Eating for Life

A zest for senior living

Eat as if your life depends on it.

For senior adults, losing interest in food can mean the difference between good and ill health.

Sometimes the lack of interest is a result of losing a companion who shared a life - and the meals.

Sometimes it's the physical challenge of shopping and cooking that makes meal planning unappealing.

And sometimes food just doesn't taste as good as it once did, because as we age our taste buds become less able to distinguish between certain flavors or sense thirst.

"I just don't cook for myself. It's not that much fun," admits 87-year-old Florence Hoogesteger, a resident of John Knox Village, a 420-acre retirement community in Lee's Summit.

The journal Health Affairs found that adults older than 65 make up one-fourth of the obese population in the United States. By age 75, one-fourth of all seniors have become sedentary.

We finish with well-balanced, easy-to-prepare recipes made from seasonal ingredients found in a well-stocked supermarket. All recipes include a detailed analysis.

It's important to keep the body fueled for a lifetime. The only trick is learning new ways to cook, eat and share a meal. Eat our Honey Mustard Chicken and Carrots one night and save half for the Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Barley. The soup, which is loaded with fresh vegetables and fiber, makes enough for six servings. Package them in smaller portions and freeze for the future. Or call your friends over and share the pot of soup instead.