Evidence about the connection between food, nutrition and good health in the second half of life just keeps mounting. A recent study confirms what professionals, grass roots organizations, and people excited about nutrition have always believed in the absence of hard evidence: eating well, not only prolongs your years, but aids in making that time ‘quality’ time. That time translates to increased mobility, less hospital and doctors visits, greater cognitive or mental health and general well-being.
Like the recent move to improve the quality of school lunches, there has been a silent but parallel move to do the same for people participating in government-sponsored meal sites. Meals offered through congregate meal sites and government-sponsored home delivered meals are required to meet the mandatory Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for seniors. Creating menus that meet the DRIs and appeal to seniors has its challenges.
Seniors, by nature, have more experience with food; they have well-established tastes and expectations around food. Some of these tastes and expectations jive with good nutrition practices while others do not. An example of a one challenging requirement is the fiber content of the meal which basically means whole grain foods and more fruits and vegetables at center stage. While whole grain foods have been around for some time, many people still find whole grain pastas, breads and rice different in texture and drier than their refined grained counterparts, especially if they have not included them in their diet before. Plus, because fruits and vegetables provide fiber and are so nutrient-rich many seniors are not used to seeing that much fruit and vegetable served.
Many people think that tastes change and behaviors follow. However, studies of individuals highly motivated to make dietary changes find that the reverse is closer to the truth. Behaviors must change and tastes follow! The good news is that the time that it takes to adjust one’s tastes is shorter than you might think. Three weeks is what most individuals note when they describe the acceptance of a new food. Government-sponsored meal sites are a perfect low cost way for way for you to start ‘practicing’ healthy eating habits and tastes designed to help you improve your life.
By Amy Thygesen