Seniors need to find a way to fuel their bodies and maintain energy every day. One of the best ways to ensure your loved one gets a constant source of nutrients is by ensuring they have enough snacks throughout the day. If your loved one forgets to eat often, they may need senior home care to help manage their diets, including snacks.
In addition, some seniors may need extra vitamins and minerals, which can also be provided through snacks, and it may also help a senior control their hunger and stop overeating at dinner time. But what are some healthy snacks that you can give your seniors? Here are some options for your senior to eat.
Pita Bread and Hummus
Carbs aren’t always bad for your senior loved one. Sometimes they can help fill a senior up, especially in small portions. Hummus is made from chickpeas filled with a good amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals. This is a snack filled with zinc, magnesium, folate, and iron! It’s low in sugar which is great if your loved one is trying to limit the amount of sugar in their diet.
Oatmeal
If a senior wakes up early and needs a healthy breakfast or snack, oatmeal is a great option. It is filled with fiber which will help keep them full for much longer, and this can be a sugar-free option if needed. This snack can help boost heart health and regulate blood sugar, so it’s a great snack for seniors with diabetes or pre-diabetes. If senior home care is looking for good oatmeal, they should help a senior pick one that has not been overly processed. You can choose a tub of oats for oatmeal and flavor it yourself to pick something with less packaging.
Fruit Smoothies
Sometimes seniors have a hard time chewing, and they stay away from hard foods. But that means they may not be eating enough fruits or vegetables. One of the best ways to battle that is to make fruit and vegetable smoothies for a senior. This is a quick and convenient way to get vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants into a senior’s diet. However, if senior home care is helping your loved one create a drink, they should avoid putting extra sugar in it. Instead, they should focus on adding in fruits with raw sugar and a healthy mix of vegetables.
Yogurt and Berries
One of the easiest and most healthy snacks to put together is grabbing a cup of yogurt and adding dried berries and maybe granola. This creates a sweet and tasty treat low in calories but filled with nutrients a senior’s body needs to be healthy. Dried fruits can provide a good source of energy to a senior, and the best thing is they have a very long shelf life. Your senior can buy a bag filled with dry fruit and keep it for a long time, making it a great splurge.
Tuna
If your senior needs extra protein, they should buy cans or packets of tuna! This is a snack that can be eaten mixed with vegetables or even pickles and mustard. It’s low-calorie and super high in protein making it an excellent snack for your loved one. The best thing about this snack is that it takes just a few minutes to prepare and is something a senior can do independently.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Senior Home Care in Laurens, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding area.
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