7 Easy and Nutritious Holiday Recipes Plus 3 of My Favorite Mealtime Tools
When caring for someone who has difficulty eating, it's important to focus on nutrient-rich foods that are easy to chew and swallow. For older adults, it can be difficult to consume enough to satisfy their daily nutritional needs. As we age, changing tastes or medication side-effects can impact the flavors of what we eat and drink. Then there’s the loss of hand dexterity due to normal aging, injury or illness that can further complicate eating. It can be helpful to keep a list of the items that your loved one usually enjoys, then take a creative and experimental approach to finding new options. I found that I could successfully mix Dad’s favorites with healthy options that my family enjoys.
For breakfast, I would make my dad bacon, eggs and toast in the morning. I would mash up the soft-boiled egg in a teacup with a little butter, and seasonings then have toast with his favorite jam, a slice of bacon, and a small bowl of fruit. The egg in cup strategy worked as it was easy to eat out of the cup with a spoon. Bacon can be controversial for those who are concerned about the potential health risks, so it’s important to check with your loved one’s medical team if you are in charge of their meals. There are alternatives to pork and turkey bacon that you may want to explore.
When choosing fresh fruit, I avoided blueberries as they would always fall out of the bowl and run away. Instead, I selected fruit that was easy to pick up or use with a fork or spoon like raspberries or cubed cantaloupe, pineapple, bananas, kiwis or persimmons. Smoothies are another great way to sneak in extra fruits and veggies at mealtime.
And then there are the times when you just don’t want to cook. If you’re focusing on the holidays and want to skip all the meal prep, grocery stores like Target, Cracker Barrel, Publix and Whole Foods do fresh, whole-food prepared meals that you cook in the oven or heat up in the microwave. If you are pressed for time in the kitchen, picking up several side dishes from the grocery store can be a great way to speed up meal prep.
The following holiday-themed recipes will work well for family caregivers who are short on time and energy. We’ve also included a few helpful tools that our family uses during mealtime.
7 Easy and Nutritious Holiday Recipes
Caregiver Tip: Serve soup in a coffee cup or tea mug for easy sipping.
Adaptive Tools for Mealtime
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New family caregivers might not yet be aware of all the adaptive tools that can help them as they support their loved one, and we will be sharing more of our recommendations with you in future posts. Below are some of my favorite tools that I used when caring for my father. They made mealtime easier and more enjoyable for both of us.
1. Adaptive utensils from BUNMO: These helped when Dad’s arthritis would flare up. They're easy to grip and very lightweight.
2. Adjustable table from Vaunn: I like this table the best because it is lightweight and has a locking mechanism. I used this table when Dad was in his chair or if he was having tea in bed.
3. Tall Height Range Reclining Lift Chair: Dad was a tall individual and this chair was a game-changer. As his condition progressed, we were able to use the chair to elevate him and it made using the sit-to-stand more convenient. Yes, it is expensive, but far less than a medical bed that would fit his large frame. Towards the end of his life, Dad wanted to stay in the chair more and more. As a bonus, it was also comfortable enough for him to sleep in.
As family caregivers, we are often focused on the health and wellbeing of our care recipient and it is easy to expend all of our creative meal-prep energies on our loved ones. However, it’s important to remember that we must attend to our bodies' nutritional needs, too. This 12-year study reveals that the Mediterranean Diet may be good for brain health and more research confirms it can be heart-healthy, too.
EatingWell created this list of Mediterranean recipes to help you eat for better health and we’re exploring these Blue Zones recipes. Maybe, your care recipient will join you as you experiment with some new flavors and textures?
Question: What recipes or products have helped you to care for yourself and your loved one? Feel free to comment below or send us an email. We would love to share your ideas with our community!
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