Traditional meals for an elderly person? Ideas please!!

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Twizzel

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My great aunt is 91 years old, and still lives in the home she bought 60 years ago. My great uncle died 10 years ago so she lives alone, and relies on different friends/relatives to do her shopping, gardening, take her to the dr etc etc.

We've noticed recently that she's not eating well when she's at home- my mum goes down once a week to do her housework and check up on her, and whilst mum is there my great aunt will tuck into 1/2 tin of vegetable soup... as a main meal :eek:

So my mum, dad and I have decided to provide her with 6 hot, main meals a week so that we know she is eating well. We know she has an appetite, as at Christmas she ate more than my mum and I! We will be travelling down to my aunt 3 times a week (it's a 50 mile round trip), taking 2 meals each time we go and see her.

So, meal ideas please, for an elderly person who is very traditional. 2 of those meals each week will be a roast as we always have roast on a sunday. Today is roast chicken, potatoes and veg, with peach crumble and custard Yum. She's always very happy when we take her a roast :thumbs:

However for the other 4 meals we're a bit stuck, so far we've taken lasagne and beef stew (both of which she loved), but can anybody think of anything else? Must be able to be reheated in a microwave by my aunt :lol:

Cheers :)
 
You can't go wrong with bangers, mash and onion gravy. :thumbs:
How about a fish and chip supper / takeaway when you go? (Obviously has to be eaten there and then ofc)
 
Cottage Pie is a good one. Has meat, mashed potato & veg and will be easy to eat for her. :thumbs:
 
you thought of a nice pie? can be reheated in the oven (i presume she has an oven as well as a microwave)


other ideas i have off the top of my head are.....
cottage/shepards pie
meatballs (and sauce) cooked with rice or pasta
any thick hearty soup is practically a hotpot anyway!
 
First off, that is a very nice plan you've got there. It is always a nice and warm feeling when I see people taking care of the elderly :thumbs:

I can't tell you what food to prepare; but I would ask you to speak to her GP as to what diet special needs she may have?

The one thing that I would be weary of are things that may cause gases! I don't want to sound funny, or to have anyone trivialise this matter, please! It's just that as we get older, our metabolism and bowl movements don't get on too well .. and it is a very embarrassing thing to speak of, that many just suffer in silence!

Again, well done :thumbs:
 
A cheers guys :) Wail she has no dietry needs that we are aware of, and we know most of her ailments due to my mum, dad, brother and myself being the first people that should be contacted if something happened :)

The meals situation has been worrying us for a while, and she has done so much for us, it's the least we can do. I now have a list of around 15 meals that we can have a go at rustling up for her, bless her she's just told me how much she likes the deserts I make her, so hopefully she'll like her peach crumble on Tuesday :)

Cheers again, keep the suggestions coming if you have any more!
 
All of these can be made in advance and reheated in a microwave. Not exactly fine dining, but they're hearty, classic English dishes which should satisfy her nutritional needs (with the appropriate vegetable accompaniments) and give her some variety.

Mains:

Shepherds Pie/Cottage Pie
Lasagne
Chili con carne
Beef Stew
Fish Pie
Steak and Kidney Pie/Pudding
Pasta bake
Kedgeree (more of a starter, but still a hearty dish)
Lamb Hotpot

Desserts:

Spotted Díck
Bread and Butter Pudding
Treacle Sponge Pudding
Rhubarb and Custard
Apple Pie (or any other suitable fruit)
Gooseberry Crumble (or any other suitable fruit)
Trifle
Bakewell Tart
Treacle Tart

NB. Most of those desserts would sit quite nicely with some custard.

EDIT: And before anyone points it out, lasagne, chili con carne and pasta bake might not be of English origin, but you'll find version of those dishes have been a staple of the English dinner table for many a year.
 
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And there's a hundred and one different soups you could make in advance and heat up in some Tupperware in a microwave. The possibilities are almost endless.
 
My elderly grandmother was very partial to a well cooked mild curry and rice, she did grow up in India but she so enjoyed it when I cooked for her.

She found it very easy to eat, I tended to use pre-roasted chicken ( leftovers ) as it became even more tender for her to chew, I guess its only like a stew anyway with a little bit of spice and easy to digest. I always made sure I included some brocolli or green beans in the mix aswell, although I once threw in a tin of butter beans and they went down well !
 
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