Follow
Share

I will be a part time caregiver and some or most evenings there will be no one to help walker dependent senior get her evening meal. I have thought about preparing single serving meals in individual containers. She has a microwave. I am planning on getting a basket for her walker to help her move food from refrigerator to microwave to table. I need ideas of healthy meals that can be prepared ahead and then refrigerated or frozen and either eaten cold or warmed up in the microwave.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing

14 Answers

Most
Helpful Newest
First Oldest
First
It might be better to have her eat her " main" hot meal in the middle of the dsy, if that's when someone is there to assist. Perhaps then, she could eat a cold salad and sandwich for dinner. Have you looked into Meals on Wheels?

If she'd like to have a hot meal in the evening, I would suggest something like a thick soup. You could make up large batches and freeze them in small containers. Can she still manage container lids?

Another thought is a small crock pot. You can set it up in the am with meat, vegetables and stock, turn it on and it would be ready at dinner time. Let us know how this works out.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
When are you there? Over lunch? Make THAT her big meal. For supper, make her meal either cold or room temperature. Dinner plate, or better, a compartmented paper plate, covered with Saran and including utensils, and she's good to go.

Ideas for a light supper might be tuna salad with a thick sliced tomato, crackers. Maybe cottage cheese, sliced fruit, veggie crudités with ranch dip. Ham sandwich with Sunchips and a sliced Apple. You get the idea.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Oh!! Don't forget the cookies!
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
Since the container must fit in the basket on the walker, it would have to be smaller containers like a cup or saucer, since a full plate wouldn't fit. To keep it from spilling, she would have to put the top back on the container when she removes it from microwave to the table. I can't imagine moving hot food that way for someone who has mobility issues. I'd be concerned with it spilling and burning her. So, I agree with those above and would only prepare cold dishes like sandwiches, cold cuts, chicken salad, fruit salad, pasta salad, etc. if she has no assistance to prepare the food. To me, her using the microwave would be too risky.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
First, find out what she LIKES to eat, there's no sense preparing healthy meals if she won't eat them. Almost anything can be made ahead and re heated later, all you have to do is glance at the frozen food aisle in the supermarket to see that! Casseroles reheat particularly well, but your basic meat and potato meals can also work if you remember microwave basics and place the meats in the centre of the plate and veggies around the edges.
You say she is frail, not suffering from dementia so I don't think there should be a problem with the microwave. Ensuring that the containers you choose will be deep enough to prevent spills and easy to handle when hot will make transferring them safer. There are also trays designed to fit on some walkers/rollators, that might work better than a basket as it would be higher. Don't forget a separate cup holder!
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Thank you all for the input. I just met her on Friday and all we did was talk. She is mentally sharp. I'll ask her to move a container of cold water from the frig to the microwave and microwave to table (still cold) to see how well she can handle it to see if it might be dangerous for her. I'll also have her demonstrate how well (or not) she can open her containers. I had already thought about the cup holder too. I'll be there late morning to cook a hot breakfast. My time there will be approximately the same as the delivery time for the local Meals on Wheels, so that doesn't help. I like the cookie idea and I'll check about a tray instead of a basket for her walker.

Thank you again for all of the comments and suggestions. J
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Meals on wheels usually brings two meals, a lunch & dinner. In assisted living, lunch is the bigger meal, dinner is fairly light and includes a single serve cup of applesauce or Jell-O/pudding that they can keep in a small fridge in their room. They also serve a small evening snack, such as a cookie or apple or ice cream cup. You could cut up some fresh apple and toss it in orange juice to keep it from getting brown, then put it in a small Ziploc in the fridge for later.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
If you are giving her a hot breakfast and she has access to meals on wheels for a hot lunch, then I think the idea of a lighter supper of soups, sandwiches, muffins, fruit cups etc is probably the better option. Often older people have more trouble with indigestion if they eat a large meal at night, and she doesn't need as many calories a someone who is more active.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
I make baked turkey or chicken wings in ziplocs, sliced baked sweet potatoes, egg salad, sliced fruit and store bought cole slaw, hummus, olive bread, tuna salad, rotisserie chicken. Mom enjoys.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
First of all, get her a tray for her walker. I got my mom a "universal walker tray" through Walgreens online that fits her walker. He has a hole for a drink to fit in. So she can put a plate of food and a drink on it and walk it to her chair. I see Amazon has the same model for under $20. Just make sure it would fit the brand of walker she has. It fit my mom's old walker beautifully! It easily comes off when we go somewhere.

I fix her a plate of food and she takes some of each thing and heats it on a saucer in the microwave at night. A plate of food that I would eat in two meals can last my mom for 3-4 meals (she weighs about 124 right now). I also keep lots of snack foods (mixed nuts, string cheese, pudding cups, individual popcorn servings, cookies, crackers, potato chips, fruit cups, bananas, candy bars) that she can cobble together a different meal if she wants. I also keep her fridge stocked with frozen individual dinners (like Stouffer's mac and cheese) that she can heat up if she wants. She also always has ice cream in her freezer. I also have Ensure or Boost in her fridge that she can eat in place of a meal if she wants.

At 95, my mom is at the point that any calorie is a good calorie in my opinion! I'm just trying to keep some weight on her.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Blannie, your snack ideas are great. My mom will only eat at meal time and refuses snacks or ensure, despite being frail and thin. Her Dr spoke to her and she can't remember or she thinks she needs to be on a diet. It is so frustrating. Can't reason with dementia. She is 85 pounds. It's worse than trying to get a finicky child to eat.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
The tray idea for a walker is great. I'm going to get one for dad even though he's on a feeding tube and can't eat or drink. He puts himself at risk by trying to carry papers or a pen instead of holding the walker properly.
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
Yes, I only kick myself that I didn't think of the tray idea sooner. When I saw my mom struggling to carry a drink to her chair with her walker, I realized she needed something more. She tells me how much she loves it. I can tell by the spilled food on it, she's using it a LOT, LOL!!
Helpful Answer (0)
Report
As well as a tray on walker for carrying small things think about a small bag fixed with carabiner clips (when I visited NY I found them in Home Depot).
For light treats jello with small pieces of fruit in it. I don't know if you know Thermos Flasks (I'm in UK), these are good for soups, casserole with small pieces, drinks. Sandwiches cut into shapes with cookie cutters make for fun if finicky eaters. Cutting fruit/veg into shapes helps too. Pasta shapes
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.

Recent Questions


Popular Questions


Related Questions

Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter