[For Seniors] Enjoy July! Easy and Fun Snack Activities
July is the season when it gets hotter and hotter, isn’t it?
Older adults may also crave something cool to eat when hot days continue.
In summer, many people lose their appetite but can still eat sweets, don’t you think?
Also, since July includes events like Tanabata, Pear Day, and summer festivals, it’s a great idea to make snacks that match these occasions.
In this article, we’ll introduce easy snack activity ideas recommended for July.
We’ve put together a wide range—from nostalgic treats you might remember from food stalls to snacks that may feel new and unusual for older adults.
If you’re struggling to come up with snack activities, be sure to use this as a reference!
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- [For Seniors] Recommended Snack Activities: Easy, Large-Batch Recipes
[For Seniors] Enjoy July! Easy, Fun Snack Activities (51–60)
mizumanju (a Japanese chilled translucent rice flour dumpling, often with sweet bean paste)
The sweet bean paste showing through the dough looks so tasty…
How about trying your hand at making a summer wagashi, mizu manju? Its delicate appearance might make it seem difficult, but you can actually make it with just potato starch, sugar, sweet bean paste, and water.
Mix the potato starch and sugar, dissolve with water, and simmer in a frying pan until it thickens.
As the moisture evaporates and it turns syrupy like corn syrup, the dough is ready.
Pour it into molds, add the sweet bean paste, chill, and you’re done! The steps are simple, so anyone can give it a try with ease.
Shiratama parfait
We’ve gradually been able to resume cooking activities that were hard to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In cooking sessions, thinking through the steps, using your hands, and of course eating the finished dish all provide excellent stimulation for the brain.
Here, we’ll make a shiratama parfait—a sweet collaboration of Japanese and Western styles.
We use tofu instead of water for the shiratama dough, which boosts the nutritional value.
Kneading the soft shiratama dough is soothing, isn’t it? Once they’re boiled, let’s enjoy topping them with sweet red beans, fruit, and whipped cream.
Easy Hydrangea Jelly
Here’s a simple hydrangea jelly you can make by heating it in the microwave.
It’s perfect for a June snack activity.
Soften gelatin in milk with sugar or in water, then heat it in the microwave along with grape juice.
Pour the milk-based jelly mixture into containers and chill until set.
The key for the grape jelly mixture made with grape juice is to prepare it in a storage bag.
Lay it flat to chill and set, then tear it into pieces with a fork and place them on top of the milk jelly.
The grape jelly pieces, which look like dice cuts, resemble hydrangea petals.
Since you can make this without using a stove or knives, try making it together with older adults.
Shaved ice with whole fruit
Shaved ice made by freezing fruits like strawberries and mandarins as they are and shaving them is steadily becoming popular! It might feel like an unfamiliar snack for older adults, but new experiences can stimulate the brain.
Scoop out the insides of your favorite fruits—such as melon, apple, or orange—and put them straight into the freezer! Keep the skins after scooping, since they can be used as bowls.
If it feels a bit low on moisture, it’s also great to freeze the fruit together with store-bought juice.
Doesn’t this sound like the perfect menu for a summer snack activity?
Tanabata Warabi Mochi
How about featuring warabi mochi as a snack activity? It’s a sweet that’s popular even with younger generations—drinking warabi mochi is trending—and it’s also a familiar traditional confection that dates back to the Edo period, making it well-known among seniors.
Its jiggly, chewy texture is perfect for hot summer days when appetites tend to drop.
For a Tanabata theme, you can add shaved ice syrup to the batter or top it with star-shaped fruit to set the mood.
For toppings, pick your favorites—whipped cream, ice cream, and more—and enjoy making it your own.