In article ,
(MaryAnderson60) wrote:

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.

A few questions from the nutritionist's point of view:

Have your parent(s) been checked out for possible early stage dementia
(Alzheimer's). It's possible that one or both "forgets" to eat. Are
they on multiple medications that may depress appetite, cause fatigue,
or alter mental state? Can one or both see well enough to read the
cooking directions you may put on the package? Is arthritis a problem
for either or both of them? It may be more than just not feeling like
cooking.

Do they have a microwave? If so, foil and some disposable containers
are inappropriate. If not, foil containers are your only option. Do
they have a good-sized freezer compartment in their refrigerator to
accomodate your goodies?

Casseroles should be cooked completely before portioning into small
packages for freezing. I've never tried to freeze potatoes. If you
look at most frozen entrees that contain mashed potatoes, practically
all of them use reconstituted dried potato flakes.

As far as frozen sweets go, ice cream is always a good option.
Alternately, buy a bunch of Girl Scout cookies for them. They freeze
very well.

HTH,
Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

In article ,
Katra wrote:

Nancy Young wrote:

MaryAnderson60 wrote:

snipped

Met-Rx.

One of the few really good, complete liquid meal replacements!
Better than Ensure or Boost any day of the week. :-)

Also, anything by EAS. Both are fortified so are actually food
replacement shakes.

There are a lot of good total meal replacement shakes and bars now
available at GNC. They are for bodybuilding so FAR superior
nutritionally to most of the high sugar crap sold at Pharmacies for the
elderly.

snipped

These "meal replacements", regardless of who sells them, lack a lot of
things. Fiber, for one. Old folks have enough problems consuming
enough fiber. Some can and do get diarrhea from the meal replacements,
which can make nutritional status worse. They're fine for occasional
consumption, but nobody who can still eat should be on them as a sole
source of nutrition. You also have to consider the positive
psychological effects of eating real food, rather than eating some
sawdust-flavored bar or drinking some potion. Most elderly people rebel
at using these products, even when they really need them.

Cindy, taking off the nutritionist hat

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

Snipped:

Personally, I would cook them through. My experience has been that
even reheating a dinner becomes a major challenge as people get older.
I would also cut the ingredients small, and don't send them in huge
portions. Elderly people just do not eat much.

Can anyone tell me if homemade mashed potatos are still good
after freezing?

I freeze leftover mashed potatoes. They're okay for me.

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.

All I can picture is that Tilia infomercial where they put complete
dinners on divided microwavable plates and seal them. You should
really also think about getting them cases of Boost or Ensure, those
supplemental nutrition drinks. Something like that.

Also, do you think they would eat fruit? The *occasional* fruit gift
box be a good idea if you think they will eat it. I mean, some fresh
food, you know?

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.

You really might want to check to find someone who will (for a fee,
obviously) stop in a couple of times a week to check up on them and
maybe take them food shopping/whatever. Like a caregiver. They
could ease your mind (or alert you) by letting you know how your
parents doing. My experience is that parents are very good at
pretending everything is just hunky dory.

Good luck.

nancy


I can't be of any help to the first poster as my 83-year-old parents live over
a thousand miles away. I have never had a Tilia, but I used to have that
seal-a-meal thing with bags you can boil (before microwaves) and I liked it for
single servings.

A brother has been sending Cracker Barrel treats to us for the past few years.
The packages contain ham and bacon and we use them up. When I was last at my
parents' house before the holiday season, they had one of those packages and my
mom wanted to give the ham away to a neighbor. Of course, she is not very
together, but it made it hard for me later to know what to send them. I find
it hard to buy them food gifts for the most part, as they might give them away
- with the exception of chocolates.

I wonder if the first poster's parents will reheat her meals, or if they will
go to waste. I'm sure she has a better take on her parents' preferences and
habits than I do, so it may work out fine. I agree with the spaghetti,
lasagne, stews, etc. I've also observed, as my parents aged, that they don't
like many spices nor salt in their food. And my dad no longer perks coffee,
just nukes water for instant coffee.




rharps.com

MaryAnderson60 wrote:


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.


When you say your parents won't consider meals on wheels, are they
saying, in effect, "oh no, we won't consider meals on wheels; we much
prefer that you drop everything, abandon your career and your family and
your free time and your friends so you can drive here and cook for us,
and if you don't, that's O.K., we'll starve," because that's what it
sounds like to me.


This might not be the right time, but at some point they'll have to
consider it. There's only so much you can do. You can travel the
hundreds of miles to take care of them. You can freeze meals for them
when you're there. You can hire someone to look in on them now and then
(which will cost a bundle). You can hire someone to cook for them
(which will cost a bundle). You can travel to take care of them more
often (which has huge costs to your own life in terms of time and career
and time spent away from your own family and friends).


This might sound like I'm suggesting you abandon your parents. I'm not.
Definitely continue to take care of them, but do be prepared to decide
on some limits. Take time for yourself. Decide how on what's
appropriate and dutiful and what's caving in to manipulation.

I'll take it to another thread, but I do want you to know that I'm
wrestling with this myself. I'm about to uproot my life in New England
where I love it to move my parents home town for a month so I can be
there to cook and help take care of my mother after her heart surgery.
I say this to make my above message sound less horrible. A certain
amount of inconvenience and sacrifice is appropriate-- but not an
unlimited amount.

--Lia

I have a very similar problem. I work a lot of 10 and 12 hr. days and
get home late and too tired to cook for myself. SO about everyother
week-end I do mass cooking and freezing. First off-haunt the dollar
stores for plastic containers to freeze in. Great places--great prices.
I will make a huge pot of mashed potatoes--then a meatloaf and maybe
some pork chops .Then I put together my dinners keeping everything no
higher than an inch and a half--and freeze. Soups are so convenient too,
and freeze well. All casseroles freeze well and I just made up a few
turkey dinners. The secret is to cook a lot all in one day and then
forget the stove for a week.
lots of luck-kathleen

nice and tasty but simple foods like shepherds pie and captains pie
(using fish) both freeze well and are simple to re-cook.

(MaryAnderson60) wrote:

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.

Check around, Mary. In Vancouver, BC, covering an area to 50 miles east of the
city, there are two firms that sell frozen, prepared meals, ready to heat in the
microwave or oven.
The meals are made the week they are delivered and cost abot $5 CAN each.
Because I work and my wife is disabled, we have used the service for our main
meal often. The quality, taste and service is outstanding.
Do a web search for your area?

Dennis

Nancy Young wrote:

Katra wrote:

Met-Rx.

One of the few really good, complete liquid meal replacements!
Better than Ensure or Boost any day of the week. :-)

Also, anything by EAS. Both are fortified so are actually food
replacement shakes.

What do you mean by shakes? I realize that might sound like a
simplistic question, but are they liquid or do you have to mix a
powder with milk/whatever.

Yes, it is a powder packet that you can mix with milk or juice. The
vanilla flavor goes well in orange juice! Some MRP's (short for "meal
replacement powder) mix more easily than others and you can just use a
shaker. Some need a blender. G

I personally like Isopure as it is never gritty, and stirs in with a
spoon very well. The chocolate and vanilla are both excellent, and that
brand is highly fortified and the Whey protein in it is Lactose free!


K. (who knows that we all have to bury our parents some day, and it
REALLY sux!!! :-( )

Yeah, though sometimes it's too late, sorry to say.

nancy

Just tell them you love them frequently, and mean it. :-)

Don't dwell on it... I lost mom last year, so daddums is living with me
now, and seems to like my cooking. He is also good about taking vitamin supplements.

He is 71 so still pretty young yet, but mom was only 68. sigh
At least she knew she was cherished! That last trip to the ER, the week
before she died on the ventilator, she was sitting on the ER bed and
said "if this is check-out time for me, just know that I love you very
much and I thank you for everything you have done for me". Painful, but
beautiful memory....

K. sniffle

--
^,,^ Cats-haven Hobby Farm ^,,^ ^,,^

"There are millions of intelligent species in the universe, and they are
all owned by cats" -- Asimov

Custom handcrafts, Sterling silver beaded jewelry
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...s&userid=Katra

Cindy Fuller wrote:

In article ,
Katra wrote:

Nancy Young wrote:

MaryAnderson60 wrote:

snipped

Met-Rx.

One of the few really good, complete liquid meal replacements!
Better than Ensure or Boost any day of the week. :-)

Also, anything by EAS. Both are fortified so are actually food
replacement shakes.

There are a lot of good total meal replacement shakes and bars now
available at GNC. They are for bodybuilding so FAR superior
nutritionally to most of the high sugar crap sold at Pharmacies for the
elderly.

snipped

These "meal replacements", regardless of who sells them, lack a lot of
things. Fiber, for one. Old folks have enough problems consuming
enough fiber. Some can and do get diarrhea from the meal replacements,
which can make nutritional status worse. They're fine for occasional
consumption, but nobody who can still eat should be on them as a sole
source of nutrition. You also have to consider the positive
psychological effects of eating real food, rather than eating some
sawdust-flavored bar or drinking some potion. Most elderly people rebel
at using these products, even when they really need them.

Cindy, taking off the nutritionist hat

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me


I won't argue with any of that... :-)

I have been studying sports nutrition for about 10 years, and I don't
think I suggested in my post that this be the ONLY source of food for
them... That would be bad. Even bodybuilders don't do that!

It's just a good way to add extra calories, and VITAMINS! It's very,
very difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals that you need
with a regular diet, especially if you don't eat very much. And a lot of
older folks don't like to take pill supplements.

The shakes are just a convenient supplement, and some are specifically
designed for weight gain, and she did say that they were getting a bit thin.

But, as you pointed out, it depends on whether or not they will consume
them. That is why brand is important. Some are tastier than others and
have a better texture.

I'm just not impressed with Ensure as it is NOT very high in protein,
and I strongly believe that many people don't truly get the protein that
they need in their diets, and this contributes to muscle wasting in the
elderly. I base ALL of my meals pretty much around some type of meat. Or
eggs. My goal is a minimum of 50 grams per day.

Dad's muscles are coming back. :-) He was proudly showing me a nice
bicep the other day! LOL! His legs are looking better too. He was
getting "chicken legs" if you know what I mean.

I must be doing something right for him... g

Danke,

K.
--
^,,^ Cats-haven Hobby Farm ^,,^ ^,,^

"There are millions of intelligent species in the universe, and they are
all owned by cats" -- Asimov

Custom handcrafts, Sterling silver beaded jewelry
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...s&userid=Katra

Kathleen Dughman wrote:

I have a very similar problem. I work a lot of 10 and 12 hr. days and
get home late and too tired to cook for myself. SO about everyother
week-end I do mass cooking and freezing. First off-haunt the dollar
stores for plastic containers to freeze in. Great places--great prices.
I will make a huge pot of mashed potatoes--then a meatloaf and maybe
some pork chops .Then I put together my dinners keeping everything no
higher than an inch and a half--and freeze. Soups are so convenient too,
and freeze well. All casseroles freeze well and I just made up a few
turkey dinners. The secret is to cook a lot all in one day and then
forget the stove for a week.
lots of luck-kathleen

Excellent advice... ;-)
I used to do this very thing my last year in college when I had to work
AND attend my clinical rotation classes... I had, maybe, 3 hours per day
free that year and that was spent studying, warming up pre-prepared
food, and showering. :-P That did not count the 4 or 5 hours of sleep
per night of course.

The life of a college senior can be hell!

It was good practice tho'. G

K.

--
^,,^ Cats-haven Hobby Farm ^,,^ ^,,^

"There are millions of intelligent species in the universe, and they are
all owned by cats" -- Asimov

Custom handcrafts, Sterling silver beaded jewelry
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...s&userid=Katra

paula wrote:

nice and tasty but simple foods like shepherds pie and captains pie
(using fish) both freeze well and are simple to re-cook.

What do you think of commercial frozen meat pies?

What brand is best/healthiest?

(MaryAnderson60) wrote in message ...
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.

This is a real concern.


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.

I do this routinely for DH who works all the time (from home) and
often needs a quick meal in the middle of the night or early in the AM
before I am up and about.


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?

I cook mine completely, portion them, and then freeze. I worry about
undercooked foods.

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 (?).

Not sure what a NE boiled dinner is, but if it is like a pot roast
with veggies, then I cook it completely prior to freezing. I cut the
meat thin, though, so that it reheats easily. veggies like broccoli
and brusslesprouts, I leave in larger pieces.

Can anyone tell me if homemade mashed potatos are still good
after freezing?

Yes. I reheat in the nuker.

How about good frozen sweets/dessert recipes?

Brownies and cookies (wrap well), apple (or peach) crisp and cobblers.


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.

Basically, I purchased a set of 8 pyrex glass containers (I think they
are 2-quart) with rubber tops made for freezer and oven use. I
apportion the (cooled, cooked) meat on one side, and the
potatoes/starch on the other - often pouring in some purchased frozen
veggies as well, in their own little corner, just prior to freezing.
I make sure to add some broth or pan drippings to make sure everything
stays moist during cooking. When ready to eat, DH removes the top,
places foil on top, and then pops it in the oven at 350 for about an
hour (sometimes more).

Lasagne casserole works well also - two layers of: cooked pasta, meat
sauce, cheese. I put a little sauce in the bottom prior to adding the
first layer of pasta, just to keep it more moist.



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.

What about single-serving frozen desserts like ice cream cups and
bars, etc? I know my Mom would often eat that, if nothing else. Not
the best nutritionally, but it is better than NOTHING. Also, she
liked canned fruit coctail, peaches and pears, as well as canned soups
and yogurt. It's amazing how similar some elders are to kids, in some
respects.

Good luck! Is there an elder advocate/social worker you can invoke to
check on them in your absence?

-L.

On 18 Dec 2003 18:14:41 GMT, (MaryAnderson60)
wrote:

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.

Search on "freezing meals" or "freezer meals" for plenty of
suggestions. Here's one site with a lot of recipes and info:

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980209a.cfm

From:

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 manage a health food store in Florida. Most of my clientele are older folks.
Our vegetarian soups are a mainstay of many of their diets. They are tasty,
easy to eat (don't forget that sometimes old folks don't eat because of dental
issues), provide good nutrition and are loaded with fiber. My suggestion is to
make up gallons of various soups (they freeze beautifully) in individual
microwaveable containers. Just be sure to label them well with instructions,
type and date.

If you would like some suggestions/recipes that we use just ask, I'll be happy
to help.

Also, quick breads and muffins with added flax meal and oat bran freeze great
too. Add lots of bananas and blueberries for additional flavor and nutrition.

I'd also suggest that you contact a local health food store and ask if they
deliver. We deliver if specially requested by family members at no additional
cost. Smoothies, Fresh Vegie Juices, Soups, Sandwiches, Salads plus grocery
items and supplements. The occasional tip is appreciated.

Hope this helps
Ellen

Katra wrote:

Nancy Young wrote:

Also, anything by EAS. Both are fortified so are actually food
replacement shakes.

What do you mean by shakes? I realize that might sound like a
simplistic question, but are they liquid or do you have to mix a
powder with milk/whatever.

Yes, it is a powder packet that you can mix with milk or juice.

This is the problem. The people I'm talking about have caregivers,
but when they didn't, even making toast or peeling a banana was out
of their ability or desire to eat. I didn't realize how bad it was
for some time. Speaking of the original poster's situation, I am
concerned that they are not eating because even the small task of
mixing up a shake might make them not use them. I'm only speaking
from experience, not arguing with you in any way.

Do you know of a decent already mixed shake? I try to get the
high protein drinks, but even then, they aren't all that high, but
they are better than not eating.

I personally like Isopure as it is never gritty, and stirs in with a
spoon very well. The chocolate and vanilla are both excellent, and that
brand is highly fortified and the Whey protein in it is Lactose free!

I will have to look for that. Hmmm, I wonder if there is a GNC in
the mall. I will be there Monday, doing my Christmas shopping (sigh).

K. (who knows that we all have to bury our parents some day, and it
REALLY sux!!! :-( )

Yeah, though sometimes it's too late, sorry to say.

Don't dwell on it... I lost mom last year, so daddums is living with me
now, and seems to like my cooking. He is also good about taking vitamin supplements.

That's good to hear.

Unfortunately, I'm talking about alz sufferers who live on long
after their brain does. Horrid illness.

nancy