Inlaws need food - ideas needed

FlacosFloozie

Another vote for stew here. I do a beef one with chunks of turnip, parsnip, carrot and either potato or dumplings. Very easy to batch cook and reheat in microwave and you can add as little or as much seasoning as they like.
How about baked potatoes in the microwave? I know they're not as good as oven done ones but they aren't bad. They're cheap and filling and you could add any filling from the fridge like cheese or tuna if you're trying to get them to eat more fish.
Soups are another good one and will freeze and reheat well if you can get small containers.

pink68

Hi there

This might sound like a plug but there are several companies out there that deliver frozen meals on a fornightly basis. My grandma (who's 98!) has them. They come every other week and put them in yourfreezer for you and you can either phone an order through or set up a 'standing order' which gran has as she would never remember to order them. She cant even remember if they've delivered most of the time bless her....

anyways the two main ones are both something farm foods....they;re not as cheap as home cooked but if you need a back up or you're not well enough to do them they're great, and they have low salt or diabetic options.

Just a thought really...good luck :beer:

SpikyHedgehog

With getting the fish into them, would fish stock work? (Almost lifelong vegetarian here, so I may be talking rubbish!) I was thinking you could make fish stock to use in stews or soups.

My friend at work eats very plain food and she does beef stew by cooking up beef and onions with gravy, though she sometimes adds carrot.

I think if you were making bread, rolls might be better than loaves of bread?

Baileys_Babe

For more inspiration you could try Googling some companies who offer the service that some previous posters have mentioned, I searches "meals delivered".
Also you could ask MIL to give you a list of the meals they have previously enjoyed.

How are they dealing with breakfast & lunch? I find it useful to have a list of ideas or we would end up with cheese sandwiches everyday.

redlady_1

Thanks everyone. Many ideas to choose from. They have only been here 3 weeks and so we are just in the process of setting things up for them. Last night I cooked 8 portions of cottage pie for them (the OH has his eye on some of it when he came round) so that will keep them going. I am going to cook a gammon on Friday and will leave them with the leftover ham. I will certainly look into those companies that deliver.

It is a fine line as the more we do for them, the less she will do herself and she already expects me to drop everything to pick up prescriptions. It is Pa we worry about the most. Ma doesn't ever shut up so she is actually OK!

Breakfast and lunch are taken care of (sandwiches) and Pa can make one of those. We are trying to be more of a back up for when Ma is ill.

MOGGYMALONE

Good luck with your meals and btw where we live there can be arrangements made for the pharmacist to collect the prescriptions from the doctors surgery and deliver it to their door...might be worth enquiring about. Hope this helps and all best wishes! Moggy

redlady_1

Hi Moggy. That system is meant to be in place but doesn't seem to be working at the moment. I think Ma is totally out of sorts at the moment following the move and hopefully it will settle down in the New Year. We picked this bungalow because it is literally 3 mins door to door to a shop so that will mean she can feel a bit more independent. We will also take them to Bingo (something they loved) and do more with them to help the transition.

MOGGYMALONE

sounds like you are doing a great job! sometimes its not easy caring for elderly parents - best wishes, moggy