Without the proper preparation, deciding on daily meals can be a struggle. When cravings take over and there’s nothing at home, it’s often easy to settle on unhealthy options. Instead of snacking or picking up fast food, meal preparation is an option to always have healthy options readily available at home.
With age, dietary habits require more time and attention. Because of this, seniors especially shouldn’t settle on fast food or unhealthy snacks. It is important to take the time to plan out meals to ensure you or your loved one are receiving proper nutrients daily. To learn how to prep meals for the elderly, consider the following.
What Is Meal Preparation?
Instead of cooking on the spot, meal preparation is a process of preparing multiple meals ahead of time. This form of planning and preparing is often referred to as “meal prep” for short. Meal prep usually takes place at the beginning of the week, and you prepare all the ingredients for a week’s worth of meals on the same day. This way, meals are cooked in bulk and put into individual portions spread throughout different containers for each day of the week. Meal preparation for seniors can save time and money while staying organized and reaching dietary health goals.
Why Should Seniors Meal Prep?
Meal prep for seniors goes beyond just putting meals into a container. The planning that goes into this process is what’s important. Preparing meals ahead of time ensures that seniors are receiving the nutrients they need in the meals they consume. Planning ahead of time allows time for finding recipes that will taste good while also providing key nutrients to benefit one’s health. Perks of meal prep for seniors include:
- Nutritional benefits
- Meeting dietary guidelines
- Supporting eating regularly
Nutritional Benefits
If you are experiencing vitamin deficiencies, adjusting your diet can ensure you’re getting what you need. While you’re making an effort to incorporate certain requirements, there are also ingredients that should be avoided. Some examples of what to monitor include salt, sugar and fat. Being in control of your own meal preparation allows you to add only the ingredients that provide health benefits and remove the ones that don’t.
Meeting Dietary Guidelines
To reduce health risks and various diseases, incorporate food from each food group into your diet. Certain food groups will provide specific health benefits your body needs to remain strong and healthy. For example, having protein in your diet maintains and builds muscle. Protein can be obtained from:
- Meat
- Seafood
- Dairy
- Beans
- Peas
- Lentils
Outside of protein, fruits and vegetables are key elements of a healthy diet. These provide natural vitamins your body needs. During your meal prep journey, take the time to research different vitamins and minerals and their health benefits. While consuming these foods make sure to also drink plenty of water. This will absorb those nutrients and aid digestion while keeping you hydrated.
Support Eating Regularly
Dietary needs and preferences change as we age. Try establishing a routine to ensure necessary meals are being consumed. These can include smaller portions with the right nutrients seniors need. Smaller meals appear to be more manageable for those struggling with a loss of appetite. Meals might be intimidating if they are too large, don’t look appealing or require too much work with utensils.