Whole grains are one of nature’s superfoods. September is Whole Grains Month and it’s a fantastic time for seniors to focus on getting more whole grains into their diet. Seniors often become malnourished because they don’t eat enough healthy foods. There are many reasons why seniors don’t eat the way they should. But there’s no reason why seniors can’t add more whole grains to their diets so that they can reap the many benefits that whole grains have. Whole grains are nutritious, tasty, and often they are very inexpensive.
Whole grains, as opposed to highly processed grains, are a great source of essential vitamins that seniors need like Vitamin B. They also contain healthy natural fiber that the body can easily break down and use to stay healthy. Seniors should be eating some whole grains with all of their meals. Rice is the most commonly known whole grain but there are plenty of other whole grains that seniors can try to add some variety to their meals like:
Oats
Bulgar
Millet
Buckwheat
Quinoa
Popcorn
Yes, popcorn is a healthy whole-grain snack that seniors who can eat popcorn should be enjoying. Most whole grains are cooked the same way by being boiled in water until they are soft enough to eat. Whole grains can be added to salads or served with steamed or fresh vegetables for almost any meal.
Getting Seniors To Try New Whole Grains:
The whole grains that people are most familiar with are popcorn and rice. But with so many whole grains out there to try there’s no reason to stay limited to just those grains. Some fun ways that you can convince your senior loved one to try new types of whole grains are:
Take A Cooking Class:
Your senior loved one may only eat rice because it’s the only whole grain they know how to cook. Sign up for a cooking class with your senior parent and enjoy a cooking class together learning how to cook new grains. Or, if your senior loved one has an elder care provider that helps them cook have the elder care provider teach your senior parent to make some new grains.
Have A Cooking Competition:
Is your senior loved one a fan of cooking shows? You can have your own cooking competition where you both have to make meals using a new grain and whoever makes the tastiest dish will win a prize. This kind of activity makes cooking fun and allows you to spend some quality time with your senior loved one.
Make A Familiar Dish With A New Grain:
A great way to show your senior loved one the versatility of a new grain is to make a dish that your senior loved one already likes but with a new grain. For example, instead of making rice and vegetables as a side dish, make quinoa and vegetables. Your senior loved one may find they actually prefer some of the whole grains that they haven’t tried before.
Modern Vintage Home Care
3 Sugar Creek Center Blvd #100
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
Phone: (832) 662-8236