Dietary changes are often met with resistance, particularly if the changes are suggested by a family member. Sons or daughters may urge a parent to adopt an improved diet when a medical condition, such as diabetes or a heart problem, is diagnosed. Work with your parents to shift to a diet that supports a healthy lifestyle without further complicating any existing medical conditions.
Menu Plan
Helping your parents plan a healthy menu is a collaborative way to improve their diets. Look at the typical meals they eat to get a sense of what you need to change. For example, if they eat frozen meals that are high in sodium, help them plan and prepare homemade meals they can put in the freezer and cook throughout the week. If they never eat vegetables, look for ways to integrate them into the menus you create. The menu planning helps your parents know what to cook and enables them to grocery-shop more efficiently because you can make a list as you plan.
Shop Together
Shopping for groceries together with your parents allows you to make suggestions for healthier options. For example, if your parents routinely eat cereal in the morning, use the shopping trip as a way to encourage them to try healthier cereal options. You can also encourage your parents to buy more fruits and vegetables. Visit different shopping venues, such as a local health food store or a farmers market for access to varied healthy foods. At home, help your parents organize the food and their recipes to coordinate with the menu you created.
Make Small Changes
Asking your parents to completely change everything they eat is likely to be met with resistance. Instead, show them simple changes they can implement to improve the foods they eat. Rewrite recipes they use regularly to reduce the amount of salt, cut back on the amount of fatty ingredients or add in more vegetables. Cook some of their favorite meals by swapping out the ingredients with lower fat items so they can see the food still tastes appealing. For example, make their favorite casserole with half the meat, more vegetables and low-sodium cream soups. Encourage your parents to focus on adding in healthier items to their daily diet rather than taking away things. If they begin eating more fruits and vegetables early in the day, their hunger is satisfied and they are less likely to eat junk food later.
Share
The process of changing the diet is often long and gradual. Keeping updated on your parents' diet helps you provide continued support for them. Share your own favorite healthy recipes or ingredient swaps to give them new ideas. Make a meal for your parents at least once a week that incorporates healthy ingredients. Even talking about the difficult aspects of healthy eating may help your parents open up and stay on track with their new eating habits.
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