Your elderly parents may find it difficult to make their own healthy meals. Preparing a meal is usually time consuming and requires a great deal of attention. Elderly people are not that physically strong, so preparing a meal or doing the cooking job may be beyond their capabilities. Help your grandparents learn easy menu ideas so they aren’t forced to commit to everyday fast-food runs.
I’ve put together a list of nutrient-dense, hale and hearty recipes for elderly people, including salad, lunch and breakfast – most with just minimum ingredients.
Lots of different issues make it difficult for the elderly to eat healthy, from medication side effects to changing taste buds and a lack of interest to cook. Besides this, senior citizens have different nutritional needs. Although they require fewer calories, they need more B vitamins, iron, calcium, protein and other nutrients.
Here I have sorted some recipes that are heart-healthy and nutrient dense, with plenty of protein, fiber and vitamins. The best part of these recipes is that they use only limited ingredients.
Breakfast
Healthy Frittata (Healthy meal for two)
Ingredients:
- Minced Onion – ½ medium
- Chopped Cloves Garlic – 4
- Turkey or Ground Lamb – ¼ LB
- Chicken broth – 1 + 2 TBS
- Kale (Rinsed & Chopped – Stems removed) – 3 cups
- Eggs – 5 (Try to get that are Omega-3 Enriched)
- Pepper and salt to taste
Preparation:
- Chop garlic and mince onion; to enhance their health benefits – leave them as it is for 5 minutes.
- Heat up broiler on minimum
- In a 9-10 inch stainless steel skillet, heat 1 TBS broth. Stir-fry onion for about 2.5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add garlic, turkey or ground lamb and cook them for 3 minutes on medium heat, breaking up clomps.
- Add 2 TBS broth and kale. Lower the heat and continue cooking covered for about 5-6 minutes. Season it with pepper and salt, and mix.
- Beat eggs, season with a pinch of pepper and salt, and pour on top of mixture evenly. Cook on low for 2 more minutes without stirring.
- In middle of over, place skillet under broiler, approximately 7 inches from the heat source so it is cooked without the top burning. It takes about 2 -3 minutes for the eggs to get firm and it is done.
Salad
Greek Salad (Serves 1 person)
Ingredients:
Romaine lettuce – 2 bunches
Feta Cheese – 2 to 3 TBS (Crumbled)
Mint – 2 TBS (Chopped)
Green and black Olives – 2 TBS
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1 TBS
Garbanzo beans – 1.5 Cup
Vinegar (Red Wine) – 1 TBS
Preparation:
Combine romaine lettuce with feta cheese, mint, olives and beans.
On top add vinegar and olive oil, add pepper or salt to taste.
Lunch or Dinner
Stuffed Green Peppers (4 servings)
Ingredients:
- Large green peppers – 4
- Turkey – 1 Pound (Ground)
- Rice – 1 cup (Uncooked)
- Onion – 1.5 cup (chopped & peeled)
- Tomato sauce – 1.5 cup
- Black pepper – ½ TBS
Preparation:
- Remove the seeds by cutting around the stem of the green pepper. Also, remove the pulpy part of the green peppers.
- In boiling water, cook green peppers for 5 minutes and drain it well.
- In pan, heat turkey till its brown. Then add onion, rice, black pepper and ½ cup tomato sauce.
- Stuff the green peppers with the mixture carefully and place in cooking pot.
- Pour the left-over tomato sauce over the peppers.
- Cover it with a lid and bake at 350 degrees for half an hour.
If you have more special and easy meals for seniors, please do share it in the comments.
