The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t make any specific recommendations on how many meals a senior should eat in a day, but its nutrition guidelines suggest people over 60 should make sure they get between 1,600 and 2,800 calories a day, depending on their gender and their level of physical activity.

FDA Guidelines for Older Adults

According to FDA guidelines, senior men who are relatively sedentary should aim for between 2,000 and 2,200 calories per day, while similar senior women should aim for between 1,600 and 1,800 calories per day. For physically active seniors, the numbers increase to 2,400 to 2,800 for men and 2,000 to 2,200 for women.

Hitting the FDA’s recommended caloric intake is more important than the exact number of meals eaten to get there. For some seniors, a traditional, balanced three-meal schedule of breakfast, lunch and dinner is best, while others may prefer a large breakfast and small dinner or vice versa. Most meal delivery subscription plans allow customers to order one to three meals for each day of the week.

Foods to Avoid

The FDA recommends that seniors avoid foods high in sodium and sugar. Both are major contributors to high blood pressure, which may further lead to stroke or heart attack. Seniors should also keep raw foods out of their diets, as raw foods are more likely to carry harmful bacteria that can pose a threat to the weaker immune system of older adults. 

Some kinds of dairy, particularly soft mold-ripened cheeses, should be avoided for the same reasons as raw food. Dairy products that have been made with pasteurized milk, such as store-bought yogurt, are generally fine.  

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