Many seniors, particularly those who live alone, don’t eat enough or as healthily as they once did for a number of reasons. Medications could affect their appetite. Their teeth might have difficulty chewing some foods. A chronic medical condition could limit their diet.
While changes in our eating habits and appetite are to be expected as we age, eating nutritious foods remains as important as ever. Understandably, family members and caregivers are sometimes concerned about a lack of good nutrition or an excess of unhealthy foods in a loved one’s diet.
Convenient, nutritionally balanced snacks can help supplement the diets of seniors who don’t eat a lot at mealtime or who have dietary restrictions. Seniors and family members should look for snacks that are healthy and compatible with any medical conditions. We suggest a physician’s approval of any new foods or dietary changes.
The National Council on Aging recommends, generally, to choose higher-protein foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and Vitamin D-rich foods, while avoiding ones higher in fat, sodium and added sugars.
With that in mind, here are 10 tasty snacks that will meet the nutritional needs of most seniors:
- Fresh fruit in season
- Natural granola and granola bars
- Whole-grain tortilla chips (with salsa) or crackers (with peanut butter or cheese)
- Popcorn (Low-salt with little minimal butter)
- Brown rice cakes
- Low-fat cheese in sticks or spread on crackers
- Yogurt (unsweetened and low-fat is best)
- Snack cups of gelatin or fruit in its own juice
- Oatmeal cookies
- Whole-wheat muffins
A few additional nutritious snacks, but perhaps not advisable for seniors with chewing challenges, are pre-cut raw vegetables, dried fruits, nuts and trail mix. Check out other blog posts about nutritional, varied foods, easy recipes and better nutrition.
Eating at Country Meadows
At Country Meadows Retirement Communities, we make our residents’ dietary and nutritional needs a top priority. We serve a variety of healthy, fresh meals, prepared daily and featuring recipes using fresh ingredients and locally grown produce. We even have snacks and refreshing beverages available throughout the day to keep our residents satisfied and hydrated. Our varied menu gives our residents the freedom to select items based on both their dietary needs and personal preferences.
If you are considering choosing a retirement community near you, we invite you to get a true taste of dining at Country Meadows by joining us for a meal. Check out a sample senior living dining menu on the “Dining” page of any one of our campus locations. Please contact us to schedule a time for a meal and a visit to any of our senior living communities. We have 10 retirement homes in Pennsylvania—Hershey, Mechanicsburg, Wyomissing, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and four more locations—plus a Maryland retirement community in Frederick.
We would like to familiarize you with our complete range of services within our senior independent living apartments and personal care and assisted living homes, as well as our memory support or restorative care services.
Country Meadows
