How is your dad’s diet? If he’s getting older and slowing down, he may be like many other older adults who rely on meals they can microwave or put in the oven. While these may be easy, they’re not always the most nutritious. While you don’t have the time to help your dad plan and prepare balanced meals, that doesn’t mean he has to stick to easy-to-heat meals. Here are some tips to ensure he’s eating well when he lives alone, and how elder care can support him.
Meal Prep as Much as Possible
When you visit your dad, prepare as much as you can. If he has a container full of diced onions, carrots, celery, and peppers, he won’t have to do much to prepare his meals. Have meats and vegetarian proteins soaking in marinades and sliced and ready to use.
Ask your dad what he likes to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. You could make a number of breakfast burritos, wrap them in deli paper, and store them in a large freezer bag to keep in his freezer for him to reheat when he’s ready for breakfast.
Roast pans of vegetables and store those in the fridge to add to grain bowls. Keep cooked brown rice, quinoa, and barley in single-serving freezer bags for fast lunches. Make a bowl of hummus that he can add to his grain bowls or turn into a quick sandwich.
Invest in Helpful Kitchen Tools
Does your dad have a hard time slicing, chopping, mincing, shredding, and dicing, a food processor can be a helpful small appliance. If you get one that also has a blender, it’s perfect for making smoothies and pureed soups, too.
You might also want to invest in a rice cooker/steamer and slow cooker for your dad. The easier it is for him to cook for himself without having to deal with heavy pots and pans, the more likely it is that he will prepare meals.
Subscription Boxes May Help
If your dad is capable of cooking, there are several meal subscription boxes out there. Ingredients are portioned and packaged to make them easy for your dad to cook. He’ll have a recipe card to follow, which makes the meals easy to prepare. Some go as far as even slicing and chopping ingredients so that he doesn’t have to.
Arrange Meal Preparation Services
Instead of having to cook for your dad or having him eat frozen dinners, why not hire a caregiver to cook for him? He can have a home-cooked meal daily and enjoy companionship while he eats.
It’s time to address the many benefits of meal preparation services from an elder care agency. Talk to your dad about the things he struggles with and the benefits of having caregivers to help out. Your dad enjoys home-cooked meals and company while he eats when you arrange elder care.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Stephenville, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call (817) 631-7710.
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Bosque County, Hill County, Navarro County, Henderson County, Erath County, Somervell County, Johnson County, Ellis County, Parker County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Kaufman County, Rains County, Hood County, VanZandt County, and Rockwall County in Texas.
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