Good nutrition is important at any age. Healthy eating can help you feel well and reduce your risk for, or help you manage, health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
Use Canada’s Food Guide as your go-to tool for healthy eating. Aim to have plenty of vegetables and fruit, eat protein foods, and choose whole grains each day. Plan what you eat and cook at home often. Enjoy meals and snacks with others when possible. Take the time to focus on your food when eating.
Healthy eating is about more than what you eat. It also includes how you eat and your relationships with food, eating, and your body. This includes:
- Making eating an enjoyable experience by taking time to eat and focusing on your food. Limit distractions like screens and avoid eating on the run, when possible.
- Listening to your body. Paying attention to how your body feels before and during eating can help you recognize your hunger and fullness cues.
- Enjoying food with family, friends, neighbours, or co-workers when possible. Food is a way of connecting with others and passing on traditions.
- Not attaching moral value to food. Labeling foods as “good”, “bad”, “healthy”, or “unhealthy” can negatively affect your relationship with food and how you see your body. All foods can fit into a healthy pattern of eating.
- Eating well to feel good. Choosing vegetables and fruit, whole grains, and protein foods regularly can benefit your health even if you don’t see changes in your appearance.
Healthy eating for adults
Food plays a big role in chronic disease prevention/management and maintenance of health during all life stages. The patterns and behaviours you adopt at earlier stages in life can promote an improved quality of life as you age.
Adopting sustainable and healthy habits allow you to enjoy a well-balanced diet that is both enjoyable and beneficial for your physical and mental wellbeing.
Barriers to adopting sustainable behaviours include:
- The perceived cost of eating well.
- Eating well can be time consuming.
- Busy work schedules and other responsibilities can limit time for meal preparation and enjoyment of food on a daily basis.
- Conflicting messages about healthy eating can make adopting behaviours confusing.
You can work to overcome those barriers by building habits that are realistic, non-restrictive, and enjoyable! Examples of this include:
- Aim to prepare more meals and snacks at home. Convenience foods can be time-saving and helpful when you are unable to cook at home. Planning to make more meals/snacks when you are able to can help decrease food costs and allow you to make foods you would like to eat.
- Plan your grocery list in advance. Knowing what ingredients are missing and what meals you plan on preparing for the week can make your grocery trip less stressful. Add a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grain and protein foods that you enjoy. Use creative recipes to try out new ingredients and cuisines.
- Use a reusable water bottle. Having a water bottle close by and making water your drink of choice can help keep you hydrated throughout the day.
- Eat foods that you enjoy. Food is much more than nutrition. It also plays a role in social and cultural connection. Create meals and snacks that you enjoy, to ensure that you are physically and mentally satisfied!
- Prepare balanced meals and snacks. When preparing meals, think about what you can add, rather than what you can take away. A balanced meal includes a source of protein, fruits or vegetables and whole grain foods.
- Practice mindfulness when eating. This includes being more aware of how, why, what, where and when you eat. Understanding your hunger cues can help you navigate food, to better predict your needs and ensure they are met. Check out Canada’s Food Guide to learn more about mindfulness and eating.
- Prepare extra batches of food to freeze or to have for lunch the next day. Meal preparation can be time consuming. Making an extra batch of soup, stew or casserole to freeze can be helpful when you find yourself short on time.
Visit UnlockFood.ca for more tips and recipe ideas.
Healthy eating for older adults
Eating a variety of foods and enjoying what you eat play an important part in aging! The nutrients and types of food your body needs change slightly as you get older. Keeping this in mind, you can follow Canada’s Food Guide and choose a variety of foods to help you be well and feel well. This is especially important as you age, as what you eat can help decrease bone and muscle loss, to maintain your health and strength!
As you age, make a habit of ensuring you are eating enough of/increasing your intake to meet your needs of:
- Calcium – to maintain your bones, teeth and muscle/heart function. Explore food sources of calcium you can add to your meals and snacks.
- Vitamin D – to help absorb calcium. Food sources of vitamin D are generally fortified. Talk to your healthcare provider about vitamin D supplementation.
- Fibre – to avoid constipation and promote a healthy digestive system. Here are some fibre-rich food sources.
- Water – Ensure you are drinking enough water to avoid low blood pressure, dizziness and fainting. Visit UnlockFood.ca to learn more about hydration and symptoms of dehydration to look out for.
- Protein – To maintain muscle function and prevent muscle loss. Enjoy a variety of protein foods and include plant-based proteins in your meals and snacks.
Eating with others is important for your health!
Eating with others can help you enjoy a variety of foods. This can help maintain and promote healthy eating behaviours. Try to:
- Attend dining programs such as VON Hastings Northumberland Prince Edward’s Dining Program, where older adults can socialize, enjoy meals and activities together.
- Eat meals with friends or neighbours more often
- Plan potlucks or themed meals with others
- Try new recipes and experiment with different ingredients.
Changes you may experience when eating include:
- Decrease in appetite
- Changes to your senses (smell, taste and thirst)
- How you digest food, and what foods you are able to tolerate
- Changes in your ability to chew and swallow foods
To learn more about how you can overcome these challenges, visit Canada’s Food Guide: Healthy Eating for Seniors
If you require further support for meals, available options for older adults in the Hastings Prince Edward region include:
- VON Meals on Wheels: Frozen or Hot
- Community Care for South Hastings: Meals on Wheels
- Community Care for Central Hastings: Meals on Wheels
Other resources
- Health811
- Canada’s Food Guide – Healthy Eating for Adults
- Canada’s Food Guide – Healthy Eating for Seniors
- Why are Healthy Eating Patterns Important for Older Adults?
- A Guide to Healthy Eating for Older Adults – Unlock Food
- Visit Unlock Food for more information on popular nutrition topics.
- Unsure about nutrient content of foods? Learn more about label reading and nutrition facts tables.
- Learn more about food safety for older adults
