Many older adults eagerly look forward to year-end holidays like Thanksgiving, even if some of the foods they grew up enjoying are no longer healthy for them. Holiday mealtime can be notably challenging for some seniors, as they deal with age-related changes that cause them to lose their appetite or gravitate towards unhealthy foods. Fortunately, there are several tasty and nutritious dietary alternatives you can serve your senior dinner guests this Thanksgiving that could become instant crowd favorites for many years to come.
Why Older Adults Need a Well-Balanced Diet
Adults aged 65+ who eat a well-balanced diet reap these health benefits as a result:
- Helps regulate their blood sugar and reduce the likelihood of developing or worsening diabetes
- Helps them maintain a healthy body weight
- Strengthens their immune system
- Feeds the brain for improved cognitive health
- Promotes healthy digestion
Conversely, malnourished seniors place themselves at risk of developing a wide range of serious health problems –which can ultimately threaten their freedom and independence.
Nutritious Holiday Food Ideas for Seniors
These five healthy, tastebud-tantalizing dishes make a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving Day table:
Steamed or sauteed green beans
Even though green beans are high in fiber and Vitamin C – a known immune system booster – most cooks typically include them in heavy dishes such as green bean casserole. This year, serve your senior dinner guests steamed or sautéed green beans garnished with slivered almonds instead. Preparing green beans in these ways will help ensure that your aging loved ones fortify their bodies with healthy fat and plenty of vitamins.
Roasted or stuffed acorn squash
High in essential vitamins, acorn squash is tailor-made for simple roasting. Additionally, many of the traditional stuffings for acorn squash, including quinoa and wild rice, are high in fiber. Since the average senior often needs more fiber in their diet, replacing a fatty, carbohydrate-laden side dish like biscuits or mashed potatoes with nutritious squash makes perfect sense.
Roasted turkey breast
As a Thanksgiving dinner mainstay, turkey has both dark, fattier meat and light, healthier meat. For starters, removing the skin also helps keep the meat leaner and healthier for seniors who have been placed on a low-fat diet by their doctor. Roasting turkey breasts without the skin and serving them in a light sauce will provide your senior with a healthier alternative to eating fatty thighs and drumsticks.
Mashed sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are much lower on the glycemic index than regular potatoes, which is notably important for meal guests who need to reduce their sugar intake. Seniors with diabetes should always consider substituting sweet potatoes for regular potatoes simply for this reason. Unlike mashed potatoes, which contain copious amounts of added fat (butter, sour cream, etc.) and salt, mashed sweet potatoes deliver excellent flavor and texture all on their own.
Real cranberry sauce
Believe it or not, canned cranberry sauce is mostly sugar. On the other hand, making sauce with fresh cranberries is an easy way to reduce the amount of sugar in your senior’s diet. You can always add a little sugar for flavoring or include a sugar substitute that’s healthier for dinner guests who are diabetic. Better yet, try serving homemade cranberry sauce for dessert instead of less-healthy options like pecan pie or ice cream.
In-Home Dietary Assistance for Seniors in NW Boston
Getting aging loved ones to eat healthier throughout the year isn’t easy when you’re busy or live far away. At Assisting Hands Home Care, our professional in-home senior care services allow clients in the greater Boston, MA, area 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. To learn more about Assisting Hands Home Care or schedule a free consultation for a senior in Northwest Boston, click here now.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
