Try These Affordable and Nutritious Foods for Seniors
8 Nutritious Foods for Seniors on a Budget
Over 25 million Americans aged 60 and older live in poverty or are economically insecure. These older adults can struggle with inadequate nutrients, which means that they are always in search of low-cost, nutrient-dense meals. At Senior Helpers in Orlando, we know first-hand how important it is for seniors to stay healthy. Our home caregivers are experts at helping seniors with their diet needs.
Here are eight nutrient-dense foods for seniors on a budget. You can build meals out of the following nutritious foods for less than $2 per serving.
Brown Rice
Brown rice has many uses, including side dishes, rice salads, fried rice, etc. Each serving is about 1/4-cup of brown rice (dry serving) or 1/2-cup cooked. The average serving is less than $1 and averages about $0.18 per serving. 1 pound of brown rice provides 10 servings of rice for about $1.78.
Whole-Wheat and Multigrain Pastas:
Many kinds of pasta are either whole-wheat or multigrain, but the average serving of multigrain pasta includes about 2 oz (ca. 76 g) of dry noodles (provides about 7 servings of pasta per box). In the end, about 200 calories provide 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. The average cost of whole-grain pasta provides a serving per every $0.24.
110% Whole Wheat Bread
Whole wheat bread is an extremely nutritious food. Eating whole grains helps improve your lower-fat heart health as well as providing satiation and helping you stay full.
Almonds
Nuts are good for you in general. Almonds specifically provide 37% of your daily Vitamin E in each 1 oz serving. A 1 oz serving of almonds is about 23 nuts for 162 calories. There is also calcium, fiber, and folate in almonds as well. They are also often cheaper and have less added sodium than pre-bagged seeds.
Lentils
Lentils are healthy food as they are filled with fiber (8 grams per 1/2 cup) and protein (9 grams per 1/2 cup). Lentils are great for your heart and are similar to beans when it comes to the nutrients they offer.
Canned Tuna
Canned tuna provides healthy Omega-3 fats, and eating tuna is not terribly expensive either. Tuna also helps lower their blood pressure and can help with weight loss as well. A 3-ounce serving of canned tuna in water only has 73 calories in it, but provides 16.5 grams of protein per serving.
Frozen Vegetables (No Sodium Added)
The average bag of frozen vegetables costs about $0.25 per ounce. Most bags are 12 to 24-oz and will cost $1.75 to $2.25 per bag. You get six to eight cups of vegetables per bag. Bags of frozen vegetables allow you to buy the vegetables that you like such as broccoli, green beans, corn, lima beans, asparagus, peas, etc. or even mixed vegetables. Bags of frozen vegetables do not have the added sodium of canned vegetables, which makes them healthier for you without them being too expensive.
Oranges
One orange contains approximately an entire day's worth of Vitamin C. Oranges also provide at least three grams of fiber in each orange. An orange has about 70 calories in it. The orange color also means that it includes beta-carotene. An orange costs about $0.99 on average and is quite affordable for many people.
These are some great options for affordable and nutritious foods for seniors who are on a fixed budget. Eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive. A healthy diet can help you maintain your health for a longer period of time so you can enjoy life and do the things that you love.
Senior health is at the heart of all that we do at Senior Helpers in Orlando. We provide consistent senior care in Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Apopka, Saint Cloud, and Winter Springs. If you or a loved one need assistance, please contact us to learn more about what we can do to help.