Your Top 6 Meals of 2018

At this time of year we are all inundated with lists – from the top headlines of the year to the box office winners there is very little that took place during the last 12 months that is not quantified and given a ranking.

Over the next couple of weeks, it will be difficult to pick up a newspaper, watch a television news program or glance at a magazine and not see a listing, no matter how obscure, be analyzed.

The headlines are sometimes hard to resist and like the weather most people are happy to discuss.

Good news.

Heart to Home Meals has just released its list of the Top 6 Meals for 2018; so finally, you have a ranking linked to your kitchen table.

Change at the Top

Last year was the first-ever Top 6 list and the winner was Fish & Chips. While still very popular, it lost bragging rights to the 2017 runner up, Hunter’s Chicken.  We can probably expect these two meals to be competing for the title next year.

According to our consultant dietitian, Andrea Olynyk, both of the meals are good sources of fibre but the Hunter’s Chicken has double the amount of protein.  She says this combination of low saturated fat, low sodium and being high in protein is a great choice for seniors.

Sole Food

For many people, Fish and Chips is a classic comfort food.  Historians remain at odds on when the two items were brought together (yes, research has been done on this) but say it was probably around the 1860s.

Since then, there has been an ongoing debate over what to add to your fish and chips.  They include: salt, vinegar, tomato ketchup, mushy peas, gravy but it seems every year the list (another one!) gets longer.

Typically Turkey

Another very popular item on the Heart to Home Meals menu is Turkey with Cranberry Orange Sauce.  It moved up from fifth to third place this year.  While this meal is high in potassium and therefore does not suit everyone’s diet, its popularity suggests turkey is not just for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

No Room for Breakfast

In 2017, two breakfast meals made this list but neither were able to do so this year.  In fact, we had three new entries: Traditional Pot Roast, Chicken a la king and Beef Stroganoff.  

Both the chicken and beef dishes are low in sodium and a good source of fibre but our consultant dietitian was very excited about the Beef Stroganoff.  She pointed out this is one of the best meals on the menu for iron, a mineral sometimes found to be low in seniors.

Fine for Fibre

Reviewing the list of the six meals, Andrea found fibre was the common denominator. As health care workers probably remind you, it is very important for seniors to maintain a healthy diet of fibre.  This can lower a person’s cholesterol level and therefore the risk of heart disease.  Fibre also reduces the possibility of certain types of cancers, such as colorectal cancer, as well as hemorrhoids.

One of the main reasons why seniors are not always able to get enough fibre is they have smaller appetites.  The benefit of Heart to Home Meals is having food that is tailored to your needs.

Seniors should also remember to drink plenty of water to maintain a healthy diet.

What is your favourite meal? Let us know by email at info@hearttohomemeals.ca or reach out to your local franchise!

Visit us to learn more or place an order at www.hearttohomemeals.ca

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