The most important part of planning meals for men over 50 is to make sure your diet stays balanced and nutritious.
A balanced diet should include lean proteins such as fish, lean meats, eggs, nuts, and beans, plenty of fruits, berries, and vegetables of all colors for vitamins and minerals.
Low-fat dairy products or calcium-fortified alternatives for strong bones, whole grains for fiber and complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats like olive oil or avocados.
It is important to also make sure you are consuming enough calories; men over 50 need anywhere from 2,000-3,000 calories per day depending on their level of physical activity.
Eating nutrient-dense foods will help ensure you are getting enough calories while avoiding empty calories from processed foods.
Meal Planning
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Make A List of the Foods You Like
Before planning a healthy meal, make a list of the foods you like to eat.
This will give you an idea of what food and snacks to purchase at the grocery store and prepare for the upcoming week.
Plan Your Healthy Meals Ahead:
Plan meals based on your food list.
Have breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks planned out for each day of the week.
This will make grocery shopping easier and meal prepping faster.
Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods:
Choose nutrient-dense foods for each meal and snack.
This might include lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and healthy fats like olive oil or avocados.
Food choices should reflect a healthy diet.
Buy Only What You Need:
Buy only the foods and ingredients you need to create your meal plan.
This will help reduce food waste and save money.
Rotate Recipes:
Rotate recipes so that meal planning doesn’t become monotonous.
Choose a few favorite recipes and rotate them throughout the week, or try something new each day.
Find Recipes That Include The Foods You Like
Look for meal and snack recipes that include the foods you like.
These can be found in cookbooks, online or through meal delivery services.
Keep a list of the recipes, so you can always look back through them when you can’t think of anything you want to make.
I subscribed to Hello Fresh for a while and still have the recipe cards they sent with the order.
Prepare Meals Ahead of Time:
Prepare meals ahead of time if possible.
This will save you time throughout the week so you don’t have to spend hours cooking each day.
Make A Grocery List Of The Ingredients
Once you have your meal plan ready to go, make a grocery list of the ingredients you need for each meal and snack.
This will help make grocery shopping easier and faster.
Go Shopping For These Ingredients
Once you have your meal plan and grocery list ready to go, it’s time to head to the store!
Again, make sure that you buy only the ingredients on your list, as this will help save money and reduce food waste.
With the cost of food rising these days, it’s important to save where you can.
When you get home, put away all the groceries and start meal prepping for the upcoming week.
Start Your Meal Prep With What You Bought
Meal planning is key to successful meal prepping and it requires minimal effort once you have your ingredients ready to go.
Start by washing all fruits, vegetables and herbs; then begin chopping, slicing or dicing them if necessary.
Cook proteins like chicken, fish or beans and divide them into meal-sized portions.
Protein is important to retain muscle mass and seniors need more protein in their diet than younger folks.
I always have a meat such as chicken, as my protein source for meals.
Assemble all the meal ingredients in meal containers and store them in the refrigerator for quick and easy access during the week.
Finally, freeze any extra meal ingredients for later use.
With meal prepping done ahead of time, you’ll have tasty meals ready to go in no time.
By meal planning, you can enjoy nutritious and balanced meals throughout the week with minimal effort.
With meal planning done ahead of time, meal prepping will be a breeze!
Check out these Meal Prep Containers for meal storage.
Food safety is also important when meal planning.
Make sure to store perishable items properly and use them before their expiration date.
Additionally, be sure to store meal components separately before assembling them in meal containers and reheat meals thoroughly before eating.
Follow these tips for meal planning for men over 50 and enjoy balanced and nutritious meals all week long!
Kitchen Accessories
I bought an Air Fryer a few months ago and it has been a game changer.
It’s easy to cook chicken or vegetables and the clean up is no problem.
Click Here to read about my Air Fryer Experience.
Crock Pot / Slow Cooker
A Crock Pot is another must have kitchen item in my opinion.
And for the price, you can’t beat it.
With my crock pot, I add chicken and Prego sauce and let it cook on low for 5 hours…Chicken Cacciatore, too easy.
It’s a very easy way to have a meal ready to eat at the end of the day.
Meat will fall off the bone after cooking on a low setting for 5 hours.
Watch Your Sodium
It is also important to watch your sodium intake as well; too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and other health issues.
Eating plenty of fresh foods that don’t contain added salt or sugar is a great way to reduce your overall sodium consumption.
Finally, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Water helps flush out toxins and keep you hydrated, which is especially important as men over 50 tend to be less active than younger adults.
Aim for at least eight glasses per day.
Why Fad Dieting Doesn’t Work Long Term?
Fad foods reduce food intake by limiting calories and certain essentials.
Dieting often involves cutting down the amount of nutrients that are not available long-term.
Why don’t people stick to diets?
Because they are likely to suffer from nutrient deficiencies or have less energy and often have an unhealthy appetite.
The high consumption of calories can lead to an increased chance of overeating in order to satisfy a craving for foods.
Eating too little sugar is a problem and can lead to headaches.
Really?
Yes, according to Healthline, besides headaches, you can also suffer from blurred vision and lack of coordination.
We are not talking about table sugar here.
Remember, you need a balanced diet!
Use all those beans you bought
Beans contain at least as much fiber as most other foods, and when they enter our stomachs, their roughage and resistance starch provide us with nourishment.
Resistance Starch means it doesn’t get digested in our small intestine.
These fungi also create long chains of fatty acids helping to protect our metabolisms and prevent damage.
You can prepare beans and lentils at home by using an Instant Pot.
If you have a slow cooker, you can time your meal to be ready when you get home.
Beans are also an excellent protein source.
Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting may seem intense but it means eating regularly at a given time each day rather than consuming whatever you like.
That limits what you can eat and certain experts believe that limiting your food intake may benefit your health as a whole.
Check out my blog post on Intermittent Fasting.
I’ve been doing it for about 6 years and am very happy with the results.
You can slowly train yourself for 12hrs without a snack.
Focus on your food
Even as we age, our lives don’t always slow down that much.
Between meetings with your accountant and all the rest the duties a modern man has, it may seem like you don’t give your meal the respect it deserves.
Some people who travel are prone to excess calorie consumption but avoiding it can help with weight loss. Instead of shoveling lunch between meetings, eat your meals slowly.
Added crunchy components to a meal like chopped jicama or cabbage can help reduce your appetite.
Make sure you are getting enough protein with each meal.
This will make you feel satisfied.
Stop drinking sugar
Sugary foods or drinks are full of calories, and they can be as high as 150 calories per quart of cola or a can of soda or juice.
According to Health Digest, a can of Coke has almost 10 teaspoons of sugar!
Use Your Bathroom Scale
Do this daily in the morning to see whether the numbers trend up or down.
It will keep you aware of your weight loss/management goals.
There was a 6 Month Study performed that showed people who weighed themselves every day, lost about 13 more pounds than those who did not.
Mix Up Your Workouts
I think it’s an easy time for people with limited fitness experience to combine all kinds of exercises.
The study found if older adults exercised daily, 30 minutes a day, with 30 minutes of aerobic and resistance exercise three days a week, they reduced fat and gained muscle.
The study showed that the blood pressure had been increased and cardiac activity was improved and it also helped the ageing heart.
This program can reduce the Risk of Heart Disease also.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
For losing weight, you should consume less calories and burn more fat.
Let us instead focus on eating more.
All right, fruit and vegetables.
In a Harvard Study, those who had more fruits and veggies lost weight.
Fruit is low in calories but rich with important nutrients and minerals that you want to use more of as you age, including fiber.
What is the Best Diet for Men Over 50?
It is a lifelong approach to a healthy lifestyle that doesn’t involve short-term food trends.
Following liberal versions of the above-mentioned diets are healthier and less harmful.
Give yourself some cheat days and exercise regularly to keep your diet healthy.
Holiday Meal Planning
How should you prepare your own food for a holiday?
You need to make healthy meal choices, but you can still make meals that are tasty.
I just ordered this book on Amazon: One-Pan Cookbook for Men: 100 Easy Single-Skillet Recipes to Step Up Your Cooking Game.
I’ll have to do a review on it.
If it’s just you, then you can make what you want.
If you are hosting a party, let guests bring a dish.
Most people feel better about attending a holiday meal if they can bring something.
Click Here for Meal Tips around your holiday.
Check What You’re Taking
Is it important to discuss weight gain potential in medicine?
You should definitely consult with your doctor if you are on medication, before starting a new diet.
Conclusion
Meal planning for men over 50 requires careful attention to nutrition, meal timing and meal preparation.
It is important to take into account any medications or food allergies when planning meals as well.
Eating more fruits and vegetables can help with weight management and lead to a healthier lifestyle overall.
Exercise regularly and practice mindful eating to feel your best in the long term.
Finally, if you notice a sudden increase in weight, consult your doctor to check for any underlying medical issues.
With these meal planning strategies and tips, men over 50 can stay fit and healthy into their later years.