Healthy Salads Every Senior Should Try
Salads can come in various styles and they can be prepared in tons of ways. This means that salad is amazing for seniors because they are easy to throw together and it is something that in-home care can prepare in advance or quickly at mealtime. Salads are filled with vitamins, minerals, and even proteins that a senior needs to stay healthy. If you or in-home care is looking for ideas on what type of salads to make, here are a few ideas to add to the weekly menu.
Chicken Salad
One of the best things about chicken salad is that it can be done in so many ways. You can use baked chicken, fried chicken, or even canned chicken to throw together a salad. Chicken is a good source of protein for seniors and it tends to be lower calorie than other forms of meat. Seniors may also find chicken easier to chew than other sources of protein. In-home care can prepare chicken at the beginning of the week and then cut it up, cold, later on for salads. Start with a dark green base like spinach or kale, and add chicken, almonds, and a senior’s favorite vegetables or even olives for healthy fats. Top it off with a senior’s favorite salad dressing. Kale is a good source of vitamin K but spinach also has vitamin A and K. It will all depend on what your loved one has a preference for.
Fruit Salads
Not all seniors like traditional salads and they may be craving sweets but not want all the processed sugars. Seniors should not be eating an excessive amount of sugar because it can not only lead to diabetes but it can lead to heart disease, weight gain, and high blood pressure. Just because sugar should be limited does not mean your senior has to stay away from tasty things! Instead of a bunch of sugar, a senior can eat fruit salad which has tons of natural sweetness and natural sugars. In-home care can help slice up berries, melons, and other favorite fruits a senior loves. Mix it up in a bowl and serve it for dessert or as a midday snack for your loved one. Fruit is filled with tons of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that will help boost immunity and give them something tasty to eat.
Egg Salad
A good way to get an extra boost of protein is by eating eggs. There is a myth out there stating that eating eggs is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes, but that is not true. Your loved one should be eating eggs because they are low calorie, high protein, and super tasty as a snack on their own but even better as a salad. To make a super yummy salad, chop up hard-boiled eggs, chicken, or turkey, dice celery, and mix it over a bed of dark leafy greens. This makes a super tasty salad but it can be made into any type of salad a senior likes. Salad is a super important type of dish that will give a senior so many health benefits.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care in Albany, MN, please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today.
Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us today at (320) 352-3350
- How To Tell What Type of Home Care Your Senior Parent Needs - December 5, 2024
- 10 Weight Loss Tips That Can Help Your Sedentary Senior Parent - November 19, 2024
- Ensuring Seniors with Dysphagia Get the Right Amount of Nutrients - November 14, 2024