors Don’t Eat as They Should
Older adults are at higher risk for suffering from malnutrition for these reasons:
- Lack of reliable transportation
- Inadequate financial resources
- Poor mobility
- Cognitive decline, including dementia and Alzheimer’s
- Changes in appetite, taste, or smell
- Difficulty chewing, swallowing or digesting solid food
- Loneliness and depression resulting from the loss of a loved one
Senior Meal Preparation Tips for Caregivers
While a “one-size-fits-all” approach won’t work for every senior, incorporating these meal-prepping tips into your weekly routine should make cooking easier for you and your loved one:
Write it down. On Sunday, sit down and plan your menu for the entire week. Once you’ve got it down on paper, post the menu where you and your loved one can see it. In addition to making fewer trips to the grocery store, posting a meal plan will help minimize confusion and stress for you both.
Make it a group effort
Most seniors don’t like surprises, especially ones that disrupt their normal eating habits. Enlisting your senior’s help in prepping for the week’s meals will not only lighten your load, but they’ll also feel more invested in what they are eating and give them an activity to look forward to.
Choose versatile ingredients
Choose versatile ingredients. Selecting foods that can appear more than once in your weekly meal plan will make your life much easier. For instance, cook enough chicken or prepare fresh veggies to store in the fridge.
Healthy Meal Ideas for Older Adults
From morning to evening, these three tastebud-tantalizing meals pack a powerful nutritious punch without taking much time to prepare:
Breakfast – Warm oatmeal and berries
Place frozen or fresh berries in a crockpot set on low heat. Add a pat of butter and one serving of oats and water. Cover and cook on low for several hours (or overnight), giving your dish the consistency of bread pudding. If time is of the essence, you can simply add fresh berries to warm oatmeal.
Lunch – Quinoa salad
Saute’ pre-chopped, stir-fry veggies (onion, red pepper, mushrooms, etc.) and combine with pine nuts or pecans and cooked quinoa. Toss with Italian salad dressing. Keep well refrigerated until eaten. Serve the salad fresh, warm, or cold. Be sure to steam or saute’ your vegetables in olive oil rather than boiling them to preserve the nutrients.
Dinner – Southwest chicken salad
Cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts on medium heat in a skillet with extra virgin olive oil. Add salsa. Shred chicken and store in the fridge to use throughout the week for salads, soups, or wraps.
When your loved one gets hungry between meals or in the evening, try these healthy snacks:
- Apple slices topped with natural peanut butter.
- Hummus with fresh vegetables or baked pita chips
- Plain Greek yogurt mixed with cinnamon or fresh fruit.
- Popcorn without butter
- A handful of almonds, walnuts, or pistachios
- Red bell pepper and guacamole
- Frozen fruit smoothie
In-Home Meal Assistance for Seniors in NW Boston
Getting your aging loved one to eat healthier can be challenging when you’re busy or live far away. At Assisting Hands Home Care in Bedford, MA, our professional in-home senior care services allow clients in Greater Boston to remain safely and comfortably in their own homes. Our trained, dependable caregivers and personal assistants can help your family overcome its eldercare challenges while making your loved one’s home an even better place to be.
Our turnkey home care services include everything from companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transportation to light housekeeping, laundry, and personal care assistance with bathing and dressing. From a few hours a day to around-the-clock care, our customized in-home care solutions have got your family covered. Click here now to learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Northwest Boston.
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