Hi. I'm Mary and have a cooking question.

My parents are elderly and unwell. I live a few hundred miles away. They eat
well when I am right there and cooking meals fresh for them, but otherwise they
tend not to eat much of the time and both have become quite thin.

I am thinking of preparing a bunch of meals in advance and freezing them for my
parents. I plan to use all disposable containers/pans and keep
preparation/cleanup for my parents to a minimum. I don't know that they will
eat homemade frozen any better than they eat commerically prepared frozen
dinners but figure it's worth a shot. I also don't have much time to
experiment and am hoping someone here has some experience freezing meals.

They like lasagne, casseroles, stews, etc. In the case of casseroles, would
they be tastier prepared and frozen but not cooked until ready to eat as
opposed to cooking them through so portions just need to be reheated? My
mother loves New England boiled dinners and I'm thinking it should work frozen
if I cut the meat thick, undercook the veggies and include lots of broth in the
portions (?). Can anyone tell me if homemade mashed potatos are still good
after freezing? How about good frozen sweets/dessert recipes?

I would appreciate anyone sharing recipes that freeze well. Any hints about
preparing complete frozen meals, as opposed to just entrees, would also be most
welcome.

Meals on Wheels would be ideal for my parents but they won't consider it. I
even looked at "personal chefs" to cook for them every week but price is
prohibitive.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Mary