Building a 7-Day Meal Plan for an Elderly Family Member

As we age, it becomes all the more important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Eating right with proper nutrition supports our overall well-being, boosts immunity and stops malnutrition from weakening our bodies. However, older adults might face challenges that stop them from eating as well as they should, like smaller appetites, difficulties chewing and specific dietary restrictions.

Still, these setbacks shouldn’t stop us from encouraging a healthy diet, as even small changes to everyday meals can make a noticeable difference over time. Today, we’ll explore how to plan a weekly menu for your elderly family member, including practical tips and tricks to make healthy eating a part of their routine.

How our nutritional needs change as we age

There are plenty of benefits to eating healthily at any age. Correct nutrition helps maintain energy levels, manage weight and lower the risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer. However, it’s not just about the physical benefits of following a healthy diet – eating well can also have a positive effect on mental health, too.

On the contrary, older adults who eat foods without much nutritional value may find that they’re getting ill more often, or that they’re at a higher risk of falling and seriously hurting themselves.

Here are some tips to get the most out of foods when making a meal plan for your elderly family member:

Use a variety of ingredients from each food group: This can help reduce the risk of developing diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease – especially when choosing foods with little to no added sugar, saturated fats and sodium.
Prioritise protein intake: Protein is incredibly important for older adults to maintain muscle mass and keep their strength up. Make sure you add between 55-90g to their daily diets, with good sources such as seafood, dairy or fortified soy products.
Add fruit and vegetables to every meal or snack: Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, so make sure they’re accessible at all times for your family member. If they have trouble chewing, slice the fruit and vegetables into manageable pieces.
Try foods fortified with Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is crucial for older adults thanks to its role in maintaining cell function and red blood cell production, which can reduce the risk of anaemia, cognitive decline and more.
Use herbs and lemon juice to season foods: Instead of using salt, use other ingredients to add extra flavour to reduce your family members’ sodium intake.

Encouraging your loved one to drink enough water is also essential when planning their meals. Staying hydrated helps their digestive system and boosts the absorption of nutrients, so they can get more from their meals. Get into the habit of serving a glass of water with each meal to keep them replenishing their fluid levels.

Key nutrients to put on your family member’s plate

Key nutrients come from all the food groups, so it’s important that you include something from each of them when planning a healthy, balanced meal plan. Not only does this keep your family member feeling their best, but it can also help reduce their risk of developing chronic illnesses.

Here are some of the most important nutrients to include:

Protein for muscle maintenance

Protein is essential for keeping your loved one’s muscles strong and healthy, and eating enough may increase their independence by preventing them from becoming frail. Good sources of protein include:

Eggs
Fish, e.g. salmon, tuna and mackerel
Poultry, e.g. chicken and turkey
Legumes, e.g. lentils, chickpeas and beans
Dairy, e.g. milk, yoghurt and cheese

Healthy fats for brain function

Omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats support your family member’s cognitive function, preventing them from getting brain fog, issues with their memory and difficulty completing tasks. They’re also great for supporting heart health. Some of the best sources of healthy fats are:

Avocados
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds, e.g. almonds, walnuts and flaxseeds
Fatty fish, e.g. salmon, sardines and mackerel

Fibre for digestion

Fibre is excellent for digestive health, especially in older adults. It keeps everything moving and prevents them from feeling bloated and nauseous. To increase their fibre intake, include the following in your meal plan:

Whole grains, e.g. oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread
Vegetables, e.g. carrots, spinach and broccoli
Fruits, e.g. apples, bananas and pears
Beans and lentils

Calcium and Vitamin D for bone health

A common side effect of aging is a decline in bone density, which may increase the risk of osteoporosis. Older adults also might be more prone to falling because of mobility or vision issues, and having weaker bones may leave them with more extensive injuries. To look after their bone health, here are some calcium-rich foods:

Dairy products, e.g. milk, cheese and yoghurt
Leafy greens, e.g. kale and spinach
Fortified plant-based milk
Fish with edible bones, e.g. sardines and canned salmon

You can learn more in our guide on the nutritional needs of the elderly.

Portion sizes for seniors

It’s generally recommended that older adults have smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day as this helps with their digestion and energy levels. If your loved one gets full quickly and ends up leaving half their meal, not only will they not be getting a variety of nutrients, but you’ll also end up with lots of food waste.

Understanding how much food older adults need can help your loved one meet their nutritional requirements without overeating. Let’s look at portion suggestions for seniors:

Protein: Older adults should aim for 55-90g of protein a day, split over three meals. This could be 300g of chicken or lean steak, two hard-boiled eggs, or a plant-based substitute.
Fruit: A standard serving of fruit is 80g, which could be a full piece of fruit like an apple or banana, or a cup of berries, grapes or juice.
Vegetables: Aim to offer a range of colourful vegetables to make sure your loved one is getting a wide range of nutrients, in 80g portions so they count towards their five a day.
Dairy: Try to include three portions of dairy in your relative’s meal plan each day, which could look like 200ml milk, 30g cheese, a 150g yoghurt pot or 200g custard.
Starchy carbohydrates: Starchy foods should make up a third of your relative’s daily diet, so offer two portions per meal. Portions could include a slice of bread, one medium-sized potato, 60g cooked rice or pasta, 60g cereal or one crumpet.

To learn more about portion sizes when planning your elderly family member’s meals, keep reading here.

Creating a 7-day meal plan for your elderly family member

A structured plan helps you prepare nutritious meals that meet your loved one’s dietary needs. The great thing about a meal plan is that it can be as strict or loose as you need, depending on how adaptable your daily life is.

Taking into account all of the information about important nutrients for older adults that we’ve looked at above, here’s a sample menu to offer your family member:

Monday

Breakfast: Fruit, yoghurt and spinach smoothie
Lunch: Chicken, tomato and avocado sandwich on whole-grain bread
Dinner: Vegetable stir-fry with brown rice
Snack: Fruit platter

Tuesday

Breakfast: Vegetable omelette with whole-grain toast
Lunch: Grilled salmon with steamed vegetables and quinoa
Dinner: Chicken breast, roasted vegetables and hummus
Snack: A small smoothie with banana, yoghurt and oats

Wednesday

Breakfast: Porridge topped with banana, nuts and honey
Lunch: Lentil and vegetable stew with a side of whole-grain crackers
Dinner: Roasted salmon, courgette and sweet potato
Snack: Hummus with carrot and cucumber sticks

Thursday

Breakfast: Eggs over kale and sweet potato grits
Lunch: Chicken and quinoa salad with olive oil dressing
Dinner: Whole-wheat pasta and ground turkey with tomato sauce
Snack: Mixed nuts

Friday

Breakfast: Scrambled egg and avocado on whole-grain toast
Lunch: Tuna salad wrap with lettuce
Dinner: Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and grilled chicken
Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter

Saturday

Breakfast: Whole-grain pancakes with almond butter and fruit
Lunch: Baked salmon with couscous and steamed vegetables
Dinner: Lentil soup with whole-grain bread
Snack: Dark chocolate and almonds

Sunday

Breakfast: Boiled eggs with whole-grain toast and a slice of cheese
Lunch: Turkey and avocado sandwich on whole-grain bread
Dinner: Roast chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans
Snack: Greek yoghurt topped with honey and chia seeds

The benefits of meal planning for your elderly family member

Planning your relatives’ meals comes with loads of benefits, especially when you have other responsibilities to deal with on a day-to-day basis. If you don’t have the time to think up new meals on the spot, spending some time at the start of the week coming up with a healthy meal plan can take a lot of pressure and stress off your shoulders.

Here are some of our favourite benefits of meal planning:

Saves time and energy: Meal planning means you don’t have to spend so much time each day thinking about what to cook for your relative, giving you more time and energy to focus on other things that need your attention.
Lets you control portions and reduce food waste: By planning and portioning meals in advance, you can prevent your family member from over- or undereating.
Offers a variety of foods and balanced nutrition: Check that your loved one is getting enough essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients by monitoring what they’re eating each week.
Boosts convenience and independence: Pre-prepared meals and snacks give your relative easier access to healthy foods that they can reheat or snack on, helping them feel more independent and in control of their dietary choices.

Tips for making meal planning easier and worthwhile

While the benefits of meal prepping are hard to deny, it might also be a daunting task when you don’t have much experience planning a weekly menu for someone. Here are some tips for making meal planning work for you and your family:

1. Consider your relative’s dietary needs and preferences

We highly recommend sitting down with your elderly family member and working out the best meals for them, depending on their circumstances and what they’ll actually eat. Some things to consider might be:

Their dietary requirements
Any medical conditions that might influence their nutritional needs
Allergies
What they enjoy eating

If you think your loved one has a medical condition that affects their appetite, you might want to consult a reliable healthcare professional or registered dietitian to help develop their meal plan.

2. Make a weekly shopping list

Writing down your shopping list alongside your meal plan lets you see how many ingredients you’ll be left with after prepping each meal. Doing this gives you an idea of what you’ll have left to use in the fridge later in the week, reducing the amount of food wasted and hopefully saving you money.

3. Batch cook meals to feed the freezer

If you have more time on some days than on others, you might find it worthwhile to batch cook main meals before freezing them in pre-portioned containers. This gives your family member a range of ready-to-reheat meals that they can access without help, giving you peace of mind that they’re not relying on you to eat. Some of the best meals to batch cook and freeze are stews, casseroles and soups.

4. Leave healthy snacks in the fridge

Along with main meals, it’s important to leave your loved one some pre-portioned snacks for them to easily reach for when they get peckish. Making sure they have access to healthy snacks also stops them from reaching for unhealthy foods that don’t contribute much to their nutritional needs. Keep snacks stocked up in the fridge for between meals, like yoghurts, vegetable sticks and hummus or apple slices and peanut butter.

How Country Cousins can help

Planning a weekly meal plan for your elderly family member can be difficult – especially when you have to consider their dietary needs, allergens and preferences. Not to mention finding the time to prep and cook everything! If you’re struggling, Country Cousins live-in carers can help by shouldering some of the burden.

We understand the importance of maintaining a balanced diet for older adults and the challenges that come along with it. We’ll tailor our care to ensure that healthy meals and proper nutrition are always on the table. With our personalised care, trust us to support your loved one’s healthy eating habits and lifestyle.

H2 Talk to our team today

As the UK’s longest-serving introductory live-in care agency, we have been providing compassionate live-in care to those who need it since 1959 – all from the comfort of their own homes.

Give us a call today on 01293 224 706. Our experienced team is on hand to help from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm. Alternatively, contact us through our online enquiry form.