Eating well as you get older
As you grow older, it’s as important as ever to eat well.
This can help you to keep well and stay active. If you have a specific health condition, your doctor will advise you on the best diet for you. But if you’re in good health, then follow the general healthy eating advice.
It's important that you keep active if you can. Walking, gardening, dancing and climbing stairs all count. This helps keep older bodies flexible. There are a few little extras to consider in your later years too…
Healthy bones
We need to look after our bones just as much as we grow older as we do when we are younger. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D helps to protect your bones and keep them strong.
Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt are the best sources of calcium. Other good sources of calcium are:
- Tinned fish with the bones (like sardines or salmon)
- Green leafy vegetables (like broccoli or cabbage, but not spinach)
- Soya beans and tofu
Make sure to eat some calcium-rich foods every day.
Vitamin D helps your body to use the calcium you get from food. This vitamin is made in our bodies when we expose our skin to the sunlight. We also get it from:
- Oily fish like herring, mackerel, sardines, salmon and trout (oily fish are also great for heart health)
- Egg yolks
- Some brands of milk and dairy spreads which have vitamin D added (check the label)
You may not be getting enough vitamin D if you are over 65 and:
- rarely get outdoors, or wear clothes that cover all of your skin when you are outdoors
- are of Asian origin
- eat no meat or oily fish
Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you are concerned. Some older people will need to take a supplement of 10μg (micrograms) of vitamin D each day.
Fibre and a healthy gut
When it comes to preventing constipation and keeping your gut healthy, fibre is the way to go. But many of us don’t eat enough fibre. Here are some simple tips to keep your digestion healthy:
- Switch from white starchy foods (like white bread, pasta or rice) to the wholegrain versions (wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, brown rice and wholegrain cereals)
- Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day
- Include peas, beans and lentils in your diet
- Drink eight glasses of fluids each day. Water and milk are best
Eating less
As you get older, your appetite may get smaller. This is normal, but you should still eat enough nutritious food each day to keep you in good health.
Eat at least three times a day. If you find it hard to have full meals, try smaller meals with nutritious snacks in between.
Healthy snack ideas
- Wholegrain toast with heated baked beans, a slice of cheese or sliced banana
- Small bowl of home-made soup
- Wholegrain breakfast cereal or porridge with semi-skimmed milk
- Cheese and crackers
- Fruit
- Chopped raw vegetables like carrots or peppers, or a handful of small cherry tomatoes
- Scones, currant buns and fruit breads
Looking after your teeth
Visit your dentist regularly to keep your teeth in good condition. If you wear dentures or have problems chewing, you may be put off eating raw fruit or vegetables. Go for tinned or stewed fruit and vegetables instead.
Cooking for one
It’s easy to get by on bread, butter and tea when you’re on your own in the house. But try to cook something for yourself if you can. Here are a few tips to make it easier:
- Invite some family or friends around for dinner
- Try casserole dishes – there’s less preparation when you throw in the meat, veggies and potatoes all at once
- Cook large amounts, then freeze some individual portions to eat later
- Keep a well-stocked food cupboard so that you always have some ingredients to hand to make meal.
Our cupboard contains:
- Rice, pasta, noodles, instant mash, porridge, breakfast cereals
- Tinned vegetables (e.g. sweetcorn, tomatoes), fruit tinned in its own juice, tinned or packet soups
- Dried milk powder, evaporated or condensed milk (can be used if you run out of fresh milk), tinned rice pudding, ready-made or tinned custard
- Corned beef, tinned fish (e.g. tuna, mackerel, sardines), baked beans, tinned peas, tinned pulses (like kidney beans, butten beans, chickpeas, lentils)
- Stock cubes, gravy granules, tomato sauce and puree, dried herbs, pepper, tea, coffee, sugar or sweetener, cocoa/drinking chocolate, jelly, plain biscuits
You’ll find some tasty and traditional recipes on our recipe pages.
Getting help in the home
Some older adults find it hard to move around. This can make it difficult to prepare or cook foods. If you find this a problem, ask your doctor for help.
