What Foods Is Your Dad Not Eating Enough Of?
In-Home Care in Frederick County
How is your dad’s nutritional intake? Many older adults do not get enough protein, B vitamins, fiber, and calcium. It’s time to look at the foods your dad doesn’t eat enough of.
Dairy
Dairy is an important source of calcium and vitamin D, which helps prevent osteoporosis and thinning bones. But, many older adults don’t get enough calcium, as they worry about the fat content in cream, cheese, and other dairy items.
If your dad is on a low-fat diet, he can still have dairy. He just wants to aim for low-fat or skim options. The sugar content in items like yogurt may also worry him. He could get plain unsweetened yogurt and mix it into smoothies for breakfast.
Should he refuse to eat dairy items, calcium is also found in sardines. That’s a good option if he’s adamant he won’t touch cheese, yogurt, milk, or other dairy items.
Legumes
Dried and canned beans are full of fiber and B vitamins. Dried beans are extremely cost-effective, and can be soaked overnight and then cooked until soft. Use them to make veggie burgers, chili, soups, salads, and stews.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are important for both fiber and B vitamins. Not only are they great for side dishes, but you can also use them in homemade bread, salads, soups, and casseroles. Some grains work well with cooked beans to make veggie burgers.
For example, mix mashed chickpeas, quinoa, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, and chopped mushrooms. Then mix that with minced garlic, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper to make a hearty, fiber-rich veggie burger.
Fruits and Vegetables
Your dad may eat fruits and vegetables each day, but does he eat enough of them? Most adults don’t. He should be eating five cups per day. Three cups of vegetables and two cups of fruit.
When choosing vegetables, he should aim to get a mix of colors each day. Red tomatoes, green spinach, yellow peppers, purple grapes, blueberries, and oranges cover all the main colors and can be easily combined to make a salad. Finally, add grilled shrimp for protein.
Seafood
Your dad should get at least two servings of seafood each week. Fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, and tuna are ideal. He wants the omega-3 fatty acids from the fish and seafood he eats. He needs to stick to proper portion sizes and ensure he limits himself due to mercury content in some fish.
Nuts
Roasted or raw nuts are great snack foods. Keep raw almonds on hand for those moments when your dad wants to snack on something. Nuts contain vitamin E, riboflavin, magnesium, fiber, and phosphorus. They’re also not too high in calories and are very filling.
Make sure your dad is eating the right foods. In-home care services like meal preparation ensure he has home-cooked meals throughout the year. Talk to a specialist in in-home care services and make the arrangements for the services your dad needs.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Frederick County, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 634-9991. Serving Northern Virginia, The Valley, and Surrounding Communities.
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