Caring for our parents and making sure they’re on track with their health is a priority for a lot of adults. It’s so important to eat well as seniors, which is often cared for when you live in a retirement home, but it can be challenging when you live alone. The trickiness is compounded when there’s pain or as mobility is limited. This isn’t to mention the financials of trying to manage one’s health on a very limited budget.
Here are twelve quick meal ideas for elderly parents that meet the basic nutrition and wellness standards:
1. Breakfast egg muffins
A classic breakfast McDonald’s-style is a breakfast egg muffin. All you need is an English muffin, an egg, and a cheese of your choosing. You can add in a sausage patty of course, but this depends on whether one’s appetite can handle it or if there are dietary restrictions at play.
2. Beef and barley soup
A healthy soup does a lot at settling the tummy although a lot of soups that aren’t homemade can be high in salt. This is something to watch out for, in addition to the red meat. That aside, a beef and barley soup does the trick at hitting that sweet spot.
3. Roast chicken dinner
A roast chicken dinner can take some effort but you can pack leftovers if it’s the sort of thing someone doesn’t mind. Roast the chicken with herbs or spices as you like. For some sides, some roasted garlic potatoes can be thrown into the oven as well as some glazed carrots.
4. Steel cut oats with fruit
The breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day and it’s sad when a person of any age skips it. A senior needs a strong, healthy breakfast to get their day started on. Some steel cut oats with fresh fruit or dried fruit mixed in works well. You can leave our sugar altogether or replace it with honey. You may also choose to drop in some omega-3 filled seeds for extra boost!
5. Egg and veggie salad
A nice salad is one of the best meal ideas for elderly parents. They can of course customize with the veggies they want, add in a protein source like eggs, toss in an avocado for some extra fats, and naturally top it with some healthy cheeses. Some may drop in some chicken which can be delightful but it’s not necessary if you want to limit protein intake or are vegetarian.
6. Baked salmon with quinoa and broccoli
Baked salmon is a very, very healthy fish, meat, and protein source. On top of that, when you have the power of nutrient-dense steamed broccoli and fresh quinoa on the plate, you pretty much have a superfood-esque meal ready to devour.
7. Yogurt parfaits
A yogurt parfait is a quick, easy breakfast treat that’s perfect on a day when you or your parent doesn’t want to be waiting to eat. Having one in the fridge is smart, yogurt and fruit mixed in. Granola can be kept separate and then added right before you’re about to eat. With this, someone’s getting a nice dose of natural sugars, probiotics, and a healthy carb.
8. Ham & cheese panini
These meal ideas for elderly parents are truly addictive, so watch out! You can do a ham and cheese panini pressed or simply use a couple pieces of bread to essentially make a grilled cheese sandwich with ham. Panini or not, no matter how you come to it, nothing beats a ham and cheese toasted sandwich.
9. Beef & root vegetable stew
Beef and root vegetable stew has a number of health benefits. A lot of homemade soups do. You’re also available to add in more spices, herbs, or things along these lines to boost the broth taste. Beef & root vegetable stew is an easy recipe and this also nets you some left-overs!
10. Blueberry banana zucchini bread
This is a fun baked good that still has some health to it without heavy calories. The banana potassium, the antioxidants of the blueberry, and the nutrients the zucchini brings packs a very healthy punch. You can even have some fun making this with your parent or perhaps have a family day when you cook up some good stuff like this for your loved one!
11. Turkey, avocado, and tomato wrap
If they don’t want anything big or want some snacks in the fridge to dip into that are healthy, wraps are a great food you can prep beforehand and store in a container by the dozen. An avocado, turkey, and tomato wrap is a great wrap, and there are another half-dozen wrap recipes out there that are simple, don’t spoil easy, and can be kept waiting until one’s ready.
12. Chicken, shrimp, and vegetable stir fry
A stir fry is a tasty dinner and it’s easy enough to make. Cut everything, dump it in the skillet, and fry. It’s easy to oversee, as long as they or you don’t stray from the stove. Some chicken, shrimp, and veggies of your choosing are all the good stuff. Then you have brown rice which can be a base of sorts. Toss in some spices and herbs as you like, and you’ve got a nice homemade meal!
