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Let’s Fill That Empty Nest with Nutritious Eggs

Mar 6, 2026

If you’ve reached the “empty nest” stage, whereby all the children have moved out and you find yourself living alone or with a partner, meals take on a new life. You finally get to make the meals YOU want with the ingredients YOU like. Want eggs for dinner? Go ahead, no one is stopping you!


As exciting as this newfound meal freedom is, now is also the time to consider strategies for healthy aging. For hopefully all of us, that picture includes a focus on good nutrition needed for optimal health as we age. Nutrition messaging for healthy aging encourages intake of a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and consistently emphasizes consuming enough protein to help maintain muscle mass and strength as we age. Breaking down exact grams of protein needed daily is individual and can be overwhelming or seem complicated, so instead it may be easiest to simply remember that good quality protein should be included at all meals and snacks.

Lucky for you, eggs are one of those high quality protein powerhouses that you may use to fill that empty nest and aim to maintain or build good health! This is also good news because eggs are easy to cook with regardless of your skills in the kitchen and they are versatile enough to be part of meals or snacks.

Let’s get you started with using your new empty nest kitchen and meal freedom we talked about, by incorporating some easy, nutritious snacks into your food routines:

  • A hard-boiled egg works great as a snack, hot or cold. For ease, you may find it helpful to boil several eggs, cool them and store them in a sealed container in the fridge. They are good for up to one week. This allows you to reach for one easily when you are looking for a snack. Pair it with some veggies or fruit for enhanced nutrition that will help keep you full until your next meal.

  • Remember the awesomeness of devilled eggs? Me too! Stick with classic recipe or try one of these fun new ideas like Herbed Devilled Eggs or Zippy Devilled Eggs. Feel free to adjust the recipe to make only the amount you wish to have for your snack today and perhaps tomorrow. Consider a fruit salad to go with these little devils and you have yourself a filling snack.

  • If you would like to try something that includes eggs and offers the filling aspect of dietary fibre, try one of these recipes: Bran Muffins or a spiced-up Gingerbread Bran Muffins. You may also consider any of these muffins a great fit as part of a breakfast or lunch meal. Simply add a boiled egg, some fruit and even a glass of milk for balanced nutrition.

Including eggs as the main character in a meal is a great way to provide the nutrients that eggs have to offer as well. You could opt for simple, one-meal recipes or commit to making something that would allow for leftovers so you can make the most of your cooking efforts.

Check out these “one-and-done” options:

If you want to be efficient in the kitchen and limit the number of days you are cooking, make recipes that allow for leftovers. Consider adding nutrient-dense sides or beverages such as a vegetable salad, milk, yogurt, and/or fruit to any of these entrees:


I’ve presented several ideas and I am hoping you are ready to invest in yourself by putting your best foot forward for healthy aging. This requires a nutritious diet that includes enough protein for maintaining muscle mass, preserving strength, providing energy and supporting a healthy immune system. Eggs can help you achieve in your healthy journey.

Embrace your empty nest!


Carla D’Andreamatteo, RD, MSc




References:
Canadian Malnutrition Taskforce. (n.d.). Food is medicine. The hidden impact of a poor diet. Canadian Nutrition Society. https://nutritioncareincanada.ca/sites/default/uploads/files/CMW2019-debranded/Public-ENG-8.5×11.pdf.

Dietitians of Canada. (2022). Ten tips for healthy aging. UnlockFood.ca. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Seniors-nutrition/Ten-Tips-for-Healthy-Aging.aspx.

Government of Canada. (2024). Egg safety. Health Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/meat-poultry-fish-seafood-safety/eggs.html#.
 

Government of Canada. (n.d.). Nutrient profile – Egg, chicken, whole, fresh or frozen, raw. Health Canada. https://food-nutrition.canada.ca/cnf-fce/report-rapport.