Thanksgiving dinner is a fun and festive feast that brings the family closer together. However, there are many Thanksgiving dishes that contain so much sugar, fats, and other unhealthy ingredients. Elderly adults need nutrient-dense Thanksgiving side dishes, so they can maintain their health and wellness and not make things worse nutritionally.
It’s common for people’s appetite to change as they get older, and many seniors don’t eat much in the normal course of the day.
It’s important for family caregivers and elderly care providers to serve up foods that contain a lot of nutrients in every bite. This way, if the elderly person only eats a few bites of everything on the pate, at least they are getting the most out of each meal. It’s far too easy to o serve processed food with lots of fat and sugar. At least at Thanksgiving,
Seniors who are dependent on family caregivers and elderly care providers for assisting with daily tasks also must leave meal planning and preparation to others. Because they can’t get to the grocery shop or prepare meals for themselves, seniors rely on their caregivers to provide them with the tastes they love but with the nutrition they need. Thanksgiving dinner gives family caregivers and elderly care providers the opportunity to enjoy holiday dishes that taste great and pack a nutritional punch.
The key to creating healthy Thanksgiving dishes is to stay away from excess sugar, cream sauces, and fats.
For example, roasted sweet potatoes with a hint of butter and brown sugar is much healthier than sweet potato casserole with marshmallow sauce. Instead of deep frying a turkey, family caregivers can prepare a more traditional turkey that doesn’t include as much unhealthy fat. If family caregivers or elderly care providers are not sure how to put a healthy spin on Thanksgiving, there are plenty of online recipe websites that feature healthy Thanksgiving side dish alternatives.
Here are a few ideas and ingredients for Thanksgiving dinner side dishes that will help seniors get excited about the feast without jeopardizing their health.
- Roasted vegetables
- Steamed sweet potatoes with light maple syrup
- Green bean salad
- Broiled shrimp
- Smoked salmon and wheat crackers
- Fresh cranberry sauce
- Vegetable dips of hummus or flavored Greek yogurt
- Pear and raisin stuffing
- Whole grain rolls with pear butter
- Pumpkin bread or muffins
- Granola-stuffed baked apples
- Healthy pumpkin pie
- Apple crisp
- Peach cobbler
Preparing healthy meals is challenging enough on a daily basis, but when it comes to the Thanksgiving feast, it’s easy to fall back into bad habits and use recipes with lots of unhealthy ingredients. Family caregivers and elderly care providers will feel much happier knowing they and the elderly adult can enjoy a delicious feast without sacrificing health and wellness.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Home Care Services in Berkeley, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
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