A variety of factors can cause a change in the way older adults eat meals. Whether there is a lack of interest in preparing meals, side effects from recent medications, an inability to move about in the kitchen or just a busy schedule – sacrifices end of being made that can drastically reduce the quality of your diet.
While seniors do need fewer calories than younger adults, they still need plenty of vitamins and nutrients in their diet that they might be preventing themselves from getting.
Here is a complied list of different breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner recipes older adults can use to get the healthy nutrients they need and still enjoy a delicious meal.
Breakfast:
Bountiful Berry Oatmeal
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1⁄3 cup oatmeal, quick-cooking (dry)
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 3⁄4 cups water (very hot)
- 1⁄2 cup of berries (of choice)
- 1⁄2 cup frozen yogurt, non-fat
Preparation:
- In a microwave safe cereal bowl, mix together the oatmeal and salt. Stir in water.
- Microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave on high power for another minute. Stir again.
- Microwave an additional 30-60 seconds on high power until the cereal reaches the desired thickness. Stir again.
- Top with banana slices and frozen yogurt.
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 5 cups plain fat-free Greek-style yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 14 clementine segments
- 1/4 cup shelled, unsalted dry-roasted chopped pistachios
Preparation:
- Combine yogurt and vanilla in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 yogurt mixture into each of 2 small parfait glasses; top each with 1/2 teaspoon honey, 5 clementine sections, and 1 tablespoon nuts.
- Top parfaits with the remaining yogurt mixture (about 1/3 cup each); top each with 1/2-teaspoon honey, 2 clementine segments, and 1/2-tablespoon nuts. Serve immediately.
Avocado Toast
Yield: 1 Serving
Ingredients
- ½ of a ripe avocado
- Juice of half a lime
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 slice bread of choice
- Hot sauce (optional)
Preparation
- In a bowl, mash together avocado with lime juice and seasoning until combined.
- Spread onto slice of toasted bread.
Lunch:
Chicken Cabbage Salad
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cabbage, sliced thinly
- 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
- 1 TBS rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 TBS minced ginger
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed
- 2 TBS chopped cilantro
- 4 oz. cooked chicken breast, shredded or cut into 1″ cubes
Preparation:
- Toss all ingredients together and serve.
Vegetable Soup
Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen pkg. of mixed vegetables
- 1 QT Low-sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalk, diced
- 2 TBS parmesan
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Sweat diced onion, carrot and celery in 1 TBS olive oil.
- Add frozen veggie mix and 1 QT of chicken broth. Bring to a boil and let soup warm.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into a bowl and top with parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Chicken and Veggie Skillet
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 package mustard greens, or collard greens, spinach, or broccoli (10 ounce, frozen)
- 4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts
- 1 can stewed tomatoes, no salt added (32 ounces)
- 1 cup brown rice, cooked
- 1 can white beans (15 ounces, rinsed and drained)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Oregano, basil, or hot pepper (other spices to taste, optional)
Preparation:
- Steam greens in the stewed tomatoes using a small pan, pot, or electric skillet on medium-high heat.
- Cook greens 10 to 20 minutes, until they are as soft as you like them. Stir gently.
- Add the chicken, rice, canned beans, and seasonings.
- Cook until heated through.
Snack:
Hummus and Veggies
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients
- Hummus of choice
- Carrots
- Celery
- Radishes
Preparation:
- Wash and slice veggie array into bite-sized pieces
- Scoop desired amount of hummus into a bowl
- Serve and use veggies to scoop up hummus
Lettuce Wraps:
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 romaine lettuce leaf
- Two slices of tomato
- Slice of cooked turkey bacon or chicken breast
- Dijon Mustard
Preparation:
- Wash lettuce leaf
- Place tomato, bacon, or chicken into lettuce leaf
- Drizzle with Dijon mustard
- Serve
Upgraded Ants on a Log
Yield: 1 Serving
Ingredients:
- 2 celery stalks
- Peanut butter (or almond butter)
- ¼ cup Mixed nuts
- ¼ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Craisins
Preparation:
- Wash celery stalks
- Spread peanut butter (or spread of choice) on celery stalk
- Mix the mixed nuts, raisins and craisins together in a bowl
- Sprinkle mixture on top of peanut butter spread and serve
Dinner
Stuffed Peppers
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 4 green peppers (large, washed)
- 1 pound turkey, ground
- 1 cup rice, uncooked
- 1⁄2 cup onion (peeled and chopped)
- 1 1⁄2 cup tomato sauce, no added salt
- Black pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Cut around the stem of the green peppers. Remove the seeds and the pulpy part of the peppers.
- Wash, and then cook green peppers in boiling water for five minutes. Drain well.
- In saucepan, brown turkey. Add rice, onion, 1/2-cup tomato sauce and black pepper.
- Stuff each pepper with the mixture and place in casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the green peppers.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 350-degrees.
Black Bean Chili
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 cups or 1 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 TBS chili powder
Preparation:
- Chop onions and mince or press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting properties.
- Place all ingredients—in a pot, cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Serve chili
Honey Mustard Chicken
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 2 TBS and 2-tsp honey
- 2 TBS and 2-tsp prepared mustard
- ¼-tsp dried basil
- ¼-tsp paprika
- 1/8-tsp dried parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste, and place in a lightly greased 9×13 inch-baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley. Mix well. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over the chicken, and brush to cover.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining 1/2 of the honey mustard mixture. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
