Shopping Tips When Helping Your Mom With Dietary Changes
At her last doctor’s appointment, your mom’s doctor said she needs to make healthier choices for her bones and muscles as she has osteopenia. She worked with a dietitian and has meal plans and tips to use. First, she needs to go shopping. How can you help her stock up on essentials that meet her nutritional needs that don’t require a lot of fuss at dinner time?
Dairy
Low-fat dairy is a great choice for calcium intake. Cottage cheese is especially beneficial. She could start having cottage cheese with diced apple, cinnamon, and walnuts each day for breakfast and enjoy a quick boost of calcium to start her day.
You should also look for plain Greek yogurt. It doesn’t require cooking and can be topped with nuts, seeds, sliced bananas, and a drizzle of honey for a snack, breakfast, or lunch.
Whole Grains
Whole grains that are higher in calcium include oats, teff, quinoa, and buckwheat. Overnight oats are easily made into overnight oats using milk, applesauce, and some seeds. Portion them into containers and let them sit in the refrigerator until needed.
Make large batches of quinoa and store them in freezer bags or containers. When your mom wants to have a quick lunch, she just needs to add some tuna, chopped vegetables, and her favorite dressing.
Fortified bread and breakfast cereal also have added calcium and vitamin D, which helps the bones. Look for fruit juice (not drinks with added sugar) that also has added calcium. Most orange juice brands have calcium-added varieties.
Lean Proteins
Lean protein is essential, and you want it to really count. Your mom may love having steak and baked potatoes, but she needs more variation. Some lean proteins that are calcium-rich include sardines, tofu, black beans, and dried lentils.
Tofu and lentils are also very affordable. You can purchase shelf-stable tofu if refrigerator space is limited. Otherwise, look at some of the warehouse membership stores where a case of tofu often costs less than $10. Press the water out and marinate the cubes for a stir-fry for lunch or dinner.
Vegetables
Collard greens and broccoli are two vegetables that have a decent amount of calcium. Collard greens may take more time to cook, so your mom may prefer the broccoli idea. Keep bags in the refrigerator that are washed and ready to steam, eat raw, or roast.
A broccoli, mozzarella, tomato, and chicken bacon breakfast wrap isn’t too hard to make. If you make them in bulk, they can be stored in the freezer and microwaved when your mom needs a quick meal.
Do you struggle to find the time needed to take your mom shopping? Home care assistance is handy when you can’t balance your job, your mom’s shopping trips, and the management of your household. Reach out to a home care assistance agency to learn more.
Reference
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthy-grocery-shopping-guide
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Edison, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care today. Call (732) 607-8870.
The Care Street mission is straightforward and compelling: to provide a comprehensive range of the highest quality home health services in a professional and efficient manner that will enhance our clients' quality of life and empower families to keep their loved one at home.
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