24 Dinner Recipes That Help Promote Healthy Aging (2024)

Try one of these satisfying dinner recipes that help promote healthy aging. As you get older, it's important to eat plenty of colorful produce like kale, sweet potatoes and bell peppers. In addition to vegetables, ingredients like salmon are great for providing omega-3s. Recipes like Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili and Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers are healthy, delicious and provide plenty of nutrients and vitamins your body needs.

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Sheet-Pan Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli

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The vibrant combo of cheese, cilantro, chili, and lime--inspired by Mexican street corn--makes this salmon sheet-pan dinner burst with flavor.

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Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajitas

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One sheet pan is all you'll need to whip up these zesty chicken fajitas. They're quick and easy to make and cleanup is even faster!

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Tofu & Vegetable Curry with Zucchini Noodles

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For this quick Thai-inspired curry recipe, we've combined tofu and plenty of veggies with a flavorful sauce made with red curry paste, lime juice and coconut milk. Serve the curry over lightly warmed zucchini noodles to get even more veggies in your weeknight dinner. Bonus: Everything is cooked in one skillet, so there's only one pan to wash after dinner.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Cajun Salmon with Greek Yogurt Remoulade

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Paprika and garlic powder make a quick Cajun-inspired seasoning that flavors salmon fillets in this easy dinner recipe. Traditionally, remoulade sauce is prepared with mayonnaise; here, we substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for a lighter version.

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Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta

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This entire healthy pasta recipe cooks in one skillet, so there's only one pot to clean! Try it with any greens you have in the fridge, such as chard or spinach.

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Air-Fryer Turkey Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed peppers are a classic family meal--and they're fun to eat, too. Instead of roasting the sweet peppers in the oven, use an air fryer to get them crisp-tender but not soggy.

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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

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Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.

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Sheet-Pan Chili-Lime Salmon with Potatoes & Peppers

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Busy weeknights beg for something simple like this salmon sheet-pan dinner. Like the name suggests, it's all cooked on one pan. The potatoes get a head start, followed by sweet bell peppers and finally chili-coated salmon fillets. It's a complete meal with easy cleanup!

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Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole

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This protein-loaded chicken and sweet potato casserole dish is made with multicolored quinoa, a blend of white, red and black varieties, but any color will work.

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Easy Italian Wedding Soup

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Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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These seared pork chops are topped with a rich and creamy mushroom sauce that gets flavored with fresh herbs.

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Southwest Salmon and Sweet Potatoes

Using a foil packet to steam this salmon and sweet potato dinner, instead of cooking in butter or oil, helps keep the calories and fat low.

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Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

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This earthy bowl of lentils bursting with Middle Eastern flavors is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.

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Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

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Making a pocket in the chicken breast to hold the stuffing is easy with a good, sharp, thin-bladed knife. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing in the oven ensures that it cooks evenly throughout.

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Spanakopita Stuffed Peppers

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These stuffed bell peppers have a filling inspired by the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, but you don't have to worry about working with phyllo, so they're great for an easy vegetarian dinner.

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Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

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This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

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This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.

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Dijon Salmon with Green Bean Pilaf

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In this quick dinner recipe, the delicious garlicky-mustardy mayo that tops baked salmon is very versatile. Make extra to use as a dip for fries or to jazz up tuna salad. Precooked brown rice helps get this healthy dinner on the table fast, but if you have other leftover whole grains, such as quinoa or farro, they work well here too.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

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Treat your Buddha bowl to a vacation south of the border! This black bean and quinoa Buddha bowl has the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the greasy fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.

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Charred Shrimp & Pesto Buddha Bowls

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These shrimp and pesto Buddha bowls are delicious, healthy, pretty and take less than 30 minutes to prep. In other words, they're basically the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. Feel free to add additional vegetables and swap the shrimp for chicken, steak, tofu or edamame.

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Roast Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

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Caramelized sweet potatoes and red onion are the bed for chicken thighs that cook up fast in a very hot oven--perfect for a quick healthy chicken dinner. Serve with a fall salad of mixed greens, sliced apples and blue cheese.

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Piled-High Greek Vegetable Pitas

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The bright, fresh flavors of the Mediterranean come alive in these easy vegetarian pitas. Give yourself enough time to make the roasted vegetables called for in the recipe--or make them a day or two in advance for a healthy meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. These pitas would also work well with whatever leftover cooked veggies you have on hand. No need to warm the roasted veggies up; this recipe tastes great chilled or at room temperature.

24 Dinner Recipes That Help Promote Healthy Aging (2024)

FAQs

What are the examples of healthy dishes suitable for the elderly? ›

Dinner
  • Chicken breast, roasted vegetables, hummus.
  • Roasted salmon, zucchini, and sweet potato.
  • Whole-wheat pasta, ground turkey, and tomato sauce.
  • Argentinean grilled steak with salsa criolla.
  • Eve's tasty turkey tetrazzini.
  • Fish with spinach.
Nov 23, 2021

What can I make for lunch for elderly people? ›

Here are some great lunch ideas for seniors.
  • Quinoa salad. Sauté pre-chopped stir-fry vegetables (onion, red pepper, mushrooms). ...
  • Eggs and red potatoes. Melt a pat of butter in a skillet. ...
  • Cottage fries. Slice parboiled red potatoes. ...
  • Southwest omelet. Beat two eggs. ...
  • Salmon wrap.
Feb 28, 2024

What is the best dinner for elderly? ›

Allman also has a few go-to meals that typically meet nutritional needs for seniors:
  • Citrus salmon with baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli.
  • Hummus veggie wrap.
  • Chicken and veggies with whole grain pasta and pesto. ...
  • Roasted Veggie Couscous.
  • Curry Egg Salad lettuce wraps.
May 25, 2022

What is a simple protein meal for the elderly? ›

Try a can of rinsed chickpeas mixed with quinoa, fresh parsley and tomato. Add in some feta cheese for extra “yum” and protein. High protein soup. Soup or pureed food is great for seniors who struggle with tough textures.

What to cook for 80 year old? ›

21 Quick & Easy Meals for Seniors
  • Healthy breakfast egg muffins. Steel cut oats with fresh and/or dried fruit. Sausage & veggie skillet. ...
  • Chicken spinach mushroom flatbread. Beef & barley soup. Hearty salad with cheese, avocado &/or egg. ...
  • One pot vegetarian spaghetti. Roast chicken with garlic potatoes & glazed carrots.
Sep 22, 2020

What is a senior cook? ›

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Senior Cook is a lead level class in the Cook series, responsible for leading the preparation of hot and cold foods, in accordance with prescribed recipes and production sheets which may require providing Cooks and Food Service Workers with general direction.

What is a soft food diet for elderly? ›

A soft food diet, also called a bland diet, is made up of foods that are easy to digest. They're usually soft in texture and low in fiber. The idea is to eat foods that are easy to swallow and that you don't need to chew much. You'll need to avoid spicy, fried, or gassy foods.

What are the top 10 healthiest dinners? ›

It's dinnertime: ZOE members' top recipes
  • Chickpea & broccoli pasta.
  • Lentil & eggplant stew.
  • Veggie shepherd's pie.
  • Harissa traybake.
  • Noodle salad.
  • Cod & salsa salad.
  • Kale salad.
  • Mushroom stir-fry.
Mar 19, 2024

What is the perfect healthiest meal? ›

Choose fish, poultry, beans, and nuts; limit red meat and cheese; avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats. Eat a variety of whole grains (like whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, and brown rice). Limit refined grains (like white rice and white bread). Looking for a printable copy?

What are the easy meals for seniors? ›

One can do scrambled eggs , boiled pasta and cooked rice in microwave. Pre cooked meals can be frozen and heated up in microwave. Creating affordable, easy-to-prepare meals for an elderly person who can't cook is essential for their nutrition and well-being.

What foods help elderly gain weight? ›

Nuts, avocados, beans, eggs, cottage cheese, fish, chicken and yogurt will all help you gain weight without negatively impacting your overall health. Also try adding calories to your favorite dishes by drizzling oil, sprinkling grated cheese, adding butter and substituting any dairy products with full-fat options.

What are some healthy dishes to eat? ›

Here are some easy and healthy meal ideas that you can try: Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables: Season chicken breasts with herbs and spices, then grill them until cooked through. Serve with a side of roasted vegetables like broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini.

What dishes are considered healthy? ›

Include vegetables in your meal

Instead of simply choosing meat dishes, mix in vegetables for a more filling meal with extra vitamins and minerals. Adding fruit also makes for healthy, tasty dishes. Pineapples go well with sweet and sour dishes, while mangoes taste great with chicken.

Are frozen dinners good for seniors? ›

Frozen Foods Are Just as Nutritious as Fresh Foods

That's important when what you want is to get as much nutrition into your senior's diet as you possibly can on a daily basis.

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