Senior Care Nutrition – All American Breakfast Month
Senior Care in Briarcliff NY
September is All American Breakfast Month. This is a great opportunity for you to reinforce with your parent not only how important it is for them to eat breakfast in the morning, but the value of
choosing healthy options for this meal. As a family caregiver, you know how important it is for your parent to eat a good breakfast every morning. For some people, however, skipping the first meal of the day is much more common for them than actually eating it. Encouraging your parent to learn the value of eating breakfast and what foods to eat can help them to live a healthier lifestyle that keeps them strong, healthy, happy, and functioning better throughout their aging years.
The value of eating breakfast is right in the name of the meal. This first meal of the day literally “breaks the fast” from the overnight period of not eating. This is the first opportunity for your parent to give their body the fuel it needs to face the new day and to get their metabolism running. Eating breakfast helps to provide sustained energy throughout the day and can ward off excess pounds.
Use these tips to help your aging parent eat a healthier breakfast each day during All American Breakfast Month and throughout the rest of the year:
- Combine nutrients. Try to eat a balanced combination of lean protein, whole grains, and healthy fats in your parent’s breakfast. This combination will provide sustained energy that will carry them through their morning and provide satisfaction that will keep them from binging at other meals or eating too many snacks.
- Beware of sugar. Many people reach for convenience foods when it comes to their breakfast. This can be sweetened cold cereals, flavored instant oatmeal, or pastries. These may be fast, but they also contain a high amount of sugar. This sugar increases the risk of diabetes, tooth decay, and other health complications, packs in the calories, and can lead to an energy crash later in the day. Instead, go for unsweetened or at least less-sweetened versions.
- Do not feel obligated to choose breakfast foods. One of the most common complaints that leads to not eating breakfast is disliking breakfast foods. There is nothing to say that your parent absolutely has to tuck into a plate of eggs or a bowl of cereal in the morning. If they prefer chicken salad or a bowl of fruit and cottage cheese, that is fine as well. Focus on the nutrition rather than the type of food.
One of the best ways that you can help your aging parent improve their nutrition and stay healthier as they age in place is to start senior care for them. A senior home care services provider can offer a variety of personalized services to help your parent understand their nutritional needs and make better choices about the foods that they purchase, how they prepare them, and when they eat them. When it comes to eating a healthy breakfast, this means guiding them to make healthy choices when grocery shopping, assisting them with meal preparation to get their day off to a good start, and even eating with them to provide valuable companionship to help keep their mental and emotional health high.
If you or an aging loved one are looking for senior care in Briarcliff, NY, call the friendly staff at The Perfect Home Care at (855) 855-5728. Call today!
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