3 Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Seniors
We have all heard of the phrase “The Most Important Meal of the Day” in regards to breakfast, and there is no doubt that eating breakfast has its health benefits. This has been studied extensively. Eating breakfast allows for a more balanced lifestyle and diet, and additionally, gets your metabolism going earlier in the day. It is especially important for seniors to consistently eat breakfast on a daily basis. It is common for older adults to eat small portions in one sitting, and this is why it is essential that seniors intake a sufficient number or calories, minerals, and vitamins throughout the day. To add, seniors who are required to take medications in the morning often need to do so on a full stomach, so this emphasizes the importance of breakfast all the more.
Now that you understand the importance of eating breakfast, we place emphasis on being conscious of what you are eating for breakfast in the morning. Eating a healthy and nutritious breakfast in the morning can get your day started on the right foot and give you the energy and nutrients that your body needs. On the other hand, eating an unhealthy breakfast can do the reverse, making you feel sluggish, and can even increase the risk of getting a chronic illness. For example, many people are under the impression that breakfast cereals are a healthy breakfast choice. This may be the case for certain cereals. However, the vast majority of cereal brands we see at our local supermarket or convenient store are highly processed and contain very little nutritional value. They are also often made up of refined grains and are loaded with sugar. If consumed regularly, this high sugar intake raises the potential to develop obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or other chronic diseases. These are all things we want to avoid. A healthy breakfast has the potential to do many great things for our health, when it contains a balance of all the essential nutrients, emphasizing protein, healthy fat, and fiber from whole, natural foods.
This is why we have laid out three healthy breakfast ideas for seniors or your loved ones. These ideas require little labour, are fast, healthy, and most importantly, are delicious! Additionally, keep in mind that these recipes can are easily adaptable and can be switched around according to preference, or to meet the needs of your individual diet.
1. Chia Seed Pudding
If you are looking for a tasty and nutritious breakfast idea, chia seed pudding is the perfect choice, and the base of the recipe only contains three ingredients: chia seeds, milk and a sweetener of choice.
Chia seeds are made up of tiny black seeds that are relatively tasteless on it’s own. However, they are meant to be incorporated with liquid, and from there they form a gel like texture, making it easy to digest. Eating healthy and nutritious foods largely correlates with having a healthy digestive system, which is very important for seniors to maintain as they age. To name just a few benefits, digestive health aid in regular bowel movements, prevent heartburn, and reduce the risk for developing serious disease, including cancer. Chia seeds are made up of numerous nutrients, making them a great digestive food option. They are rich in protein, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and omega-3 fatty acids.
To make a delicious and nutritious chia seed pudding, start by stirring around ¼ cup of chia seeds with a cup of milk. Feel free to use regular or dairy free milk, anything works. Next, add 1-2 tablespoons of your favourite sweetener. Pure maple syrup or honey works well. You could also substitute these sweeteners with cane or brown sugar. After combining these ingredients, let the mixture sit for at least 1 hour to let the chia seeds expand in the milk. This could be done the night before as well. Just keep it in the fridge overnight, and it’s ready to go by the morning! Feel free to serve with any toppings of choice. Any variety of nuts or berries compliment well with this recipe.
Chia Seed Pudding
2. Avocado Toast
Another healthy, tasty, and incredibly easy breakfast idea is avocado toast. Avocado’s have recently been titled a superfood within the nutrition world, and this is due to its high quantity of antioxidants and nutrients. Consuming avocado’s regularly will ensure you receive a wide variety of nutrients, including fibre, magnesium, Omega 3, folic acid, as well as vitamins A, C, D, E, K and B. These are all nutrients seniors should be consuming to maintain a healthy diet, which in turn, is important to stay in optimum health. It has also been studied that integrating avocado’s into a seniors everyday diet can result in improved cognitive health because the fruit has the ability to increase lutein levels in the brain and eyes. In turn, this can significantly improve problem solving skills and memory. We recommend you pair your avocado with whole grain toast. Whole grains deliver a considerable higher amount of nutrients than more refined grains. Whole grains are specifically high in fibre and vitamins. Eating whole grain toast can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and support healthy digestion.
Making avocado toast is extremely simple and tastes delicious as long as you have a prime avocado that is ripe. If you're wondering if your avocado is ripe enough and ready to use, just squeeze it lightly. If it yields to a gentle pressure, it’s ready to use! It should feel a little soft, but not mushy either. Start by cutting your avocado in half, making sure to remove the pit. Then toast your whole grain bread, using your method of choice. Once your bread is toasted and still hot, lightly rub your toast with the cut side of a garlic clove to add flavour. Then, use a spoon to scoop the avocado flesh out, and smash it with a fork directly on the toast. Feel free to eat it like this, or, sprinkle the avocado toast with salt and pepper. Another option is to squeeze some lemon juice over the toast, or drizzle it with olive oil.
Avocado Toast
3. Rice Cake with Peanut Butter and Banana
If you have a sweet tooth in the morning, you will love this recipe that includes just three ingredients, rice cakes, peanut butter, and a banana! This recipe just takes a few steps. Lay out a few rice cakes, then spread your peanut butter on them, and finally top it with some sliced banana. This is a great alternative to other processed and sugary foods found at the grocery store. The creamy peanut butter pairs very well with the sweetness of the banana, all over the crunchy base of a rice cake. Rice cakes are a good option if you are looking for something light yet still fairly healthy. Although they don’t contain as many nutrients as a whole grain toast, when paired with natural peanut butter and banana, it makes up a balanced and nutrient filled breakfast.
Although higher in calories, natural dry roasted peanut butter contains lots of healthy fat, and helps give the body energy throughout the day. Additionally, natural peanut butter is known to boost heart health and help balance blood sugar levels. Bananas are also a nutrient dense food and is rich in potassium, which is an essential nutrient especially for seniors. Potassium also plays an essential role in regulating blood sugar levels and heart rates. As seniors age, many foods may become intolerable for them to digest. Fortunately, bananas are one of the few foods that are incredibly easy to tolerate for most aging seniors.