How to Plan a Healthy Senior Diet: Key Nutrients and Budget-Friendly Tips

Your skin and joints aren’t the only things getting older. As you age, your digestive system undergoes changes as well. As a result, it becomes less effective at absorbing the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Paired with other nutritional challenges such as appetite loss, poor dental health, and budget limitations, it’s not hard to see why an estimated one in two older Americans suffer from some form of malnutrition.

As you get older, it’s important to plan your diet so you get all of the micro and macronutrients you need to stay healthy. This information will help you plan a nutritious, affordable diet that’s right for your needs and your budget.

Understanding Your Nutritional Needs

Older adults are at risk of several nutrient deficiencies, including:

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin B12

• Vitamin C

• Zinc

• Protein

• Fiber

When your body doesn’t get the right nutrition, it’s unable to sustain muscle and bone mass, organ function, and immunity. As a result, malnourished seniors are at an increased risk of falls, fractures, and mobility problems, and are more likely to develop chronic impairments.

Supplements: Worth the Money?

Do you really need to take a daily multivitamin if you’re eating a well-balanced diet? While research shows that vitamins aren’t necessary if you’re getting the nutrients you need from your diet, most people don’t know they’re suffering from a nutritional deficiency until they start experiencing symptoms. As long as you avoid taking more calcium than you need (too much could lead to kidney stones), taking a daily multivitamin isn’t likely to do any harm and could fill nutritional gaps you didn’t know you had.

Affordable Nutrient-Rich Foods for Seniors

While multivitamins have their place, a well-balanced diet is the best way to provide your body with the nutrients it needs. First, avoid eating the same foods at every meal; instead, select a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. Next, use this nutrition guide to choose affordable ingredients to meet your dietary needs.

Calcium: Cruciferous vegetables like collard greens, kale, and broccoli; canned bone-in salmon and sardines; low-fat dairy; and fortified foods including cereal and tofu.

Magnesium: Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and beans; nuts and seeds; whole grains; potatoes; and leafy greens like spinach and kale.

Vitamin D: Fatty fish like salmon and tuna, eggs with yolk, mushrooms, and fortified foods including fortified milk and cereal.

Vitamin B12: Fatty fish like salmon and tuna, low-fat dairy, eggs, and fortified foods including fortified plant milks and cereal.

Vitamin C: Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale; bell peppers; and fruit including oranges, kiwis, and strawberries.

Zinc: Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and beans; meat including beef, pork, and chicken; nuts and seeds; whole grains; low-fat dairy; and dark chocolate.

Protein: Meat including beef, pork, and chicken (avoid processed meats); eggs; legumes, including lentils, chickpeas, and beans; unsalted nut butters; canned salmon, tuna, and sardines; and whole grains including quinoa, oats, and amaranth.

Fiber: Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and beans; whole grains; leafy greens including spinach and kale; nuts and seeds; vegetables including squash, broccoli, cabbage, and potatoes; and fruit including oranges, bananas, and berries.

Tools to Help You Eat Healthily

Now that you know what nutrients are necessary to help you stay healthy, you may be wondering how you can make it easier to stick with a healthy diet. The good news is that today's technology offers a wealth of useful resources, such as apps for making grocery lists on your smartphone, as well as online meal delivery services that will send over ready-made meals or ingredients for you to prepare meals. By sticking to the list or ordering from a meal delivery service, you avoid overspending on groceries.

More Ways to Afford a Healthy Diet

If you’re still concerned about whether you can afford nutritious food, you can cut costs in other areas of your budget such as transportation, shopping, and entertainment. Take up carpooling instead of driving your own car to save on gas, take advantage of senior and veteran discounts when buying groceries, and borrow movies and books from your local library. With simple savings strategies like these, you can still enjoy retirement while sticking to a healthy diet.

When it comes to your diet, it’s about quality, not quantity. Rather than only paying attention to calories, design a meal plan that includes nutrient-dense foods. With a wide variety of nutritious foods and affordable resources, you can keep your mealtimes interesting and your body healthy.