When time is short, you struggle to prepare healthy meals that provide the nutrients your dad needs, and also keep him full until the next meal. Here are some hearty meals that offer all the nutrients he needs that are suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Chicken and Steel-Cut Oats Soup
Purchase a rotisserie chicken and pull off the meat. Some stores may offer the meat from a rotisserie chicken, which makes this even easier. You can also boil a fryer chicken and use the liquid and chicken carcass to make bone broth after.
Mix a cup of chicken meat with four cups of water, and add chopped onions, carrots, celery, and kale. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, and add some lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Finish the soup by stirring in a half-cup of steel-cut oats. Cook that for 30 minutes.
Hearty Wraps
Layer some lavash bread with chive cottage cheese, tomato, and sliced fresh mozzarella. Make a tuna salad with capers, diced boiled egg, chopped celery, diced onion, and lemon-infused olive oil. Place that on the mozzarella and roll the sandwiches into tight rolls, so that you can slice off portions when your dad is hungry.
Moroccan Turkey Sausage Stew
Purchase turkey or chicken sausage and saute it. Add a cup of chicken or vegetable broth and chopped vegetables, including sweet potatoes, kale, chickpeas, carrots, celery, and onions. Stir in some cinnamon, parsley turmeric, ginger, dried cherries, and canned whole tomatoes, and let that simmer for 40 minutes.
Pita Pizzas
Turn a pita into a pizza suitable for any time of day. Firstly, put the pita under the broiler to warm it up, and make the top slightly golden brown. Then, spread a layer of hummus over the top and add a poached or boiled egg, some greens, and diced tomato. Finally, finish with feta cheese crumbles.
Quinoa Omelet
Quinoa’s nutty flavor suits the creaminess of eggs in an omelet. Take quinoa already cooked and ready to be used. Stir fresh herbs and cooked shrimp or canned tuna into the quinoa, and then add some lemon juice.
Dice peppers, onions, and mushrooms and saute them until soft. Set those aside and wipe the pan clean. Spray some avocado oil into the skillet and pour in some liquid egg whites. Cook that until almost set, and add the quinoa mixture. Top that with provolone and fold in half. Brown both sides of the omelet and serve it.
When your dad has hearty meals throughout the day, especially those he enjoys, he’ll get enough protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Hire elder care aides to help him plan weekly menus and cook meals for him each day. Talk to an elder care specialist to learn more about prices and schedules.