3 Fall Snack Ideas for Your Elderly Loved One

Elderly Care in Arlington VA

As a family caregiver, you’re constantly looking for healthy foods and snacks that give you and your elderly loved one lots of nutrients and energy. Fall is a great time to take advantage of seasonal nuts, seeds, and fruits. If you make a big batch of one or more of these snacks, they’ll keep for a few weeks and you can snack on them as you need them. They’re also really easy to put into a zippered plastic bag and keep on hand in your purse or your briefcase when you’re on the go. For your elderly loved one, package them in single-serving containers for even easier snacking.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Fall is the perfect time to capitalize on all those fresh pumpkins and harvest their seeds. Rinse the seeds to remove any residual pumpkin and add a tablespoon or two of low-sodium soy sauce just to coat the seeds. Spread the raw, seasoned seeds in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add other herbs or seasonings that you desire, and then bake the seeds in a 350 degree oven until the seeds are golden. Transfer the hot seeds to a glass or metal bowl and allow them to cool before eating them. Store in an airtight container.

Trail Mix

Trail mix is a perfect anytime snack for you or for your elderly loved one because you can add just about anything to it. Start out with a mix of your favorite nuts. Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are all high in fiber, good fats, and nutrients. From there add dried fruits, like cranberries, raisins, and cherries, that you enjoy. Dried blueberries are also a good choice. If you like your trail mix a little on the sweeter side, add miniature chocolate chips or candy-coated chocolates. Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Granola

Granola is fantastic as a snack or as a quick breakfast. Mix 3 cups of raw steel-cut oats with nuts of your choice and dried fruit. Walnuts, almonds, and pecans are excellent nut choices. You can add raisins, cranberries, or mixed dried fruit as well. Add 1/2 cup honey to the mixture and spread it on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it cool before storing it in an airtight container. Eat it straight out of the jar or add milk for a fast, delicious breakfast.

Keep one or more of these healthy snacks on hand for you and for your elderly loved one to enjoy.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Arlington, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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