Who hates food? Or better yet, who hates dessert? Some people might say that their favorite food may not be dessert, but that doesn’t mean that they hate dessert. Unfortunately for seniors, there are a lot of factors that might make them not enjoy desserts. They tend to lose their sense of taste, appetite, and penchant for all the sugars of dessert. Because we at Infinite love Homecare want seniors to enjoy life, here are yummy and healthy desserts!
We believe that desserts should be not only delicious but also healthy. So a dessert that is both yummy and nutritious eliminates the guilt some seniors might feel about eating food that will harm their health. And, of course, such delicacies also promote vibrant health, so it’s a win-win situation!
Sweet Foods Do NOT Harm Seniors Necessarily
Did you know that sweet food is not entirely harmful to the elderly? You can intake too many calories and fat in sweets. The urge with us is to only partake in sweets in moderation. But seniors don’t need to be moderate about it.
Seniors have different nutritional requirements. Their body fat reservoir shrinks with age. Seniors tend to lose weight as they grow older, so eating many sweets will not affect their health in terms of importance.
Of course, seniors with health problems such as diabetes should avoid as much sweet food as possible. But other than that, you can let seniors eat whatever they want.
The urge with us is to only partake in sweets in moderation. So if your beloved elderly family member starts craving sweet foods, let them crave them. The best you can do is make those sweets as nutritionally rich as possible.
Recipes for Healthy Desserts for Seniors
We’ve gathered a couple of healthy dessert recipes your seniors enjoy! These recipes are easy to make, nutritious, and of course, deserving of the most discerning palate (in other words, delicious).
Easy Pecan Pie
Easy Pecan Pie is an easy recipe that’s good for the elderly (and everyone else). It satisfies the sweetest tooth and provides the body with almost all of its crucial nutritional requirements. And since it is a not-so-strict recipe, you can add your mixed toppings for a personal touch of flavors and nutrition.
Preparing the pie takes only a quarter of an hour, and baking takes 50 minutes. You can either create your pie shell or get one ready-made from a store.
Ingredients and Materials:
- Unbaked pie shell (pro tip: the deeper the shell, the more sweetness you can put in it)
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 3 eggs
- 1 to ½ cup pecan halves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- Cookie sheet or drip pan
- Pan
Preparation
Thoroughly beat all the ingredients together aside from the pecans. When they are all mixed well, add in the pecans and stir again.
Next, put the crust on the pan. Before putting all the ingredients inside the pie shell, place it and pan on a cookie sheet or a drip pan. The ingredients are mostly liquid, so there’s a chance that they will drip as the pie bakes. A drip pan or a coolie sheet prevents the pie from making so much mess as it bakes.
Place the ingredients in the pie shell, then bake. Preheat the oven before placing the pie in it. The oven temperature should be 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Baking time should be at least 50 minutes or until it comes out clean after you poke it into the pie.
Just so you know, pecan is one of the healthiest nuts. So this recipe is undoubtedly befitting seniors who crave both sweetness and nutrition.
Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars
Chocolate Oatmeal No-Bake Bars are the easy recipe for the classic melt-in-the-mouth chocolate oatmeal no-bake bars. They are healthy and impossible to stop eating – they’re just that good! However, the traditional chocolate no-bake recipes are unhealthy. It has too much butter and refined sugar. Instead of sugar, we will use maple syrup, and instead of butter, we will use peanut butter.
This chocolate oatmeal no-bake bar has a more nutritional kick but with the same chocolatey goodness.
Ingredients and Materials:
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- A bowl of oats
- 8-inch pan
- Parchment or wax paper
Preparation
Line the 8-inch pan with parchment or wax paper. Then put the wet ingredients in it.
Stir all the ingredients together, except for the oats. Thoroughly mix the ingredients Thoroughly mix before adding in the oats. Add enough oats for the mixture to become firm. Mix the oat-filled ingredients thoroughly.
Smooth the mixture on the prepared pan. Press it down on the pan with a spoon as hard as you can. Make sure that it will not break apart – press down on it like you’re squeezing the last bit of cheese out of a sachet.
Place the pan in a freezer until the mixture becomes hard enough to cut with a knife.
Slice the stiff mixture into bars. All done! You can enjoy this chocolatey goodness while knowing you’re taking care of your dear heart.
“I’m a Senior! I Can’t Cook or Go Grocery Shopping. What Do I Do?”
Not to worry, you have options. We at Infinite Love Homecare offer all sorts of home care services for seniors. In addition, we offer meal preparation and grocery shopping services. So you don’t have to stress yourself about what healthy meal you will eat; next, we can take care of that for you.
Aside from meal preparation and grocery shopping, we offer more services. Our specialized home care services, for example, can be shaped for your specific needs. So whether you need transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, medication reminders, or light housekeeping, we’ve got you covered.
Don’t let age stop you from getting the most out of life. These healthy desserts for seniors are just one way to enjoy your twilight years. So enjoy it! Contact us today if you need assistance enjoying life as you deserve.