Senior’s Grocery List: 5 Tips When Grocery Shopping for Seniors

One of the key ingredients to living a long and healthy life is by eating healthy food. Unfortunately, many elders encounter roadblocks to keeping a well-balanced diet. They cannot go grocery shopping because of inaccessibility of transportation or inability to get out of the house due to health reasons. As a consequence, their meals often consist of processed food or takeout.

As their family, you have to ensure that your senior loved ones eat healthily. You can do that by preparing them healthy meals. The first step to meal preparation is grocery shopping. You cannot prepare a decent meal if you lack the necessary ingredients.

L’Elite Homemaker & Companion Services, Inc. is a provider of Companionship and Homemaking in Bonita Springs, Florida. We are here to share a few tips you can use when grocery shopping for your elderly loved one.

• Make a list.
  Grocery shopping is much better if you already know what to buy. This helps you save time and prevents you from forgetting the important stuff to buy. It also keeps you within your budget range.

• Be aware of what your senior loved ones cannot eat.
  Your elderly loved ones’ health conditions or medications may prohibit them to eat certain types of food. For instance, if they are suffering from arthritis, they may be prohibited from eating refined grains. To be safe, you should schedule a visit to their doctor. This will give you a clearer answer to what they should and should not eat.

• Put colorful fruits and vegetables on their grocery list.
  Did you know that colors indicate a concentration of a specific nutrient? For example, red tomatoes are good sources of lutein, an essential nutrient for the eyes and heart; greens improve blood circulation; citrus fruits strengthen the immune system. So when grocery shopping for seniors, make sure they get the rainbow of benefits each colorful fruit or vegetable offers.

• Opt for lean meat and fish.
  Food that contain high levels of fat can be dangerous to your senior loved ones’ health. It can contribute to high blood pressure. When buying meat for them, opt for skinless cuts of lean meat. They contain less fat. You should also get plenty of fish for them, such as salmon and trout. These types of fish are filled with omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy for their brain.

• CHECK THE LABELS.
  When you buy medications, healthcare professionals always suggest you check its label. The same is true when buying for food as well. You have to be aware of the nutritional value of the food you buy for your loved ones. This gives you an inkling whether or not the food you purchased are senior-appropriate.

We understand if you cannot assist your elderly loved ones with some of their tasks. There are many providers of home care in Florida that are ready to accommodate their needs. L’Elite Homemaker & Companion Services, Inc. offers homemaking services, such as grocery shopping, meal preparation, and other basic household chores.