5 Essential Meal Planning Tips for Seniors

Following a healthy diet is essential all throughout life, but it becomes increasingly important as you age. Making better dietary choices and getting good nutrition can help seniors avoid serious health concerns like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. One way to start eating healthier is by meal planning. Read on to learn four tips for planning meals in senior housing in Kirkland.

1. Find Out Any Deficiencies

The first step in planning your meals is to determine your unique nutritional needs. A simple blood panel and physical exam can help you find out whether you are deficient in any vitamins or minerals. 

From there, you can start deciding what to incorporate into more of your meals. For example, if you are low in iron and protein, you may need to add more lean meats to your diet. 

2. Check Your Cholesterol and Triglycerides

During your yearly physical, ask your physician to run a lipid panel and test your triglycerides. These blood tests can determine whether you have serious health issues, like high cholesterol, that put you at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. 

If your cholesterol and triglycerides are in the normal range, you should continue eating your usual diet. If either of these is high, you will need to cut out saturated fats, trans fats, and refined sugars.

3. Find Budget-Friendly Buying Options

Groceries can be expensive, and many seniors live on a fixed budget. When meal planning, you will want to determine where your groceries will be bought and how much you are going to spend. Take a look at weekly circulars and check deals online to find out where you can get healthy food items for a reasonable price in your area.

4. Get Organized

Meal planning is much easier when it’s done in an organized way. Whether you use a planner or notebook, you should write down what meals you are going to eat on which day. This will help you make an organized meal schedule for yourself. You should also keep a writing pad or whiteboard on your wall or refrigerator where you can write down all the groceries you need to buy for the week. 

5. Use Appropriate Storage

To simplify your meal planning, you will want to have tidy and organized storage for all of your ingredients, supplies, and leftovers. If you live in senior housing in Kirkland, you should have plenty of space to keep everything you need for your weekly meals. To optimize that space, you can invest in sturdy storage containers, shelving, and other organizational tools that will make cooking and storing food run smoothly.

Starting Meal Planning

Do you want to start meal planning in order to follow a healthier diet? Planning and prepping your meals in advance is a great way to make better dietary choices. If you live in senior housing in Kirkland, there are numerous local senior resources, medical establishments, and nutritional experts prepared to help you begin your meal-planning journey.