5 Ways Retirement Communities Promote Healthy Eating

Retirement communities provide more than convenient living options catered to the individual needs of seniors, including assisted living and independent living options. Coordinating and preparing nutritious meals is also an essential part of the services offered by senior living communities. Whether you have specific dietary needs or you just want easier access to daily meals, a retirement community could be an ideal choice that helps ensure you have hassle-free access to healthy eating options.

1. Accommodate Special Dietary Needs

Retirement communities offer meal plans and different dining options on campus with menus coordinated by professional chefs as well as dieticians and wellness staff. If you have special dietary needs, the dining options in retirement communities are accommodating and helpful. With offerings that accommodate allergies, special diets, and more – the diverse menus and helpful staff will ensure your needs are being met with delicious foods.

2. Offer Healthy Fast Food

It is often difficult to make sure you’re consuming balanced meals, especially if you’re living on your own and don’t have access to a dietitian to assist with meal planning. You might instead choose a quick fix, like fast food or an occasional fruit. The downside to conventional fast food is that while these options can satisfy your caloric requirements for the day, they are often full of saturated fats, sodium and sugars, without providing the nutrients and vitamins you need to stay healthy. While an occasional fruit, though a healthy part of a balanced diet, doesn’t come near to satisfying one’s daily recommended caloric intake. Meal planning and preparation can be difficult, but if you make the transition to a senior living community, healthy fast food actually becomes a reality! Options like made to order sandwiches, salad bars, soups, healthy snacks, and low carb foods that are available in retirement communities and help make eating right easier than ever.

3. Provide Right-Sized Portions

While fats, carbohydrates and calories are essential to a balanced diet, it can be easy to go overboard on these without portion control. Eating portions that are the right size for your diet helps ensure that you are getting the balanced nutrition you need to sustain a healthy lifestyle. This is essential for seniors who are trying to get the most of their retirement years and continue leading active lives. Retirement communities employ professional chefs that work with dieticians and wellness staff to plan healthy meals and ensure that residents are getting right-sized portions that have essential vitamins and nutrients.

4. Comfort Food Done Right

Comfort food doesn’t need to be outrageously unhealthy to be delicious! To cater to the taste buds of senior residents, retirement communities provide easy access to all of the comfort food favorites with menus that include everything from pizza to delicious steak dinners. While on-campus dining options offer many yummy comfort foods and dishes, they are mindful of proper portion sizes and preparation methods to ensure these offerings still offer balanced nutrition for residents. If you make the move to a senior living community, you can get the taste of home-cooked without having to fire up your oven — plus you’ll have an entire community of friends to enjoy it with!

5. Quick All Day Options

In addition to retirement communities offering several dining venues on campus, assisted living apartments and independent living options also provide convenient, all day access to meals and snacks that don’t require residents to leave their facility or home. If you choose to move to an independent living option, you’ll enjoy all the comforts of home including a kitchen. Plus – it’s easier than ever to keep it stocked with healthy groceries as retirement communities also provide on-site transportation for shopping trips. Though assisted living apartments typically don’t have kitchens in each unit, these units are often attached to a communal kitchen where daily meals are prepared for residents and a variety of meal plans are available.

Make the Move to a Retirement Community

As we age it becomes increasingly difficult to make regular trips to the grocery store and prepare daily meals. If you currently have to rely on the help of loved ones to get the nutrition you need, or think that taking the hassle out of meal planning would allow you to enjoy your retirement more fully, making the move to a senior living community could be a great solution for you!

If you’re looking into your options for a retirement community in Ohio, consider Copeland Oaks in Sebring! Copeland offers many convenient amenities and services, including assisted living apartments with three daily prepared meals, as well as three dining venues on campus. These venues include a main dining room, casual dining on our scenic Lakeview Terrace, and the Bistro at Copeland Oaks.

In the main dining room, our friendly staff provides expert service in an intimate setting for enjoying dinner. The menu includes a diverse range of options to satisfy your cravings and your dietary needs. For breakfast, lunch and dinner, our Lakeview Terrace dining option offers daily specials, made-to-order sandwiches, pizza, homemade desserts, and even hand-dipped ice cream. Or stop by the Bistro at Copeland Oaks for casual dining, including soups, custom salads and made to order gourmet sandwiches. Plus, outdoor, lakeview seating is only steps away!

Schedule a Visit or Learn More

If you’re considering making the move to our retirement community, we encourage a visit to our campus. To schedule a visit, or learn more about our dining or other services and amenities, please call 330-938-6126.