Tips to Incorporate Fruits and Veggies into a Senior’s Diet

Learn how to incorporate fruits and veggies into a senior’s diet today!

Most people, including seniors, prefer carbs to carrots. And that can make it challenging to meet a senior’s nutritional needs. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention shares that only one in 10 older adults is meeting the recommendation of at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day. Numerous studies have revealed that older adults who do follow these guidelines reduce their risk for heart disease, diabetes, as well as other chronic health issues, and ultimately live longer lives.

When you run into challenges finding a diet that supports a senior’s nutritional needs, you may have to find creative ways to incorporate fruits and veggies into a senior’s diet. For example:

Add a crunch. If the senior loves a crunch, there are healthier options to use as a side than a bag of crispy chips. Pick up a few for the senior in order to see which ones are most enjoyable: kale, sweet potato, beet, radish, green bean, eggplant, and much more. Or try freeze-dried fruit, another crunchy and nutritious solution.

Smooth it out. You can make smoothies and sauces out of superfoods to slip extra fruits and veggies in. You can create a nourishing, tasty drink by blending yogurt, fresh fruit, and a handful of spinach. Or play with pureeing different vegetables to blend in with marinara sauce: zucchini, carrots, kale, bell peppers, etc.

Make it easy. It’s easier to grab a prepackaged snack than it is to deal with the chopping, peeling, slicing, and cooking of vegetables.  Seek out healthy alternatives which are typically just as easy to grab and enjoy, for example, baby carrots, ready-to-eat salads, or other cleaned and sliced veggies, individual cups of fruit, bananas, etc.

Freeze it up. Make your own frozen snacks with blended fruit with water or juice and freezing the liquid in a popsicle mold. These also make a great multi-generational activity! Invite the family over, let everyone choose their favorite flavor to make, and then spend some quality time together while you wait for them to chill before enjoying your personal creations.

Join a CSA. If you’ve never considered a CSA, now is the right time to explore this option. A CSA (community supported agriculture) is a subscription service for fresh produce from local farmers. Learn more and discover a CSA near you.

Hired Hands Homecare’s caregivers are adept in preparing delicious, healthy meals based on each person’s individual preferences. We are available to pick up all of the ingredients too! If you need help finding ways to incorporate fruits and veggies into a senior’s diet, just email or call us at (866) 940-4343 for help with improving the health of an older adult you love and to learn more about our services. Check our Service Area page to see if we provide care in your area.