While doing a little research, I found this plate diagram on the food.gov site. This is their "eat well" plate. It sections off the amounts and types of food a person should have on their plate. If you click on the photo it will enlarge. YIKES it's really large. Sorry about that.
I will be the first to admit I don't follow this plan when feeding octogenarian clients. Why? .... because when I have an 80+ yr. old client who's not on a restricted diet and wants to eat 3 cherry tomatoes, one heaping tablespoon full of tuna salad, one slice of deli ham and a 1/4 cup of ice cream for lunch I'm going to give her 3 cherry tomatoes, one heaping tablespoon full of tuna salad, one slice of deli ham and a 1/4 cup of ice cream for lunch. I'm actually thinking of one 96 yr. old woman in particular and she has earned the gosh darn right to eat whatever she wants ... as long as she eats something other than sugar cookies, cakes and donuts. Following the food pyramid or "eat well" plate is difficult enough for us but even more difficult for the elderly, especially if they are showing no interest in eating in the first place.
It's up to us, as caregivers, to make sure healthy alternatives are provided and offered up in interesting ways to tempt our clients' appetites. It doesn't mean those healthy foods that are offered will be eaten. They have the right to refuse. All we can do is try. Sometimes when you're faced with the choice of a client not eating at all and heading toward malnourishment or eating 3 cherry tomatoes, one heaping tablespoon full of tuna salad, one slice of deli ham and a 1/4 cup of ice cream for dinner ... you pick the latter. The former is unacceptable.
I'll get into easy recipes and tempting tummy tasties in another post. I'll also get into "hiding healthy" into everyday dishes.
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