Whole foods do have an amazing ability to enhance seniors’ health and well being. If your weekly grocery list already contains a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains…good for you and keep up the good work. On the other hand, if your grocery list leaves something to be desired, adding these nutrient-dense foods can supercharge your health and make you feel rejuvenated!

Also, if you’re not interested in cooking for yourself or find it a hassle to grocery shop, there are lots of great meal services out there just for older adults that can help incorporate these foods into your diet.

BLUEBERRIES

In a 2012 Annals of Neurology study, people who regularly ate blueberries experienced slower cognitive decline—an aging delay of as much as 2.5 years—than less avid berry eaters. They are a great source of vitamin K, and also contain vitamin C, fiber, and other antioxidants that are especially important for seniors.

Try adding blueberries to your breakfast cereal, or blend them up in a smoothie. If buying fresh blueberries is too expensive or you don’t eat them quickly enough, frozen blueberries provide the same level of nutrients and can be stored for longer periods of time.

GREEK YOGURT

10 years ago hardly anyone had heard of this once niche food that has seemingly overtaken supermarket shelves. Part of Greek yogurt’s popularity is due to its high protein content and great taste. It also provides high levels of calcium (good for preventing osteoporosis), potassium, and B12.

Protein consumption is very important for seniors because it helps to preserve muscle mass, and adults tend to start eating less meat past age 50. Enter Greek yogurt, which is a great high-protein snack for seniors eating less meat.

One thing to watch out for with Greek yogurt is the high sugar content of the flavored varieties. Opting for plain Greek yogurt would be the healthiest choice, and you can stir in fresh fruit or granola.

SPINACH

If it’s good for Popeye, it’s good for you! Leafy greens, not including iceberg lettuce which has little nutrient value, like spinach are perhaps THE most nutrient dense foods you can eat. Spinach is especially high in vitamin K, which aids bone health.

To get your daily dose of greens, you can sauté spinach in olive oil until wilted, blend into a delicious smoothie (you’ll barely notice the taste), or make yourself a fresh spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

MIXED NUTS

While most nuts are high in fat, not all fats are bad. Nuts are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help with inflammation and prevent chronic diseases like cancer.

Almonds are high in magnesium, pistachios are high in potassium, and even peanuts are considered pretty healthy for seniors. If your doctor wants you on a sodium-restricted diet, you can opt for unsalted mixed nuts.

The USDA recommends that you aim for 4 oz of nuts every week.

SALMON

Not everyone cares for fish, but for those who do salmon is an excellent choice. Salmon is chalked-full of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep your heart healthy and greatly decreases brain cell loss. It’s also high in vitamin D (which is especially important during the winter), which helps keep seniors’ bones strong.

Aim for eating oily fish like salmon 1-3 times/week, and avoid smoked salmon (or lox) if your doctor recommends a low sodium diet for you.

CARROTS

Carrots are very high in vitamin A, and numerous studies have shown that individuals consuming high level of that particular vitamin are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. One 7-inch carrot delivers the daily-recommended dose of vitamin A. Having a small bag of baby carrots on hand for a snack is always a good idea!

DARK CHOCOLATE

We all love our sweets, senior’s included! But find a satisfying treat that isn’t detrimental to your health is tough with all the indulgent options out there.

For seniors with a sweet tooth who are watching what they eat, dark chocolate is a healthy alternative to other dessert options. Dark chocolate is high is antioxidants, which help neutralize free radicals that can cause a variety of diseases. The cocoa butter is also good for seniors wanting to control their cholesterol level.

DO YOU HAVE A SENIOR FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIENDS IN YOUR LIFE WHO COULD USE SOME HELP IN THE KITCHEN?

While many families resort to meal delivery services to provide their loved ones with food, this certainly isn’t the only option to consider. Instead, you could choose to hire a personal chef to come and prepare home-cooked meals for the senior in your life. The cost is less than you’d think, with some personal chef able to provide custom meals for as little as $10/serving.

This is an option that many don’t realize exists, however it can provide many advantages to the individuals who choose to use them. To help you decide if this is the right move, we’re sharing seven benefits of using a personal chef for seniors.

1. THE CHEF HANDLES MEAL PLANNING & GROCERY SHOPPING

One of the benefits of using a personal chef for seniors is that the chef will handle all the meal planning and grocery shopping. Many seniors just aren’t able to easily get to the grocery store. This could be for a variety of different reasons — no reliable transportation, disabilities, etc. This only provides added stress on those seniors as they have to figure out how to get their food every day.

Seniors can leave the meal planning up to the personal chef and include any additional items they’d like to have. Then, the chef can pick up everything on the list so seniors don’t have to worry about it. Not only is this much easier, but it also gives seniors more free time back in their day. Plus, they’ll have someone who they can always depend on to help them out with any food-related needs.

Personal chefs take care of the grocery shopping, making sure to purchase the freshest ingredients.

2. IT ELIMINATES THE STRESS OF COOKING

Cooking can be a stressful task for many people, but even more so for some seniors. For many, preparing a meal is a laborious task from planning, grocery shopping, and actually doing the cooking. It can take a while to accomplish even the simplest tasks, especially for seniors who have a hard time getting around. Some will find themselves quickly getting frustrated and stressed over the fact that they aren’t able to do things they used to accomplish with ease.

Having a personal chef can eliminate this stress entirely. Plus, with someone else handling all the cooking, it’s going to be safer for many seniors this way. They won’t have to worry about kitchen mishaps such as dealing with knives or dropping plates.

3. MEALS ARE CUSTOMIZABLE

Another great thing about hiring a personal chef is that the meals can be customized to a senior’s specific dietary needs. While not all seniors have special diets that they need to follow, many of them do because of health concerns or even medications they may be taking. Going with another service as opposed to a personal chef doesn’t give you this level of customization.

The chef you hire will be able to prepare meals that suit their unique tastes and dietary needs. They’ll even be able to put in requests for specific dishes that they love and find comforting. It’s much more personal and enjoyable this way. And seniors can receive the nutritious meals they need most with high-quality ingredients.

Meals can be customized for a variety of dietary concerns (ex: low sodium, diabetic, gluten free)

4. IT’LL GIVE SENIORS MORE FREE TIME

While meal delivery services can help save some time for seniors, having a personal chef will provide them with much more. Since they won’t have to worry about doing the grocery shopping or cooking meals, they’re free to spend their time however they wish. It’s a great opportunity to relax, read a book, or anything else that puts a smile on their face.

This is also great for seniors who struggle with any kind of disability. Trying to cook on their own is likely a time-consuming, challenging task. And it may take them even longer to complete simple things, while a personal chef can tackle it with ease.

5. IT’S AFFORDABLE EVEN ON A BUDGET

You might be wondering how on earth a personal chef could be affordable. However, when you compare the cost of a personal chef to other services, you’d be surprised to see that many offer a great price. There are actually special services that are specifically designed for seniors, so it’s likely taken into consideration that many are on a budget. Some personal chefs can provide meals for as little as $10/meal!

All you have to do is find a personal chef who is local to your area and who works with seniors. Find out how much they charge and exactly what they offer. Since they’re typically handling all the grocery shopping as well, it’s really an added bonus. You won’t have to pay someone else to handle this, nor will your loved one have to venture out to the store alone.

6. CHEFS WILL CLEAN UP AFTER MEALS

It’s safe to say that all of us dread cleaning up after preparing a meal in the kitchen. Whether you buy groceries from the store or even just use a popular meal delivery service, there’s always going to be clean up involved. With a personal chef on their side, seniors won’t ever have to worry about this. After the meal has been prepared, most chefs will tidy up the kitchen before saying goodbye.

All of the chefs at Chefs For Seniors will clean up after the meal has been prepared. This means your loved one can just relax and not have to worry about the stress of wiping everything down, washing dishes, and throwing things away.

7. A PERSONAL CHEF PROVIDES COMPANIONSHIP

Another benefit of using a personal chef for seniors is that it provides them with companionship. For seniors who live at home, they may spend a lot of time by themselves. As a result, it gets pretty lonely when you don’t have someone to talk to or spend time with. The regular visit from a personal chef can actually provide a sense of companionship through a new friendship.

The chef is there with the senior clients and can carry on a conversation while cooking in the kitchen. It’s a great way to brighten any senior’s day. And you’ll feel confident that your loved one is in good hands with their personal chef.

Clients of a personal chef always look forward to their chef visits. Great food and wonderful conversation!

See what a personal chef visit really looks like in the video below…

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7 Of The Best Foods For Seniors