NUTRITION Q&A
Eating less food more often can be beneficial
BY:HELEN RASMUSSEN, MS, RD, FADA
Q: Is it true that having mini-meals throughout the day is a healthier way for seniors to eat?
A: Eating smaller, more frequent meals makes sense for most people, seniors included, from two points of view. First, someone who has lost appetite due to illness or medication or is having trouble chewing and swallowing may find a smaller amount of food easier to tackle. Second, from a health perspective, frequent feedings prevent insulin peaks and valleys, and there have been reports of lower cholesterol levels compared to those of people who eat only one or two meals a day.
Here's what a day of minimeals might consist of:
Light Breakfast: Includes protein, fat and carbohydrates such as granola with yogurt and a glass of calcium-fortified orange juice
Mid-Morning Snack: Half an English muffin with peanut butter, plus half of a medium-size banana
Lunch: A cup of soup with half a turkey-and-cheese sandwich (save the other half for mid-afternoon), a small salad with dark-colored vegetables such as peppers or tomatoes with an olive oil-based dressing (if chewing is not a problem), or substitute a vegetable-based drink, such as V-8, if the person is dentally challenged.
Mid-Afternoon Snack: The other half of the sandwich from lunch, with some apple slices or applesauce
Dinner: A three-ounce piece of broiled fish with toasted chopped almonds (if no nut allergies are present), cooked mixed vegetables, rice or mashed potatoes (with milk added), and a cup of herbal tea
Evening Snack: Cup of yogurt with blueberries
NOTE: Mini-meals ae not always so convenient for caregivers who must attend to all these feedings. Splitting a sandwich to eat at two different times or portioning soup into containers for a day or two ahead can help cut down on some preparation. Also, for some ill people, smells that were never noticed before may trigger nausea. If that is the case, offering cold (or room temperature) food and selections with less competing aromas may reduce these symptoms.