The aging process means changes to our lifestyle but also to appetites and taste preferences. Mobility and memory may also become an issue and the task of shopping and meal preparation can become challenging. Unfortunately this can also mean that older individuals don’t get the essential nutrition and hydration they require.
Ensuring that you are eating enough as you age or ensuring your loved ones are getting all the nutrition they require is important for many reasons; sufficient nutrition maintains immunity, reduces frailty and risk of bone breaks, energy levels and strength. The types of food that make up a healthy diet for everyone are still the same, sometimes it just requires a little creativity to make sure they’re being eaten!
There are many ways to ensure that adequate nutrition is consumed:
- Smaller more frequent meals may be easier to eat than larger meals
- Ensuring meals contain a food from each of the main food groups (carbohydrate, protein and fat)
- Get creative with flavours, adding herbs and spices (trying to minimise salt!)
- Have a pantry and freezer stocked with staples, ensuring a quick meal is always available. We all have night when we can’t be bothered cooking.
