Cooking healthy and satisfying meals for seniors can be a challenge, especially as they get older and health problems and decreased physical capabilities set in. Individual tastes further complicate the matter, as some seniors may only enjoy foods with which they are familiar. As a caregiver to a senior person, and as a chef, I use simple ingredients to make the following easy, tasty, satisfying and healthy recipes that are a big hit every single time.
Breakfast
Puffed Wheat Parfait
This beautiful, layered breakfast contains vitamins from the fruit, protein and calcium from the yogurt, and fiber from the whole grain cereal. Soft puffed wheat is easy to chew, but substitute granola or other whole grain cereals to suit your tastes.
¼ to ½ cup strawberries
¼ to ½ cup blueberries
½ to 1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup puffed wheat (substitute your cereal of choice)
Sugar (or sweetener) to taste
Thin slice the strawberries and sweeten them with sugar or a sugar substitute. Sweeten the yogurt. In a clear plastic or glass drinking vessel, add the strawberries to the bottom, followed by an inch of yogurt. Add about one inch of puffed wheat, followed by one half inch of yogurt. Top the parfait with blueberries, a dollop of yogurt in the center and sprinkle with the remaining puffed wheat. Serve immediately.
Lunch
Chef Salad Sandwich
This tasty, convenient sandwich contains vegetables, protein and a starch for a healthy, balanced midday meal that gives you energy.
1 boiled egg
4 thin slices of ham (substitute turkey ham)
1 thick slice of Swiss cheese
Salad greens of choice (iceberg, romaine or other lettuce)
1 slice tomato
Dressing of choice
Whole wheat bun
Slice the boiled egg. Cut the ham and cheese into 1/4-inch strips. Tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Add the ham, cheese and lettuce to a bowl and mix in the dressing. Gouge out the bottom and top of a whole wheat roll leaving about ¼ to ½ inch of bread. Place the salad mix in the bun. Top with tomato and egg slices. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
Dinner
Baked Potato au Gratin
This dinner menu item contains minerals and fiber from the potato, and protein and calcium from yogurt and cheese
1 baking potato
2 tbsp low-fat cheddar cheese
1 tsp Greek yogurt or sour cream
A little milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Bake the potato until soft. Carefully scoop out the center with a melon baller to leave the potato skin in tact. Mash the potato filling and mix in the cheese, yogurt and milk, if needed, and add salt and pepper to taste. Blend the potato filling until smooth and add it back into the baked potato shell. Place the potato under the broiler for 30 seconds to one minute or until golden brown. Let cool before serving.