Eating Well After 60: Making Every Meal Count

Eating well after 60 is about staying nourished, enjoying your food and supporting the activities that matter to you.

Your appetite, health and routine may change. Cooking for one can feel less appealing, and large meals may become harder to manage. Yet your body still needs protein, vitamins, minerals, fibre, fats and enough energy.

A useful approach is to make familiar meals more nourishing, keep preparation manageable and ask for support when eating becomes difficult.

Start With Regular Meals and Enough Food

Nutritional needs do not change overnight on your 60th birthday. They change gradually with activity, health and circumstances.

Eating less is not automatically the right goal. If your appetite is smaller, making each eating opportunity useful may be the priority.

Try including:

• A protein food at meals.
• Vegetables, fruit and suitable grain foods.
• Calcium-rich foods or fortified alternatives.
• Enough carbohydrate and fats for energy.
• Drinks regularly throughout the day.

Explore Protein and Fibre: How to Include Both in Everyday Meals for practical combinations.

Include Protein Throughout the Day

Protein supplies amino acids used to maintain and repair body tissues, including muscle.

Useful foods include eggs, fish, chicken, lean meat, yoghurt, milk, cheese, tofu, beans and lentils.

Rather than relying on dinner for most of your protein, include suitable foods at breakfast and lunch too.

How Much Protein Do You Need?

Australian reference values distinguish between adults aged 51–70 and those over 70.

These published daily totals use reference body weights. They are not personalised targets for every adult.

Requirements vary with body size, activity, illness and nutritional status. Some people need higher individual targets, while kidney disease and other conditions can require specific advice. Australian protein reference values

Read Protein Throughout Life: Why Your Protein Needs Change With Age.

Make Breakfast Useful

Breakfast can contribute more than tea and plain toast without becoming a large meal.

Try:

• Eggs on wholegrain toast.
• Porridge made with milk and fruit.
• Greek yoghurt with oats and berries.
• Cottage cheese on toast with tomato.
• A smoothie containing milk or fortified soy milk, yoghurt, fruit and oats.

BC Beauty collagen peptides can be added to suitable yoghurt bowls, porridge or smoothies if you enjoy them. Keep the milk, yoghurt or other protein food in the meal: collagen has a different amino-acid profile and is not an equivalent replacement.

Pay Attention to Calcium and Vitamin D

Australian calcium recommendations are:

• 1,300 mg daily for women from age 51.
• 1,000 mg daily for men aged 51–70.
• 1,300 mg daily for men over 70.

These are total daily intakes, rather than automatic supplement doses. Australian calcium reference values

Practical foods include milk, yoghurt, cheese, calcium-fortified alternatives, calcium-set tofu and canned fish with edible bones.

Check labels because products vary. Bone broth should not be assumed to provide a calcium serving.

Vitamin D supports calcium absorption. Ask your healthcare professional about assessment or supplementation if you have risk factors for deficiency.

Keep Fibre Manageable

Oats, wholegrain bread, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds contribute fibre.

Softer options include porridge, cooked vegetables, lentil soup, stewed fruit and oats softened in yoghurt.

Increase fibre gradually and drink regularly, following any individual fluid advice.

If increases cause discomfort, read Why Does Eating More Fibre Sometimes Cause Bloating?.

Swallowing difficulty needs professional assessment. Ordinary soft-food suggestions do not replace a prescribed texture-modified diet.

Consider Vitamin B12 and Individual Supplement Needs

Vitamin B12 supports normal red blood cell formation and nervous-system function.

Some older adults have difficulty absorbing B12 from food. Certain medicines and digestive conditions can also affect status.

People following a vegan diet need reliable B12 from fortified foods or supplements. Ask your clinician or dietitian about an appropriate approach. NIH: vitamin B12

Persistent tiredness should be assessed rather than treated by guessing which supplement is needed.

What if Your Appetite Is Smaller?

Smaller meals and additional eating opportunities may be easier than a large plate.

Bone broth powder can add savoury flavour to soup or eggs, while collagen can be stirred into a suitable yoghurt snack. These additions should complement, rather than displace, substantial foods.

Persistent appetite loss and unintentional weight loss deserve assessment.

Use Soup as a Meal

Soup can combine protein foods, vegetables, grains or potatoes and fluid in one bowl.

Broth & Co bone broth provides a savoury base. Add chicken, fish, tofu or legumes, plus vegetables and a carbohydrate food suited to your appetite.

Read How to Turn Soup into a Balanced Meal.

Keep Drinks Within Reach

Having a drink with meals and keeping water nearby can make regular drinking easier.

Australian reference amounts for fluids from drinks are approximately 2.1 litres daily for women and 2.6 litres for men. These are general amounts, not fixed requirements for everyone. Australian water reference values

Follow individual advice if you have heart failure, kidney disease or a prescribed fluid restriction.

Five Easy Meals for One or Two

These recipes use Australian measurements: one cup is 250 mL, one tablespoon is 20 mL and one teaspoon is 5 mL.

Prepare diluted broth according to current pack directions before measuring. Weigh powders where a gram quantity is provided.

1. Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Bone Broth Soup

Serves: 1
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 250 mL prepared Broth & Co BEEFY Bone Broth
• ½ carrot, finely sliced
• ½ small zucchini, finely diced
• 100 g cooked chicken, shredded
• ½ cup cooked rice
• A handful of baby spinach
• Lemon juice and chopped parsley, to taste
• Extra water, as needed

Method

1. Place broth, carrot and zucchini in a small saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 7–10 minutes until tender.
3. Add safely stored chicken and rice. Heat until steaming hot throughout, reaching 75°C.
4. Stir through spinach until wilted.
5. Add water if needed and finish with lemon and parsley.

Flavour variation: Use NAKED or ORIGINAL Bone Broth instead. Explore Which Broth + Co Bone Broth Is Right for You?.

Storage: Cool promptly and use the following day. Reheat rice-containing leftovers once only.

2. Salmon, Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl

Serves: 1
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small sweet potato, cut into 1–2 cm cubes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 salmon fillet, approximately 150 g
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• Lemon juice and chopped herbs, to taste

Optional bone broth seasoning

• 2.5 g Broth & Co BEEFY Bone Broth Powder
• 1 teaspoon hot water

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan-forced.
2. If using broth powder, stir it into the hot water.
3. Toss sweet potato with oil and optional dissolved seasoning.
4. Spread on a lined tray and roast for 25–30 minutes, turning halfway.
5. Place salmon on a separate lined tray for the final 12–15 minutes, allowing longer for thick fillets. Cook thoroughly.
6. Steam broccoli until tender.
7. Serve together with lemon and herbs.

Variation: Use ENERGY Bone Broth Powder instead of BEEFY for a mushroom-flavoured seasoning.

3. Egg and Spinach Toast with NAKED Bone Broth

Serves: 1
Preparation: 3 minutes
Cooking: 7 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 g Broth & Co NAKED Bone Broth Powder, optional
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• A handful of baby spinach
• 1 slice wholegrain bread
• Black pepper, optional

Method

1. Whisk eggs, milk and optional broth powder until evenly combined.
2. Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add spinach and stir until wilted.
3. Reduce the heat. Add eggs and stir gently until fully set and cooked through.
4. Toast the bread and spoon over the eggs.
5. Add pepper if desired.

Vegetarian version: Omit broth powder.

4. Lentil and Vegetable Soup with BEEFY or ENERGY

Serves: 2
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 cup cooked lentils, or drained and rinsed canned lentils
• 500 mL prepared Broth & Co BEEFY or ENERGY Bone Broth
• A handful of baby spinach
• Chopped parsley, to taste
• Extra water, if needed
• Bread, optional

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Cook carrot and celery for five minutes.
2. Add tomato, lentils and prepared broth.
3. Simmer for 12–15 minutes until vegetables are tender, adding water if needed.
4. Stir in spinach until wilted.
5. Finish with parsley and serve with bread if desired.

Vegetarian or vegan version: Use suitable vegetable stock.

Make ahead: Cool the second portion promptly and refrigerate for up to two days or freeze.

5. Greek Yoghurt, Berry and Oat Bowl with Healthy Glow

Serves: 1
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: None

Ingredients

• 200 g plain Greek yoghurt
• ½ cup berries
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 labelled serving BC Beauty Healthy Glow Collagen Peptides, optional
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts, optional
• A little milk, as needed

Method

1. Stir optional Healthy Glow into the yoghurt until evenly mixed.
2. Add oats and a little milk to achieve your preferred consistency.
3. Top with berries and optional walnuts.
4. For softer oats, refrigerate the yoghurt-and-oat mixture overnight, then add collagen, fruit and walnuts before serving.

What it contributes: Yoghurt provides protein and calcium; oats, berries and walnuts add fibre and variety. Collagen is an optional addition.

Plant-based version: Use suitable fortified yoghurt and milk alternatives and omit collagen.

Adapt ingredients to chewing ability. Follow professional guidance for swallowing difficulties.

A Practical Weekly Meal Plan

Adjust portions, snacks and ingredients to appetite, activity and medical advice.

Add snacks when needed, such as yoghurt, fruit with cheese, milk or toast with a topping.

Freeze extra portions promptly rather than keeping early-week leftovers refrigerated until the weekend.

Make Cooking for One Easier

• Cook two portions and freeze one.
• Use frozen vegetables and fruit to reduce waste.
• Keep eggs, canned fish and legumes available.
• Store sliced bread in the freezer.
• Label frozen meals with contents and date.
• Consider meal delivery, community meals or shopping support when useful.

For more recipes, explore Easy Recipes for Eating Well After 60.

Your routine can include convenience foods and help from others. Read Healthy Ageing Nutrition That Actually Fits Your Life.

Store and Reheat Food Carefully

Older adults can be more vulnerable to foodborne illness.

Keep the fridge at 5°C or colder. Cool cooked food promptly in shallow portions and refrigerate within two hours.

For this collection, use refrigerated leftovers within one to two days or freeze sooner. Reheat meals until steaming hot throughout. Follow shorter pack instructions and avoid repeatedly reheating the same portion.

When to Seek Nutrition Support

Speak with your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian about:

• Unintentional weight loss.
• Persistent poor appetite.
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing.
• Repeatedly skipped meals.
• Ongoing weakness or fatigue.
• Difficulty shopping, cooking or feeding yourself.
• Medical conditions requiring dietary changes.

Do not dismiss these changes as an unavoidable part of ageing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need Collagen After 60?

Not automatically. It can be an optional ingredient, but it does not replace varied protein foods, calcium-rich choices or treatment for an identified nutritional problem.

Is Bone Broth a Complete Meal?

Usually not by itself. Add protein foods, vegetables and suitable carbohydrate foods to make it substantial.

Can I Add Healthy Glow to Porridge?

Yes. Prepare porridge with milk or a suitable alternative, then stir in a labelled serving according to pack directions, adjusting the consistency as needed.

Does Bone Broth Replace Calcium Foods?

Do not assume so. Check the nutrition information and continue including reliable calcium sources.

Should I Fast if My Appetite Is Already Small?

Avoid adding restrictions that make adequate eating harder. Discuss fasting with your clinician if you are losing weight, becoming weaker or taking medicines affected by food intake.

Can Convenience Foods Fit?

Yes. Frozen vegetables, canned legumes, yoghurt and suitable ready meals can make regular eating more achievable.

Make Every Meal Count

Start with regular protein foods, calcium-rich choices, vegetables, fruit and grains that suit your appetite. Keep drinks within reach and preparation manageable.

Broth & Co bone broth can add savoury flavour to meals, while BC Beauty collagen can be included in suitable breakfasts and snacks.

If eating is becoming difficult or weight is falling unintentionally, seek support. The aim is to stay nourished in ways that fit your everyday life.

References

• Eat for Health: Protein
• Eat for Health: Calcium
• Eat for Health: Water
• NIH: Vitamin B12
• Healthdirect: Healthy eating over 60

This article provides general information and does not replace personalised medical or dietetic advice.