Can Healthy Snacks Taste Good Too?
Can Healthy Snacks Taste Good Too?
By Mike Cooper
As we celebrate National Nutrition Month, we want to talk about snacks, specifically healthy snacks. Who doesn’t love salty chips, crackers with cheese or a tasty dip? But can you really have just one? Probably not – and that’s the problem. Those salty snacks can be addicting! I know… I’ve been able to plow through a whole bag in one sitting, and they are not good for you!
Why does snacking have to be bad? Aren’t there any choices that are tasty, satisfying AND good for you? Yes there is! You just have to think about it and make good choices.
Here are a few healthy snacks you can have that are satisfying; without all the salt, fat and preservatives:
Hummus and Veggies. If you can make your own hummus, that’s even better, but store-bought is good too. There is less fat than dairy-based dips. Add some fresh veggies like snap peas, sweet peppers, carrots, cukes, celery or broccoli with it and you will have a tasty snack that will fill you up.- Go Nuts! Nuts are a good source of protein; just watch how many you eat because they also have a lot of fat.
- Protein Smoothie. No, we don’t mean go out to a smoothie shop, either. Those store-bought drinks have way too many calories and sugar. If you can, make your own. It’s easy with some protein powder, plain Greek yogurt, water and some frozen berries or a banana. You’ll get the protein and fiber you need to feel full until dinner!
Apple Slices with Almond Butter. If you want sweet and salty at the same time, try slicing an apple and add some almond butter to it. It is delish! Fun tip: make little boats with the apple slices, and use a slice of cheese on a toothpick for the sail. Yummy! We did this on Talk Like a Pirate Day!- Fresh salsa with corn tortilla chips. Beware of jarred salsa; many of them have added sugar and preservatives. Read the nutrition label before taking something off the shelf. You could look for fresh salsa (or pico de gallo) in your local store or make your own. It will stay fresh for a few days. Tomatoes, red onion, hot peppers (jalapeno, serrano, etc.), cilantro, garlic, lime juice and a dash of salt are all the ingredients you need. Pair that with corn tortilla chips and you will have a great snack.
Our Members receive a hot noon-time meal and healthy snacks throughout the day.
At Naperville Senior Center, we pride ourselves in the fact that we serve our Members a hot, nutritious noon-time meal as well as healthy snacks during the day. We have fruit cups, applesauce, bananas, apples, oranges, and granola bars available throughout the day.
We know it can be hard for seniors to make their own meals, so we want them to have a great one with us. In the warmer months, we even grow our own herbs and vegetables (with our Members’ help) and serve them at lunch. Our ‘farm to table’ distance is about 20 feet! It doesn’t get more locally-grown than that!
Naperville Senior Center provides a warm, safe environment for your loved one when they can’t safely be on their own during the day. Members are welcome to be as independent as they can safely be while they are with us. In fact, one of our Members drives himself to our center! He could go anywhere he wants, but due to the socialization and other cool things we offer, he chooses to come here a few days a week. We encourage exercise, games and puzzles, singing, clapping, dancing, computer time and a host of other activities to provide mental and physical stimulation for our Members.
Come Visit! To learn more about how NSC can provide a respite for caregivers and a great social environment for your loved one, contact us at 630-857-3017. We invite you to Come Visit, see what we have to offer, and understand the Naperville Senior Center experience, “Home Away From Home.”
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There have been 
When was the last time you hugged someone? Today? Yesterday? Last week? You may not even remember; a hug may not seem like something you commit to memory. But a hug is much more powerful than you realize.
At NSC we engage with our Members all the time, whether we are listening, playing, singing, socializing, or exercising with them. Our Members have the opportunity to colorize, harmonize, hypothesize, verbalize, improvise, evangelize, socialize, exercise, and have fun with us and the other NSC Members throughout the day.
Cardio – this includes activities like walking, swimming, biking, or just doing housework. Any activity that increases your heart rate for an extended period of time can improve your heart health and help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism.
Stretching –stretching allows you to increase your flexibility and improve your freedom of movement. This will help you stay more independent in your senior years.
There are more than 5,000 adult day centers across the country with more than 260,000 participants, according to the 
Make it fun. Give your parent a fun reason to go. Is there a fantastic arts program? Or another activity that your mother or father would really enjoy? “The first day, look for a hook,” Eskenazi recommends. “Is there a trip or an activity they would like? Make sure you plan for the first day so they’re engaged right from the start.”
Ask a professional to step in. If you and your parent just aren’t seeing eye-to-eye on attending a day center, you may wish to reach out to a third party for help. Your mother or father may go willingly if a doctor or a social worker offers the suggestion. At Alzheimer’s Community Care, which runs 10 dementia-specific adult day centers in South Florida, a family nurse consultant will often encourage a parent to attend a day center when an adult child is having no luck. Once through the door, he or she is often happy to be there. “We hear these stories all the time,” says Kathleen Herd, vice president of development for the organization. In one case, the family nurse consultant drove the mother right to the day center. “Her face lit up. Here was her peer group and she didn’t even know she was missing it,” says Mary Barnes, executive director of Alzheimer’s Community Care.
Start with a short schedule. Don’t ask a parent to stay too long at a day center on the first day. “Make it short. Make it easy. Don’t make someone stay the whole day,” Eskenazi says. Don’t overwhelm a parent by booking too many days early on. Keep the schedule as light as possible. “Start with maybe one or two days per week. I would recommend someone starting an adult day center with a shorter schedule and then working up to more days and more hours over time,” Eskenazi says. Be supportive. If a day center is a positive experience for a parent, be upbeat and positive and encourage him or her to attend. “Let them decide if they want more days,” Eskenazi says.
“It often takes several visits to an adult day center for a new person to feel comfortable in a new setting and new routine,” Barnes says. “The ideal situation [in their eyes] is for them to be with you, and you can’t do it 24/7. Ask the staff for help in making the transition from home to the day center.” A parent with a neurocognitive disorder may be insecure about new experiences. But if you are a strong proponent for the day center, a parent may feel more comfortable attending.