Cooking for senior citizens can be a challenge, so we’ve collected some of our best tips for making sure seniors can manage cooking easy and healthy meals.
Your parents are probably the ones who had to teach you how to hold a spoon, so it’s only right that you return the favor by offering up some help in the kitchen. Cooking for seniors citizens can often be a challenge, and in some cases, it might even present safety concerns. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to ensure that they feel confident in the kitchen and have a range of quick and easy cooking tips right at their fingertips.
Cooking Safety Tips for Seniors
Everyone has to stay on their toes when working in the kitchen, but older adults are especially vulnerable to accidents while cooking.
Make sure they use a timer to keep track of things that are heating up on the stove or in the oven. They can use a traditional cooking timer, or you can show them how set an alarm on their mobile device to make sure they’re notified when their food requires their attention. And now is a good time to check that their smoke alarm is working in case they do have a mishap in the kitchen.
Finally, have them get into the habit of looking around their kitchen for hazards such as spills, loose wires, clogged drains, or sharp or heavy objects in places where they don’t belong.
Invest in Kitchen Appliances for Convenience
Your mom and dad have a new favorite kid, and its name is Crock Pot. If your parents aren’t already using a slow cooker, they’re missing out on one of the easiest and most convenient ways to cook a whole host of meals. Stews, soups, and casseroles are just a few of the simple dishes that seniors can whip up in a slow cooker.
Another reason slow cookers make cooking for older adults a breeze is because many have safety features such as automatic shut-off, so they don’t have to worry about accidentally forgetting to turn it off.
Prepare and Save Meals for Later
If your parents have ever complained about having to figure out what do to about dinner night after night, then it’s time to introduce them to the wonders of meal prepping.
Meal prepping simply entails making a large batch of food and sectioning it out into individual meals. Examples of meal prepping include:
- Cooking meat to use for soup and tacos
- Cutting up fruit to make fruit salad and smoothies
- Steaming rice for casseroles and stir-fry
The main point of meal prepping is to maximize the food and create pre-made meals that are easy to grab and go. Meal prepping doesn’t need to be a complex operation, older adults can find a system and schedule for preparing their meals that works for them.
Encourage them to invest in a freezer if they don’t already have one so they can properly store their prepped meals and simply thaw and re-heat as necessary. Ensure your parents are able to physically open containers they use, and tell them to use label all containers with the contents and date.
Make a Plan for the Grocery Store
It’s a dangerous game to go into a grocery store without a list of items you need. To save your parents time and money, help them create a grocery list with all the food they’ll need for the next week. Include brand names, quantities, and prices on the list to make it as easily as possible for your parents to handle their own grocery shopping. And, tell them to avoid going to the grocery store on an empty stomach, as studies have shown this can lead to more impulsive and less nutritious purchases.
Make sure your parents are properly stocked up on food that has longer shelf life to avoid excessive waste or spoilage. Foods that last a long time include grains, pasta, peanuts, rice, and dried beans. These items can often be bought in bulk and stored for later use.
Additionally, mobile ordering and curbside delivery are often available at grocery stores, which can be helpful services for seniors with mobility issues.
Add Supplements to their Routine
As we age, it gets more difficult to get the proper nourishment from food. If you’re concerned about your senior parents getting enough nutrients, you may want to consider supplements, such as protein powder, which can be added to foods and drinks for an extra protein boost. You could also consider protein shakes, which can be a good choice for seniors who are looking for a quick, convenient, and nutritious snack. Of course, dietary changes should only be made after consultation with medical professionals.
Take Advantage of Meal Delivery
Sometimes, a break from cooking is on the menu. When that’s the case for your parents, ready-made meals are the way to go to avoid the expense and hassle of ordering and picking up takeout. GNC offers RealEats, a meal delivery service that lets you pick out meals — complete with a main dish and several sides — and have them delivered right to your doorstep within a week.
Seniors can select meals based on their dietary needs, and dishes can be ready to eat is in as little as six minutes with a microwave or boiled water. RealEats meals are great options for busy, on-the-go seniors who don’t have time to cook, or seniors who may have trouble getting around in the kitchen and need low-effort meals.
Find More GNC Tips on Cooking for Seniors
The best thing about cooking is that is has no age limit. Cooking for older adults can be a fun and enjoyable activity as long as they know the right tips and tricks to help them out.
