Whether you're a new mom, a great-grandmother or a mom in some generation in between, here are what foods to choose to ensure there will be many more happy and healthy Mother's Days to come.
As a dietitian, woman, daughter, wife, mother-in-law and grandmother, I’m an advocate for strategies that help women of all ages eat well. So while flowers, cards and chocolates are, of course, lovely and always appreciated, this Mother’s Day, I’m encouraging women to give a gift to themselves by focusing on eating strategies that nurture their bodies and minds.
Whether you’re a new mom, a great-grandmother or a mom in some generation in between, here are what foods to choose to ensure there will be many more happy and healthy Mother’s Days to come:
1. New Moms: Set the Stage for Two
You may not be eating for two (and probably never should have been), but you do need to eat enough to energize your body, produce milk to feed your baby and have enough in reserve for daily activities. At this stage of motherhood, the emphasis should be on optimizing highly-nutritious food and fluids.
Let’s start with the glass: It’s important to hydrate well for your own health, milk production and maximizing the benefits of exercise. If you are trying to lose baby weight, choose more water, low-fat milk, sparkling water and small amounts of 100-percent juice, and minimize sodas, fruit drinks and sweetened teas and coffee beverages.
(AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File
1. New Moms: Set the Stage for Two
Now, for the plate: Include foods with protein, such as yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, poultry, fish, lean meat and beans, in every meal. Lean red meat, in particular, will help you meet your iron needs. For energy and folate, choose whole-grain, high-fiber carbs such as 100-percent whole-grain bread, cereal, brown rice, pasta and corn tortillas, as well as sweet and white potatoes. (Fortified cereals will also help you achieve that iron requirement.) Fruits and vegetables are important too, of course, since they provide fluid, fiber and protective plant nutrients. Green leafy vegetables are especially optimal for their folate content, while dairy foods, canned salmon, almonds and calcium-fortified soy foods will fulfill calcium requirements.
This is not the time to shortchange your body if you want to have the energy to take care of your little one. Although you won’t have a ton of time to eat, keep some of the following foods around so you and your baby can feed well: meat or cheese cubes, cut-up fruits and vegetables, whole-grain crackers and nuts.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
2. Experienced Moms: Forge a Path in Your 40s
Your kids aren’t babies, but they still need you just as much as they did when they were younger. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or have a career outside the home, your days are surely filled with juggling schedules, activities, homework and, well, life. So while you may be putting your own health on the back burner, now is the time to focus on prevention.
What can you do to have a healthy heart and lower your risk of breast cancer? First, get out and get moving. This doesn’t mean you abandon everything else and head to the gym, but it does mean you should dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to play to stay healthy.
When it comes to your diet, go for produce to reduce your disease risk. Think chopped salads, smoothies, veggie-centric pasta sauces, stir-fries, chili and soups. Upgrade your snacks, too, by choosing trail mix, veggies and bean dip, roasted chickpeas or broad beans, or roasted soy nuts.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
3. Empty-Nesters: Sail Through Your 60s
Maybe your kids are grown and have kids of their own, so you have more time for self-care. Or perhaps you’re lending a hand or even raising your grandchildren. Your calorie needs may be a little less in quantity, but the quality of what you eat and drink must remain high.
Rather than rely on face creams, this is the time to nourish your skin from within. Focus on omega-3 fats from salmon, ground flaxseed, chia and walnuts, as well as foods high in beta-carotene (think sweet potatoes, carrots, kale and collards) and vitamin C from citrus fruits, tomato, pineapple and kiwi.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
3. Empty-Nesters: Sail Through Your 60s
This is also prime time to focus on bone health above and beyond the medicine cabinet. To do that, include protein at every meal and snack. Think eggs for breakfast, turkey at lunch and beans and greens with walnuts and ground flaxseed at dinner. Include produce for potassium, which is bone protective. And, consider adding prunes to oatmeal, a salad or in a vegetable dish to provide bone-building nutrients. Prefer to drink a snack? Boost its nutritional contents by making a smoothie with green tea, kale, kiwi, Greek yogurt and chia seed.
(AP Photo/Matthew Mead)
AP Photo/Matthew Mead
4. ‘Retired’ Moms: Excel in Your 80s
Keeping mentally sharp helps you stay engaged as you age. To achieve that, make sure to have something to drink at every meal and throughout the day. If you don’t like to drink late for fear of having to get up during the night, be sure to drink enough throughout the day so you can curtail your fluid intake later in the evening. Pomegranate juice and tea are fluids that may also help with cognitive function.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
4. ‘Retired’ Moms: Excel in Your 80s
For your food, focus on those that can improve circulation and help with cognition. Boosting your produce intake can help you do that. Berries — in the bowl or blender — should also be a regular part of your diet. Include fish at least twice a week, swap in some whole-grain cereals and breads, and think about olive oil, avocados and nuts for your fat choices in place of butter, shortening or lard.
At this stage, small but mighty should be the look of your plate. One-half of a tuna sandwich (made with avocado instead of mayo) on a slice of whole-grain bread with spinach, tomato and a small glass of pomegranate juice is a great meal choice. Instead of pretzels or crackers, opt for a snack of dried fruit and almonds, or a yogurt with berries.
(Thinkstock)
