Diet Tips For Older People

• Vary your diet, for interest as well as nutritional value.

• Plan a week's meals in advance (this makes shopping easier too), making sure that you are getting plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, for roughage, some high-fibre foods like pulses and wholemeal bread, to avoid constipation, and sufficient protein (lean meat, chicken and fish are good sources).

• Make lunch your main meal of the day: this is better for your digestive system than eating at night, and you are more likely to enjoy preparing, as well as eating, a meal in the middle of the day when you will be less tired.

• Cut down on high-fat, sugary and salty foods, to keep your cholesterol levels low and reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Make sure your fluid intake is adequate: even if you do not feel particularly thirsty, you must make sure you do not become dehydrated. Six-eight cups of fluid per day is about right, though it is best to avoid drinking fluids in the evening.

• Make sensible use of convenience foods, such as ready-made meals, but don't overdo them: dishes made yourself from fresh ingredients are, of course, always preferable to preserved foods.

• Keep a store cupboard well-stocked with emergency rations, in case you need to stay indoors for a while. Useful standbys might include:

• Sardines in tomato sauce

• Canned or packet soup

• Tuna in brine

• Dried pasta

• Baked beans and other ready-cooked canned pulses

• Can of new potatoes

• Can of peeled tomatoes

• Canned fruit in natural juice

• Canned creamed rice pudding

• Biscuits

• Crisp breads

• Peanut butter

• Marmalade

• Make good use of a home freezer, if you have one, but be sure to label all items in the freezer clearly, and check the dates carefully from time to time. Discard any foods that have passed the use-by date - they can be a health hazard. In the same way, always check sell-by dates in shops, and ask if in doubt.

• Make good use of labour-saving devices in cooking: food wrapped in a foil parcel cooks quickly and easily, as heat is distributed evenly and all the natural flavor and juices are retained; and there are no dishes or pans to wash up. The microwave oven is ideal in many ways for older people to use -in fact a microwave would make an ideal retirement present. It is super-quick and economical on fuel; all it needs is a regular wipe to keep it clean; it does away with the need for awkward saucepans, and makes excellent porridge, and scrambled eggs, as well as cooking fresh fish and vegetables to perfection.

It is also worth bearing in mind that British Gas offers a very useful service to older customers, which involves advising on choice and use of appliances, and even adapting controls on existing ones, for easier use. You can find details in the booklet Advice for Senior Citizens, available from British Gas showrooms.

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