Senior citizens are bombarded with information about how they are in charge of their own health, and how making good choices would help prevent many of today's illnesses. Sometimes a nutrition program seems like too big a change to make in a person's twilight years. Yet little things add up more than people think and seniors' health will show benefits.
How to Make Small Changes to Help Seniors Have Healthy Eating Habits
There are ways to make slight adjustments to daily routines in order to improve nutrition and preventive qualities of food eaten by older adults without compromising cost or enjoyment:
- Make the regular driving pattern such that fast food places are not so easily visible. Regular routes which avoid passing right by places which may be too tempting can make eating right much easier.
- Eat before going grocery or other shopping, or before running errands.
- Preventive eating before hunger strikes can become a regular practice.
- Keep non-perishable snack in the car. A handful of nuts can keep the energy going and maintain blood sugar levels in order to allow completion of the drive without becoming overly hungry.
- Eat for now and later. Be aware of how eating the food feels later as well as how it affects energy levels now. (Sometimes the energy nosedive later isn't worth the thrill of the moment.)
- Take time to enjoy the food. Enjoyment is guilt-free when a senior knows it fits into a proactive eating plan including both nutrition and prevention.
Easy Ways to Structure Habits to Improve Nutrition Programs of Seniors
- Build structure into a senior's daily eating plan using affordable items for a healthy diet bought well in advance. For example, have oatmeal daily for breakfast, adding fresh fruit when possible.
- Eat at a certain time before blood sugar levels take an unhealthy dive. A senior could have juice upon awakening each morning, then have breakfast soon thereafter. Lunch could be at noon or similar time. A snack including protein could be enjoyed mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
- Choose healthy foods for their energy and nourishment value, not just because they are tempting. The act of stopping to read the label may take enough time to reconsider the choice if it is not a healthy choice.
- Write down and post on fridge a personalized set of rules which serve as a constant reminder of both the goals and the possible pitfalls. Include positive choices on this paper.
- Spend at least 10-15 minutes in the produce section of the store to encourage more purchases there. Time may yield ideas for preparing and eating fresh fruit and veggies.
- Take time to plan meals each week. Breakfast and lunch can easily be done on automatic by making healthy food choices a habit and maintaining a kind of simple plan. For example, in addition to a regular breakfast of cereal and fruit, lunch may include a routine sandwich with greens and bell peppers or other veggie as well as a regular fruit as dessert or snack an hour or so later. If using this type of easy plan, put more effort into planning suppers since this is where seniors and other people often go wrong in striving for healthy eating.
Ways Seniors Can Enjoy Healthy Eating With Friends
Making the conscious choice to eat with healthy intentions does not mean the enjoyment of dining is over. Older adults can invite a few friends to each bring one dish and have an afternoon or evening of dining pleasure with good conversation and fine food.
It can be done by emphasizing affordable and simple foods. With each person or couple bringing one dish the meal can turn out to be quite delicious. This type of meal also reinforces the practice of eating slowly and enjoying both the food and the companionship during the meal.
At the end, each person or couple takes their one dish home and cleanup is minimized. Often people will pitch in and the kitchen is clean by the time the evening is over. After initial clearing of dishes, dessert can be enjoyed slowly, savoring both the taste and the company. Showing a movie may be an option if the meal is early enough. Some older adults serve dessert and coffee or tea during the movie or at an intermission since today's video equipment allows for such choices.
Healthy aging can be supported when older adults develop healthy eating diets. Older adults can enjoy both affordable and healthy food by using a few simple practices to structure their eating into healthy habits. Small changes can make a big difference if done on a daily basis. The best diets for seniors would be heart healthy diet with a good dose of routine and enjoyment added in. Of course, avoiding fast foods and other bad food choices can help seniors build healthy diets and eating habits.
Hildra Tague - Mrs. Hildra Tague is a freelance writer, consultant, and teacher dedicated to issues of education and parenting. This all started when she ...
Join the Conversation