Meal preparation can be one of the harder daily chores family caregivers face. Whether you’re cooking meals for somewhat fussy kids or are trying to find healthier options for your mom and dad, it can get challenging. Are you ready to find new ways to create inspiring meals? Try adding new foods each week. It can make a big difference.

Consider Nutritional Needs

Your parents need fiber, calcium, antioxidants, and protein. Those tend to be the nutrients that seniors don’t get enough of. They may be eating too much salt, sugar, and saturated fats. You’re looking to fix meals that meet those needs.

At the same time, your children need similar foods. You may find that calcium intake and calories are more important. You want your kids to have the energy they need for play, homework, and growth. Calcium is important for their bones and teeth. It’s a good time to get them to limit sugar intake, too.

How Do You Introduce New Foods?

Once a week, have a dinner where you’re all going to try something new. Serve it with foods you know they’ll enjoy. That way, if people don’t enjoy the new food, they still have plenty to eat.

Everyone has to try new food and give their opinion. They have to give it a chance and can’t just dismiss it automatically. Make it a fun experience without any requirements that people must eat all of it. If it’s a bust, you know to not bother with that food again.

Don’t get too creative with new foods. Prepare it in a couple of classic ways. For example, if you’re trying oysters for the very first time, Oysters Rockefeller is a good start as they’re cooked and seasoned with other ingredients. If you’re serving Brussels sprouts, try roasting them with olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper.

Try These Trending Foods

If you want some foods that are trending, you should start with the new vegetarian burgers like Beyond Burgers or Impossible Burgers. They do look and have a texture that’s very similar to beef, but they’re vegetarian.

Beet greens are the leafy greens that grow from the top of the beet. Many are already enjoying them, but others are just finding them. Beet greens are similar to Swiss chard and contain high amounts of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.

Oat milk started catching on in 2019, and it’s going to keep growing in popularity. If you buy the extra creamy version some manufacturers offer, it has the same creaminess of milk, but it has that nutty, oatmeal taste and is higher in fiber and lower in sugar.

Could you use help cooking your parents’ meals during the workweek? Meal preparation services are one part of senior care to discuss. Caregivers can also help plan menus and go grocery shopping. Call a senior care representative to discuss your parents’ tastes and nutritional requirements.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Rockridge, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203

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Evan Loevner

CEO at Aviva In-Home Care

As a former hospital administrator, I launched Aviva with the goal of having a more focused, direct impact on the delivery of care than I could ever accomplish within a hospital setting. For me, the joy of running an organization like Aviva In-Home Care is having the ability to positively improve the lives of individuals needing customized care. As a passionate Bay Area resident, I know that many local seniors can benefit from new approaches to in-home care, that will bring them more connection to the community, and provide families with a greater sense of comfort that their loved one is indeed matched with an ideal caregiver.

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