Healthy Snacking at Any Age

Posted by Donna Mae Scheib on October 23, 2017

Healthy Snacking at Any Age

Eat Good and Feel Good

Encouraging healthy snacking is important at all ages for both overall health and well-being. For the elderly, the “wrong” type of snack may lead to even more complications than weight gain and an uncomfortable feeling; these snacks high in fat, sugar, and salt can worsen a health condition like diabetes, osteoporosis, and stomach issues. Many elderly need healthy snacks to supplement their diets that often offer inadequate portions at meals or to address the seniors’ lack of appetite and interest in eating.

So despite difficulty swallowing or a loss of certain senses with age, snacking has great benefit for seniors. But like most things in life, there are some snacks to avoid. Watch for snacks high in saturated fats and salt as these are bad for your heart. Most prepackaged snacks have a large amount of salt, added sugar, and synthetic additives so it is best to avoid these, too. Overly sugary snacks (pastries, cookies, cakes, and assorted candy) can lead to diabetes or a worsening of this disease.

Besides the benefits of health and feeling good, snacks offer seniors the opportunities to engage in social settings that help them to stay active and energized. Seniors may help prepare the snack, often a less complex food preparation than a full-course dinner.

So what do nutritionists recommend for seniors’ healthy snacking? What do these snacks offer? Why are they so important?

These are some suggestions to maximize the health benefits of snacks in a daily diet for seniors:

Cheese – Whether sticks, slices or wedges, cheese is an easy, high-protein snack. It offers lots of variety in selection while helping to repair tissues and cells. Cheese also produces red blood cells to carry oxygen and antibiotics to fight disease.

Dark Chocolate – Filled with antioxidants and serotonin (which researchers claim influences mood, and in this case adds a mood of happiness), dark chocolate also is known to prevent the onset of disease.

Fresh Fruit – Offering fiber, natural fruit juices, and generally a great taste, fresh fruit is a fast snack that helps with dehydration and is a good solution to that sweet tooth. It is a filler food so you often stop any unwanted cravings.

Green Tea – Shown throughout multiple studies, green tea fights heart disease and cancer; it also prevents diabetes and stroke, lowers cholesterol, and burns fat. It’s a quick pick-me-upper that offers lots of benefits.

Hard-Boiled Eggs – Eggs are easy, inexpensive, high-protein, and satisfying.  

Homemade Granola – When granola is made yourself, you can control the ingredients. Just mix together oats, nuts, and seeds with real maple syrup and bake. Guaranteed to satisfy that sweet tooth, just like fresh fruit, you will be getting healthy fats and nutrients in every bite.

Nuts and Seeds –  A simple way to get protein and healthy fats, nuts and seeds satisfy the “crunchy” eaters. What’s more? It is a snack that is easy to pack and enjoy wherever you may go throughout the day.

Precut Veggies – Offering lots of nutrients, precut veggies also stimulate the senses through their varied colors, textures, and flavors. With so many choices, you’ll be sure to find a few favorites for that senior.

Raisins and Prunes – Providing fiber to assist with constipation and digestion, raisins and prunes help fight bacteria that is a source of cavities and gum disease; they are simple foods that you can enjoy chewing.

Smoothies – Another sure way to capture essential nutrients, smoothies cater to those who have trouble chewing. It is a clever way to get in certain foods that might not appeal to the senior (kale, flaxseed), but when mixed in with some favorite yogurt and fruit, the blend is appealing enough.

Yogurt – Brimming with calcium for your bones, yogurt scores high with convenience and taste. With almost limitless flavors to choose from, this is an easy snack that appeals to many. You can add nuts, seeds, and fruit to the yogurt for variety and an added nutritional benefit, boosting calorie intake, and satisfying the “snacker”.

Healthy eating for seniors beyond the usual snacks

You might have some additional suggestions for healthy snacks. The key is to make many different snacks available and to offer them throughout the day. This helps to sustain the senior’s stamina and also helps to keep their body as healthy as possible. The added benefits of snacks are socialization and staying active and energized.

So whether it is cheese, dark chocolate, fresh fruit, green tea, hard-boiled eggs, home-made granola, nuts and seeds, precut veggies, raisins and prunes, smoothies, yogurt or any other healthy choice, encourage the senior to snack away.

Build up this routine to make it part of every day! Eat good and feel good.