[Elderly] Feel the Arrival of Spring with Snack Activities! Recommended Menus for March
March, when it gradually gets warmer, is such a pleasant season—you can feel spring approaching and it makes your heart skip with excitement.
Here are some snack activity recipes that are perfect for March.
A distinctive feature is that many of them are inspired by Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day), since it’s in March.
It’s great for staff to make them so everyone can enjoy a treat, and there are also relatively simple and safe options that older adults can make together and have fun with.
It’s still a bit too chilly to enjoy walks outside, but how about savoring spring-like treats indoors to get a taste of the season?
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[Seniors] Feel the arrival of spring with a snack activity! Recommended menus for March (21–30)
Amazake Soy Milk Pudding
People often drink amazake during the Doll Festival, right? Let’s try making a very healthy amazake soy milk pudding by mixing soy milk into that amazake! First, bloom the gelatin in water.
Meanwhile, heat amazake and soy milk in a pot; when it starts to gently bubble, turn off the heat and mix in the gelatin.
Then pour into cups, let it cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator for about 1–2 hours.
It’s ready! If you use rice-koji amazake, it doesn’t contain alcohol, so even older adults can enjoy it with peace of mind.
three-color steamed buns
Let’s make vibrant, tri-colored steamed cakes that look like the layered hishi-mochi displayed during Hina Matsuri! First, add milk, sugar, salad oil, and cake flour.
For the batters you want to color pink and green, mix in sakura powder and matcha powder, respectively.
Pour each batter into silicone cups in the same order as hishi-mochi’s layers.
Place the cups in a frying pan with boiling water and steam.
Insert a bamboo skewer, and if it comes out clean, they’re done.
They look so beautiful that eating them will be extra fun!
Simple recipe for making ohagi (sweet rice balls)
Doesn’t spring just make your heart flutter? How about “rice cooker ohagi,” perfect for this season? It’s a lovely way to spend time together, enjoying nostalgic flavors as you make them in a friendly, cheerful atmosphere.
With a rice cooker, they’re easy to prepare and turn out delicious with minimal effort.
You can customize them with chunky red bean paste or kinako soybean flour—whatever you like.
Share old stories as you enjoy a heartwarming snack time.
It’s sure to become a wonderful memory, enjoying both nostalgia and new discoveries together with older adults.
Making chirashi-sushi cake
This is a “Chirashi Sushi Cake,” perfect for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) events.
Some older adults may have made chirashi sushi at home in the past, right? Making it at the facility might bring back memories of preparing it at home and sharing it with family.
It can also be a fun activity time, chatting with other seniors and reminiscing together.
For this chirashi sushi, we press vinegared rice into a round cake mold.
Some participants may find the steps a bit confusing at first, but by arranging the ingredients like cake toppings, you’ll create a beautifully decorated chirashi sushi.
It’s a chirashi sushi cake that’s just right for Hinamatsuri.
Marshmallow Arrangement Recipes
When it comes to springtime treats, recipes using marshmallows are a great choice.
You can enjoy their fluffy texture and sweet aroma, and they’re perfect for making together as a group.
Using a microwave makes them easy to prepare, so older adults can join in comfortably.
Drizzling chocolate or adding fruit makes them even more festive.
If everyone takes on a role while cooking, the conversation will really flow.
Once they’re ready, prepare some tea and take your time savoring them.
It’s a lovely way to spend time while feeling the arrival of spring.
Easy Strawberry Pudding
Strawberries are in season in March and April.
These days, you often see strawberries in supermarkets starting in winter, but originally their peak season is spring, around March and April.
Let’s use those strawberries to make strawberry pudding.
If you use Fruiche—the dessert mix that thickens like yogurt when you add milk—it’s easy to make.
Dissolve gelatin in milk, add it to the Fruiche mix, and stir.
Pour it into molds and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour, and it will set like pudding.
Topping it with strawberries to your liking makes it look nice and delicious.
Some older adults may have made Fruiche at home before.
Hishimochi-style milk kanten jelly
Let’s make milk agar jelly in three colors—pink, white, and green—just like hishi-mochi! First, put milk, agar, and sugar in a pot and bring it to a boil.
For coloring, strawberries are recommended for pink and kiwifruit for green.
Mash each fruit finely, then divide the milk agar you made at the start and mix it with each fruit.
Once ready, pour the mixtures into a container in the color order of hishi-mochi, layering them.
Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator until set, then remove from the container and cut into the shape of hishi-mochi to finish.
It’s smooth and easy to eat, making it perfect as a snack for older adults.