is he allowed a coffee mkaker? if so, he can heat some noodles/pasta in the
coffee pot, ramen comes to mind but even the noodles are a bit dicey
considering his issues, but a can of low salt broth or low salt tomato
sauce, over some orzo noodles will cook in a coffee maker with a decent
warmer... don't run broth thro maker just turn on warmer, pour in orzo, run
hot water over can in sink, after tem minutes put in broth and set on
burner... stirr occasionally and it will cook, time depends on noodles,
which is why orzo is often used when i travel.

Lee
> wrote in message
...
On May 19, 3:15 am, Janet > wrote:
> In article <e2bdaaf6-f45e-431b-a3fc-
> >,
> says...
>
>
>
>
>
> > On May 19, 2:02 am, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> > > > wrote in message
>
> > ...
>
> > > >I work in a deli department at a grocery store, and we have a really
> > > > nice guy who has been coming in for about 15 years. He is a Viet Nam
> > > > vet, in his 70s, very eccentric, and a bit paranoid. He's a super
> > > > nice
> > > > guy who avoids hospitals and cars, won't accept social security,
> > > > etc.
> > > > He has had two heart attacks in the past and refused to go to the
> > > > hospital.
>
> > > > He lives in a nearby motel and buses to work downtown every day. The
> > > > motel won't allow him to have a microwave, hot plate, etc, so he
> > > > comes
> > > > by daily for dinner and tomorrow's lunch.
>
> > > > He's been feeling sick lately, very exhausted and breathing hard.
> > > > His
> > > > boss finally insisted and hauled him to the doctor. His lungs were
> > > > retaining fluid. He has a water pill now, and they took several
> > > > vials
> > > > of blood. He was told he needs to cut out the salt since his diet
> > > > has
> > > > consisted of processed food every day for every meal. His legs are
> > > > swollen, and the lung issue is a bad sign.
>
> > > > So, I am trying to come up with some alternatives that he can eat as
> > > > he adjusts his daily diet. He normally eats a lot of sandwiches,
> > > > corn
> > > > dogs, chicken strips, and chinese food.
>
> > > > In the past, we have done some adjustments to his food, such as
> > > > adding
> > > > a can of veggies to some rice and an entree, and heating it up for
> > > > him. Or adding rice to soup. Stuff like that. We normally do not
> > > > heat
> > > > non-deli food, but we make an exception for him.
>
> > > > Today, I fixed him some rice, with unsalted butter stirred in to
> > > > replace the gravy. And I had the cooks stir fry some veggies and
> > > > chicken without any sauce or seasonings. I also chopped it smaller
> > > > as
> > > > I normally pick through the entrees for the smaller pieces as he
> > > > only
> > > > has 4 teeth. I'm sure it was boring but better than nothing.
>
> > > > I am hoping for some suggestions that would keep him at a low salt
> > > > intake, especially while he gets this under control. I would love to
> > > > make a nice sauce that I could take and add to rice and a plain
> > > > entree
> > > > to give it some flavor.
>
> > > > I can make something at home and heat it there if it is more
> > > > complicated that stuff we make at work. The chinese cooks can make
> > > > just about any entree I ask for as long as it only uses ingredients
> > > > we
> > > > have already. Something like a sauce could be made at home and added
> > > > if it requires something else.
>
> > > > He has a problem chewing due to the teeth, so the only meat we can
> > > > cook for him is chicken, cut up small. Our beef and pork would be
> > > > too
> > > > chewy. I could do something with ground beef at home. He is a bit
> > > > relunctant to accept food as a gift, but i think this is serious
> > > > enough that he would accept me cooking it if he paid for it. He does
> > > > not accept handouts. He protests every year about me giving him a
> > > > Christmas dinner (but he does accept it ).
>
> > > > Sandwich meats are out since they are so high in salt. He loves
>
> Do you sell jars of babyfood or pkts of babyrice or cereals? They are
> usually saltfree and can be eaten by people with no teeth. He can also
> keep a stash safely in the motel room in case he doesn't feel well enough
> to go out to eat.
>

He can still eat most things that can be done in smaller bites. He can
eat a sandwich with sliced turkey meat. He has trouble with roast
beef, but I just chop it up so that it comes apart easily. He can eat
meatloaf sandwiches although now they will be off limits. He can eat
smaller pieces of chicken. I have suggested a knife for larger pieces,
but he refuses. He is eccentric and stubborn