Boosting Fiber Intake is Easier Than You Might Think

By Jamie Shapiro | November 12, 2020 | Comments Off on Boosting Fiber Intake is Easier Than You Might Think

Overall, your mom and dad eat well. You help out with as many meals as you can. Your sister stops by when she can and sets up ingredient packages that they can move to a slow cooker or oven. Their fiber intake is low, however, and their doctor recommends boosting the amount of fiber they eat. 
 
Your mom and dad aren’t fans of things like rice pilaf. They prefer roasted potatoes or bread. How can you boost their fiber intake? It’s easier than you might think. 
 
Make High-Fiber Breakfast Cereals

Senior Care Des Plaines, IL: Boosting Fiber Intake


 
If your parents love cereals for breakfast, make muesli or granola for them. Muesli is simple to make. Mix wheat germ, flax seeds, old fashioned oats, dried fruit, and raw nuts together and store in an airtight canister. 
 
Oatmeal is similar only you sweeten it with honey or maple syrup. Toss the old fashioned oats, buckwheat flakes, flax seeds, and raw nuts with the sweetener of choice and a little walnut oil. Once coated, put into a 300-degree oven for an hour. Cool and add in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container. 
 
Crush Grains to Coat Chicken Fingers 
 
If your parents enjoy chicken fingers, increase their grain intake by using crushed quinoa to coat the chicken. You can soak the chicken strips in buttermilk and egg. Dip each chicken strip in seasoned almond flour, the egg/milk mixture, and finish up by coating it in crushed quinoa. Bake them at 400 F until golden brown. 
 
Swap Meats With Lentils 
 
Use lentils instead of using ground beef to make chili. The lentils are packed with fiber and add the hearty meat quality you’re looking for. Use lentils to make curry, veggie burgers, and vegetarian meatloaves. 
 
Lentils also make a great cold salad when cooked and tossed with cilantro, red pepper strips, pico de gallo, garlic, and lime juice. Cook them and keep them in the freezer for quick additions to minestrone and other hearty soups. 
 
Would caregivers be of use with meal preparation? If you and your sister can only stop in once a week to prepare a week’s worth of meals, your parents may not enjoy having to finish meal preparation on their own. Senior care aides could stop in a few days a week or each day and cook meals for your parents. 
 
Talk to a senior care agency about meal preparation services. You can also have caregivers plan a menu with your parents’ help, go shopping for groceries, and put everything away back at their house. Call to learn more about these senior care services. 

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care in Des Plains, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas. 

Jamie Shapiro
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