Now that spring is on the way there will be an abundance of fresh vegetables available. Seniors, who typically don’t eat enough vegetables, can take advantage of this abundance to enjoy extra healthy vegetables while they are fresh and in season.
If your senior parent knows they should be eating more vegetables but has trouble washing, chopping, peeling, and preparing fresh vegetables home care assistance can help. Home care assistance is available to help seniors who are living at home with tasks like cooking and washing dishes, light housework, and other household tasks.
Trying to get your senior parent to eat healthy can be a challenge. But, you can you use some of these ideas to get your senior parent to eat more delicious, healthy, seasonal vegetables:
Lead by Example
When you’re eating meals with your senior parent load up your plate with fresh vegetables and encourage your senior parent to do the same. They probably used to encourage you to eat your vegetables when you were little. Now it’s your turn to encourage them.
Make Vegetables Fun
Present vegetables in creative and appealing ways to make them more enticing to your senior parent. Cut vegetables into fun shapes using cookie cutters or cut them in creative shapes and patterns. Add seasonal fresh vegetables into familiar dishes such as soups, stir-fries, pasta sauces, and smoothies to make sure that your senior parent is getting enough vitamins and minerals.
Offer Variety and Choice
Provide a wide variety of vegetables and let your senior parent explore different options to discover their preferences. Offer vegetables in various colors, textures, and flavors to appeal to different tastes. Vegetable trays are a fantastic way to offer seniors their choice of fresh vegetables. You can buy pre-cut veggies on trays or create your own veggie trays with an assortment of healthy dips and dressings to encourage your senior parent to eat them.
Sneak Vegetables into Favorite Foods
Sneak vegetables into familiar dishes to increase their nutrient content without your senior parent even realizing it. Puree vegetables and add them to sauces, soups, casseroles, and baked goods such as muffins, pancakes, and smoothies. Grate or finely chop vegetables and mix them into meatballs, burgers, tacos, or pizza toppings. A fantastic way to sneak in extra vegetables is to add shredded zucchini to tomato sauce or pizza sauce, spread it on bread with cheese, and bake it. It tastes like pizza, but it’s healthy.
Prep Veggies Ahead Of Time
One of the reasons why seniors don’t eat enough vegetables is that it can be hard work to prepare veggies when they just want a simple snack. Plan ahead and prep veggies for snacks. Cut up celery, cut grape tomatoes in halves that are easy to eat and put them in a container with some mozzarella cheese, cut up carrots and pack them in a container with some hummus. Pre-portioned and packed veggie snacks are a great way to get your senior parent to eat more fresh vegetables.
