Your parents eating habits have changed a lot after retirement. Unless you show up and cook a meal for them, they eat a lot of pizza, Chinese takeout, and freezer meals. They’re tired of the meals they grew up with. It’s time for a change of pace. Try these healthier international cuisines.
Greek
Doctors often recommend the Mediterranean Diet as the best to try. Greek food is one of the best. Many of the traditional foods in Greece rely on garlic, herbs, lemon, olive oil, and grilling or baking rather than frying.
Marinate chicken breast or pork cubes in lemon, olive oil, black pepper, oregano, and garlic. Slide the cubes onto skewers and grill. Serve it with whole-wheat pita bread, tzatziki (yogurt, garlic, and cucumber sauce), and leafy greens.
Indian
Indian food varies, but curries are one of the healthiest options. Most curries are a blend of spices, yogurt, and ghee (butter with the milkfat solids removed).
Some of the best Indian meals to make at home are curried lentil soup, chickpea curry, and basmati rice that’s tossed with nuts, raisins, and spices. Whole-wheat naan or roti often finish off a meal and give you something to sop up the sauce from the curry.
Japanese
Japanese foods can be fried, but many traditional dishes are cooked on grills or in hot pots of broth. Avoid things like tempura-battered fried seafood or vegetables. Instead, aim for miso soup, shabu-shabu, and soba.
Spanish
Spanish is another cuisine that’s found in the Mediterranean Diet. Like Greek cuisine, Spanish ingredients rely heavily on herbs, fresh produce, olive oil, and seafood. Spanish dishes like paella use saffron for flavor and color. Tomatoes are also used a lot.
Cold or warm, gazpacho soup is a classic and rich with fresh tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and olive oil. Baked fish with tomatoes and garlic or shrimp cooked in olive oil and garlic are other favorites.
Vietnamese
Vietnamese dishes like pho are easy to make at home and include noodles in an herbal broth with fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, crispy onions, and chopped cilantro for garnish. Chilled Vietnamese rolls that use rice wrappers, cooked shrimp, lettuce, carrots, and other raw vegetables are also popular.
Would your parents make healthier meal choices if they had elderly care aides available to help prepare meals? Joint pain in the hands can make it difficult to slice vegetables and meats. A food processor can help, but it can only do so much.
If your parents do rely on frozen meals, heat-and-eat meals, or takeout because cooking is harder than it used to be, elderly care aides are an excellent solution. Let caregivers take over meal preparation for them.
If you or an aging loved one needs Elderly Care in Lincoln, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
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