Healthy eating is always a good idea for everyone. For adults ages 65 and older, eating well is essential to support good health and promote recovery from illness.

Renee Korczak, a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition, says that while many people think of healthy eating as a chore, there are ways to keep things simple. Korczak recommends focusing on four main areas: protein, calcium and vitamin D, meal planning and portion control.

Protein

Older adults need more protein than younger adults to help maintain lean body mass and function.

• Aim for 20–35 grams of protein per meal.
• Include a source of protein at each main meal and snack. For example, three scrambled eggs for breakfast (18 grams of total protein), plus one 8-fluid-ounce glass of cow’s milk (8 grams of total protein).

Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D work together to build and maintain healthy bones. Many older adults do not get enough of these nutrients.

• The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium for men 51–70 years old is 1,000 mg; women 51–70 years old should consume 1,200 mg.
• For vitamin D, both men and women 51–70 years old require 600 International Units (IU) daily, while those older than 70 require 800 IU daily.
• For calcium, include milk, yogurt and cheese in your diet. If you are lactose intolerant, substitute leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. Salmon and fortified orange juice are good sources of Vitamin D.

Meal Planning

Batch cook a main source of protein and build your meals around that protein source. If you cook a large amount of beef brisket in a crock pot, you can use that for sandwiches, wraps, or salads. Korczak also recommends listing the foods you enjoy in each main food group:

• List vegetables you enjoy eating or would like to try. Once you complete this for each food group, pick one or two options from each category and combine them for a meal.
• Use a healthy fat while cooking and add some dairy for an equal balance of nutrients.

Portion Control

Go all in on vegetables, as many of us fail to get enough of these in our diet. For other food groups Korczak suggests the following:

• Use the palm of your hand or a deck of cards to estimate appropriate protein size. This is equivalent to about 3 ounces; plenty for one serving.
• Use your fist as a guide when purchasing apples or oranges.
• For grains, about ½-cup cooked is appropriate; this would be equivalent to the size of a lightbulb.

*Editor's note: a version of this article originally ran in thrive. magazine.