Although snacking is often viewed as a negative, actually for many, especially those over 65, snacking can be a positive.

Researchers at Auburn University found that seniors can fill the nutritional gap that often comes with aging by snacking. Their review of data on 2000 older adults found that 84% of the subjects snacked twice a day on average, in addition to eating meals. This resulted in older adults adding significantly more protein, carbohydrates and fat in their diets.

As you age, calorie intake tends to drop for a variety of reasons: lack of interest in food preparation, loss of appetite, and some medical conditions. This can lead to unintended weight loss, which in some cases can put your health at risk. To enhance nutrition, researchers at Auburn University recommend adding snacks to the daily menu for seniors-- three meals and two or three snacks.

The focus should be on healthy snacks, foods that are rich in nutrients like fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, tuna, whole grain crackers or whole grain cereals. An occasional bowl of ice cream, cake, cookies or potato chips is acceptable. However, it's important to limit these "empty calorie" foods to once or twice a week, not every day.