What Do Elderly People Like To Eat At Meal Times?

I am setting up a meals service for the elderly and would like to know what their favourite foods are. If you are elderly yourself or you have knowledge of what older people enjoy eating through your workplace or member of your family, please let me know.

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31 Responses to “What Do Elderly People Like To Eat At Meal Times?”

  1. Flex says:

    mushy stuff
    cause most don’t have teeth.

  2. sarabroo says:

    THEY EAT THE SAME THINGS THAT THE REST OF US DO.
    Just go easy on the spices.

  3. tiny Valkyrie says:

    traditional foods….pie and mash with mushy peas…sausages with mash…spag bol…shepherd pie…roast dinner…chilli con carne..soup…cheese and potato pie with veg….lasagna…goulash…steak and ale pie…steak and kidney puddings…!!
    and for pudding……
    lemon meringue pie…gypsie tart…treacle tart..jelly and icecream…cakes…fruit pies…vic sponge with jam and custard…rice pudding…custard pies..!! hope this helps and that you are successful!! xxx

  4. Kerry A says:

    You can serve them anything? what is the cut off age for regular food and old people food. Just keep it from being too spicy.

  5. MrsMagee says:

    Elderly people eat what we eat. However some might prefer to have fish rather than meat but that depends on the individual

  6. Baps . says:

    nearly 60 but i bet i like my Curry’s hotter than you, old people are old and not dead they enjoy life and food as much as you, some even have sex.
    now excuse me please as i have to take my meds and empty my colostomy bag

  7. door.uk says:

    Same as everyone else but they seem to take a liking to tapioca pudding.

  8. bambam says:

    Cottage pie.
    Bangers and mash with onion gravy.
    Home made soups.
    Potted beef or ham sandwich.
    A good piece of fish.

  9. bumpbump says:

    Well everyone seems to have covered everything, just like to add, my dad is 83, and loves to start his day off with Porridge! Good luck. He is a nursing home and happy.

  10. Kenzo says:

    Well I would presume they would eat the same as all us other humans,yes I get what your trying to say,I would try & make sure that it is healthy food,lots of veg,meat & fish (if they eat it) my step dad is an old codger (joke) & he just likes meat veg,meat veg,meat veg, If you know who your customers are going to be can’t you make up a quick choice of menus & deliver then round then you would get a better idea of what food is most populer,,wel I wish you luck in your new adventure.x

  11. kimble says:

    I’m 63 and I eat the same as everyone else, thanks. If people have survived into old age, they probably don’t eat junk, so meals cooked from scratch will be popular.
    Please remember, we are individual people, we don’t suddenly become a demographic when we reach a certain age, we like what we’ve always liked. I travel a lot: Australia, Far East, France, Belgium, Canada, Mexico and eat local food wherever I go. I don’t want roast meat and two veg, followed by a pudding with custard, thanks. I want fresh food in modest quantities. The salt herring and potato salad, followed by grenouilles and duck cassoulet I had in Montpellier last month – that kind of thing. Lots of fresh veg.
    The person below who said “older people are habitual” reduces us all to a stereotype, apart from the dodgy grammar (does he mean he’s addicted to geriatrics ?)

  12. amsterda says:

    The same as anyone else. They’re not a different species.

  13. Bardic says:

    having cooked for the elderly and deal with them now daily.
    Its the old type plain foods meat 3 veg potatoes – and most love fish -they particularly like the old type desserts spotted dick – custard-trife -apple sponge-milk puddings semolina etc
    I once went for an interview at an old folks home where every day they either had fish fingers and chips or beefburger and chips -I was so disgusted I reported them but nothing was done

  14. cluckinc says:

    Older people are habitual. They have a set way of living because it is a familiar pattern. That goes for food as well.
    You have to balance what a person likes with what is also healthy. Generally simple food is best. Remember that older people should not have a lot of sugar or fatty or high carb diets. They are not active enough to burn off high calorie foods and their systems cannot cope with fatty foods and sugar is a danger to those who my be borderline diabetics.
    Lean mets, Chicken and fish – for those who like it (I cannot stand fish myself). Good fresh vegies, frsh fruit – apples, oranges, plums, maybe grapes, rasberry and the like. Not cakes or other high cal bakery foods. Wheat bread, corn bread – OK. Simple, nutricious, not special, rich or hi calorie.
    A persons background will telly ou about what they like. That may also depend on where you live or where your clientel might be living. Local foods are known to them and they will like what they are used to.
    It does not have to be fancy. It does have to be well prepared, nicely served, nutricious. You might take a poll among people in a super market. Ask what is your favorite…. and make a list Meat, Vegie, Friut, drink. You will get a good cross section pretty fast.

  15. organbui says:

    My Grandma who is 80 loves hot tea toast eggs and bacon. Its hard to do things perfect but you would have 2 be an idiot to not no how to cooks eggs . Just make sure of allergys !

  16. Rayshizz says:

    I’m a carer and worked alot with the elderly.They tend to like good hearty traditional meals-they don’t tend to like none of this ‘foreign’ food. I’d make them thing like roast dinner,Shepherds Pie,Fish and chips,chillie-con-carni(altho it’s foreign they like it but not too spicey),chicken and vegetables but take the bones out.You also need to think of people with special diets aswell. Don’t forget to take out the bones but just stick to traditional meals,you can’t go wrong.Good luck.

  17. My Grain says:

    The elderly are just like all of us…. everyone likes something different. Yes, some of them need softer foods, etc but not always.
    My Dad is 75 and he eats steak & potatoes twice a day (he’d eat them for breakfast if Mom would let him).
    I’d just make sure it’s GOOD food, not frozen dinner type stuff.
    Remember to have a really good dessert too…. pie or fruit cobbler will go over very well!!!

  18. johndeer says:

    well they like to eat things everyone enjoys from day to day beef stew, chicken and dumplings, spaghetti, meatloaf, soup and sandwiches, sliced turkey and dressing and many others

  19. fashion guru says:

    you cant go wrongwith the old fashioned favorites like haddock and poached egg .sheperds pie .braised beef, stew , cheese and potato pie.etc nothing too spicy

  20. A strablue says:

    I think you should ask the people who you are hoping to supply with meals.
    Everyone is different, with different tastes.
    Do market research.

  21. northern lass says:

    As an elderly person, I like food that is interesting. I like a lot of variety and only know what I fancy about half an hour before eating, which isn’t really that helpful to you, is it?

  22. resigned says:

    Food is my guess.

  23. Lucky Man 2 says:

    My nan is 70 and grandad is 62 and they like the same foods non-elderly people like. It’s not about age, it’s about taste.

  24. Mars says:

    Beef stew,meatloaf,some eat spagetti some dont hurts their tummy.
    Thats what kills me they always say everything is bad for you my gramps literally grew up on everything fired granny made and he is still living at 93…fried potatoes,creamy tomatos w biscuits of morning and rice and eggs sausage…

  25. hugsandh says:

    My grandma loves salads and jacket potatoes and things like that. I think if you stick to traditional style meals you should be onto a winner with most people e.g. meat, potatoes, veg and gravy.

  26. Nicola says:

    the elderly enjoy traditional food like you would cook for yourself. also don’t give large portions as this turns them off from eating. they hate to waste food.

  27. MAttspra says:

    I’m 73 – you name it I’ll eat it. Just make sure there’s enough of it not those soppy meals of two watercress sprigs and a dob of unrecognisable something do not go down well.
    I’ve given up worrying at my age whether it’s bad for me or will shorten my life.
    RoyS.

  28. Roy S says:

    Anything they can afford which, under this government, isn’t much.

  29. J I H says:

    I used to work in a nursing home and my mom is in a nursing home herself right now, and I’ve always found they love comfort foods like meat loaf & mashed potatoes, baked mac & cheese, pot pies, chicken & noodles, beef stew, lasagna, cornbread, pie (apple, cherry, pumpkin), and soups (clam chowder, chicken noodle, potato, etc…)
    And you should probably not make them anything too spicy, salty or sugary, especially if they have diabetes or food allergies, then a whole new menu needs to be provided for them. Also most condiments like salt, sugar/sweetener, gravy, etc. should be left on the side for them to add.

  30. Єsтяєℓℓy says:

    My 87 year old Grandma lives with us, she is always wanting foods like beans and cornbread, stew, ham, mashed potatoes, fruit and cottage cheese, any kind of veggie.
    She really likes cheeseburgers, cabbage with smoked sausage, onion and sliced potato in it then you bake it.
    Cole slaw, potato salad, pretty much anything that is easy to chew and is not too spicey. Cream soups such as baked potato soup and cream of brocolli are great also. She absolutely loves sweets of any kind!
    Breakfast foods are pretty much cereals such as raisin bran, corn flakes, oatmeal, cream of wheat, toast with peanut butter, eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and gravy really go over well.
    That is great what you are doing. Best wishes to you and your program! Hope this helps. :)

  31. taceyo says:

    Old people do like to eat food that is prohibited for them to take.
    *We dislike our mother as she doesn’t listen to the doctor’s advice. And she landed in the hospital for being a hard-headed old woman!!!


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