New recipes for seniors can add zest and nutrition to senior living

“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” As English poet William Cowper looked back on a half century of living, he discovered a truth he wished to share.

As we get older, we may settle into monotonous routines when we could benefit socially, psychologically and physically from fresh approaches to senior living. One area where we get “stuck in our ways,” with specific likes and dislikes, is our diet. Many of us are more likely than ever to decline new foods or ways that they are prepared.

Suggestions for flavorful, healthy foods

Sometimes, though, for reasons of health and nutrition, we seek out new diets and food choices. And then, we may find that foods we avoided aren’t so bad after all—and may be downright tasty.

Even the healthiest retirees can benefit from following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s basic, daily recommendations for seniors: 1 ½-2 servings of fresh fruit, 2-2 ½ cups of fresh vegetables, 1,200 mg of calcium, 6-7 ounces of grains and 65 grams of protein. But, before making any changes to your regular diet, talk with your physician, in the event of exceptions to these guidelines.

If you live in your own home or in an independent living community at a senior retirement home, such as Country Meadows Retirement Communities, you might want to try some of these 18 quick and easy meals for seniors. These tasty, nutritious meals have been prepared by registered dietitians for Care.com, an online resource for families caring for loved ones. Here is a sampling:

Breakfast: Warm oatmeal and berries. Place frozen or fresh berries in a crockpot on low heat. Add a pat of butter and a serving of oats with water. Cover and cook on low for several hours. This will give it the consistency of bread pudding. (Try blueberries. They’re rich in antioxidants, which help fight memory impairment associated with free radicals and beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.)

Lunch: Southwestern omelet. Beat 2 eggs. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Pour in the egg mixture, and add chunks of pepper jack cheese and salsa or chili sauce. When eggs are firm, fold and serve with sliced avocado. (An added benefit: eggs contain nutrients that protect and stimulate brain cells.)

Dinner: Baked (or grilled) salmon. Thaw salmon steaks. Top each one with tomatoes, sweet onion, dried or fresh basil, chopped garlic and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Wrap each piece of fish tightly in aluminum foil and place in the oven at 300 degrees. Cook for about 15 minutes or until fish is flaky but still moist. (Besides being delicious, filling up on fish oils boosts your brain’s health.)

For seniors who watch their waistlines and are willing to try new recipes, Mayo Clinic dietitians suggest a number of mouth-watering, healthy recipes that are low in calories and fat, for example, pork chops with black currant jam sauce (6 grams of fat, 198 calories per serving) and glazed root vegetables (1 gram of fat, 57 calories per serving).

However, if you are a senior who has been told you should gain weight, work with your physician to incorporate higher-calorie foods into your daily diet.

For our Coconut Granola with Blueberries & Walnuts recipe, please request a free recipe card by emailing us at Corporate@CountryMeadows.com.

If you’re looking for a senior living community in Pennsylvania or Maryland, we hope you will pay us a visit at Country Meadows, where our fresh, healthy meals are delectable as well. In fact, if you come to look at our retirement apartments, we invite you to join us for a meal as well. At Country Meadows, you will find residents enjoying full and fulfilling lives, whether living in personal care, assisted living or senior independent living. Please contact us for information or to schedule a tour of any of our 11 Pennsylvania retirement communities or our Maryland retirement community.