Hydrating Summer Drinks
May 29, 2022
In addition, many seniors have a deteriorating sense of taste that makes them less likely to eat or drink in sufficient quantity. To help counteract this, here are a sampling of various tasty & healthy recipes for drinks made of readily available ingredients in the summertime.
Drink Recipes
There is lots of overlapping between the types of beverages listed below with some drinks falling into more than 1 category depending upon exactly how the ingredients are prepared, blended, or otherwise tweaked. Differences in the drinks are mostly based on the level of pureeing, blending, or straining required, upon the presence or absence of dairy, dairy derivatives, or dairy substitutes, as well as the average thickness in consistency of a particular style of beverage.
Milkshakes
- These types of drinks are distinguished by their use of dairy or dairy like substitutes (which usually takes the form of milk or ice cream) as their base. Almond milk, rice milk, and soy-based ice creams can be subbed in for those lactose intolerant. The consistency of shakes are thicker than juices or water and often come frothy. The addition of healthy fruits (using their inherent fructose instead of adding in extra processed sugar) makes these good alternatives for seniors who may have trouble chewing or swallowing.
Smoothies
- Similar in consistency to milkshakes, smoothies may have added dairy or dairy like alternatives, but unlike shakes, their base and greater percentage is comprised of blended fruit. This makes them a popular drink during the “fruitful” months of summer. Unlike slushies, which may have chunks of ice present, all other ingredients within these drinks should be blended down to the “smooth” consistency promised within its name. This makes this type of drink another healthy choice as a dessert or diet supplement for those seniors with chewing problems.
Mocktails
- Cocktails without the alcohol, these drinks can be fun callbacks to younger times for a senior loved one without the worries of any potential medicinal side effects from spirits. For healthier treats, stick with fruit-based mocktails over their more sugary or syrupy counterparts. Recipes that call for concentrated or frozen fruit juice can have freshly blended fruits subbed in instead. Add in hot peppers & spices for an added bit of bite that the virgin versions of these drinks may be missing.
Flavored Water
- These drinks contain the highest ratio of water to other ingredients for those who want to stay hydrated while keeping calorie intake low. A good option for those who have trouble chewing as there are no solid ingredients, its thin consistency will require thickeners for those with trouble swallowing. With its light flavoring, this type of drink is a particularly good choice for those who find vegetable or fruit juices too strongly flavored for their tastes. However, seniors with degenerated taste buds may find the flavoring too mild to detect unless spicy ingredients such as hot peppers are included.