As they age, many adults experience difficulties chewing and swallowing different foods. Not only is this discouraging and can take the joy out of eating, but it can make it hard for the adults to consume healthy, well-balanced meals.
This is where soft meals come in to save the day.
Soft meals are perfect for older adults not only because they’re easier to chew and swallow, but they’re usually easier to prepare, and there are limitless options to create something delicious and nutritious.
The following meal ideas are some of our own tried-and-true favorites that we can’t wait for you to dig into. Bon appetit!
Soft Meal Ideas to Cook at Home
Creamy Vegetable Soup
Creamy vegetable soup is amazing because it’s packed with flavor, and an entire pot can be made in 30 minutes or less!
Servings: 1 large pot filled to the top
Ingredients:
- Onion: 1 large
- Carrots: 1 pound, peeled
- Celery Sticks: 4 chopped into small pieces
- A few pinches of salt and pepper for taste
- Olive Oil: 1 tablespoon
- Potatos of choice: 1 pound
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Cream or Half & Half: ¼ cup
Directions:
- Chop onion, carrots, celery sticks, and potatoes into ½-inch pieces.
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Once hot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Leave potatoes for later!
- Sprinkle mixture with salt and pepper, and stir occasionally until vegetables soften.
- Add garlic, bay leaves, and potatoes and stir. Let it all cook for 5 minutes.
- Add stock and bring mixture to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer until vegetables are soft and can be broken up with a fork.
- Once finished, stir in half & half or cream and add additional pinches of salt & pepper if needed. Also, don’t forget to remove the bay leaves!
PRO TIP:
Once the soup is done cooking, you can puree it in a blender until it’s totally smooth to ensure you can fully enjoy it!
Green N’ Mean Smoothie
The Green N’ Mean smoothie is so yummy and refreshing that you’ll want to indulge in a cup of it more than once a day!
Servings: About 1 blender filled to the brim
Ingredients:
- Milk of choice: 1 ½ cups (substitute with water if milk isn’t preferable)
- Frozen Spinach: 2 fully packed cups
- Frozen Banana: 1 whole one
- Frozen Apple: 1 cut into slices
- Frozen Mango or Pineapple: 1 cup
- Frozen Avocado: ¼ cup for thickness (optional)
Directions:
- Add spinach into blender and blend.
- Add milk into blender and blend until all leafy chunks are gone.
- Toss in fruits one by one, making sure to blend well until all large pieces are gone.
- Continue to blend until smooth.
Potato Pancakes
With their crispy edges and cheesy centers, potato pancakes are great for any meal of the day (or all of them)!
Servings: About 12 patties
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of mashed or shredded potatoes
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: 1-1 ½ cups
- All-Purpose Flour: ¼ cup
- 2 eggs
- Vegetable Oil: 2 tablespoons for frying
- Onion: 1 medium-sized
- A few pinches of salt & pepper for taste
Directions:
- Combine mashed/shredded potatoes, cheddar cheese, eggs, and flour together.
- Add salt & pepper to your blend.
- Form your blend into little balls and then flatten out with your hands so they’re about ⅓-½ inch thick.
- Add oil to your frying pan and wait for it to heat up.
- Fry up your patties until they’re golden brown on both sides.
PRO TIP:
Sour cream, apple sauce, and MORE cheese can be used as toppings for your potato pancakes!
What to Remember
What’s great about all these recipes is that they’re extremely versatile. This means that depending on your own dietary requirements (and whether you like certain foods or not), you can alter the ingredients to fit your needs. Happy eating!
