Tips for overcoming a senior's eating issues

Seniors face unique dietary challenges, says expert dietician Christine Gerbstadt, RD, MD.  Here are two common eating issues they face and how to overcome them.

Challenge: John Reynolds, a widower, lives alone and never did like to cook. He likes frozen dinners and hearty canned stews, hot dogs and beans and ice cream for dessert. He'd like to eat more fruits, vegetables and even whole grains, but all that preparation seems discouraging.

Solution: What can he do? "John can really improve his diet without even tying on an apron if he scours the supermarket for healthy convenience foods," says registered dietitian and practicing physician Christine Gerbstadt, RD, MD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

"You can eat well without having to chop, dice and fuss. Look for prepackaged fruit—like the little ring-top or plastic single-serving containers in the canned fruit aisle. Just go for the ones packed in juice or light syrup. That's a serving of fruit right there. Buy single-serving bags of baby carrots or pre-chopped vegetables from the salad bar or the produce aisle. You can microwave them and add them to a low-sodium bean soup for a high-fibre, high-nutrition meal that nets you several vegetable servings."

• Canned beans are perfect for John—he already likes hot dogs and beans. Try plain beans instead—they're hearty and don't have the sugary sauce on them. Just rinse well and enjoy as a side dish with seasonings or some tomato sauce.
• Canned vegetables and soups are wonderful comfort foods—and they're healthy, hearty and satisfying.
• "I would also suggest that if a friend or relative offers to cook for him once in a while, he could freeze single-portion servings of soup, stew or a casserole and have homemade convenience food—just microwave and eat."

Challenge: Sarah Lerner's appetite isn't what it used to be. Often, breakfast is a container of yogurt or a slice of bread. Lunch is maybe a bowl of soup or a piece of fruit or even just a handful of cookies. Sometimes she eats a big dinner, but other times, she just doesn't feel much like eating. And food just doesn't taste as appetizing anymore. As a result, she's lost five pounds in the past few months.

"Sarah's not alone," says registered dietitian and practicing physician Christine Gerbstadt, RD, MD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. In one recent survey, 30 per cent of older people admitted that they skip meals on a regular basis because they just don't feel like eating.

Solution: "The first thing to do for loss of appetite is to see your doctor," she says. "It can be a subtle sign of an underlying medical problem or even of depression. If health problems are ruled out, think about making mealtimes more social. We tend to eat more when we're out with other people—and socializing makes meals a pleasure again.

• Eating with others doesn't have to be expensive. You could meet a friend at a park and eat brown-bag lunches together or invite someone over for lunch or dinner. You could even go out yourself to a place where there are more people.
• It doesn't have to be a senior citizens program, either. Go to a local college cafeteria or the food court at the mall—and make healthy choices, of course. "If food itself seems unappealing, experiment with spices," suggests registered dietitian Lola O'Rourke, MS, RD. "Spices are a great way to go—you get extra antioxidants with no added calories."