food for 80-90 yr olds

Thanks for all the replies and ideas - I've been offline all day, just catching up.
Yes, the main thing is I think she'll be in a frail state for the next few days and will need tempting.
I'm sure she must normally eat well or she wouldn't have lived so long.
I still haven't made my mind up.

My elderly aunt, now sadly deceased, was tiny but in her late eighties could eat for England and would happily clear her plate when she was taken out for a meal. Some very elderly ladies shouldn't be underestimated

Make her a beautiful cake, in a small tin, so that she is not swamped with cake for evermore. At our advanced ages, I find that a 'normal' sized cake is big and goes off before finished, unless sliced and frozen.

If she is tiny and frail what about a cut and come again cake which will keep. Nadya had a recipe in the Sunday times for a honey and date tea loaf which I am going to try out.

Oh gosh not long now before people are assuming this poor old gal doesn't like a nip of gin. The digestive system can't take anything too tasty, better make hay now before I need the Complan or Bengers food.

DF at 92 still ate as normal. A bottle of sherry was always welcome and anything savoury. Do not assume that just because this gift is for a lady of advanced years that she necessarily has a sweet tooth.

Actually both DF and I loved a really rich fruit cake.

Do people in that age group not appreciate a good fruit cake? A cut and come again cake like this in a nice tin could be a lovely treat.

Couscous is fab - for skinny cows certain people.

My first loyalties on GN is to the Low-carb thread, otherwise I would sent you some lovely cc recipes.

Too late for that I think Riverwalk.

Oh please not couscous!!! [gag]

Always something to look forward to phoenix.

jings aren't you supposed to be keeping a low profile, under the radar sort of thing ...... in the meantime you should eat cake, and couscous!

My mum is 86 and loves cakes but she chokes on anything too dry and flakey such as a Danish pastry. She would live on ice cream if I let her.

So, something sweet and moist ?

jings

In five years time I think I will welcome shop cake. A vanilla madeira with buttercream and soft white icing. I will eat it until I felt really sick and then I would have a sleep.

Roll on.

This lady is recently bereaved and we are told she is tiny , so probably frail with a small appetite . She isn't being provided with a meal , just small treats to tempt her and reassure her that someone is thinking of her

No I don't Merlot but I doubt they have trouble with cake & couscous!

You don't know what they eat though, Riverwalk and they're both in their early eighties.

Judi Dench and Joan Bakewell are in their 80s - does anyone think a cake or couscous would be too heavy for them, or they would need something easily digested?

My mum, who is 89 loves a fairy cake, a chocolate eclair, an egg custard, a sausage roll or toffee eclair - one at a time though.. I have definitely noticed a preference for sweet over savoury in recent years ....

My mum used to love small brioche rolls for breakfast. They're light and easily digested. Maybe a jar of shredless marmalade to go with them?

Cake !!!

Fairy cakes sounds good , small enough for a bite or two , and not a cake to be cut up . What about a tasty soup ? In portion sized containers ?

Could you make her up a small hamper of nice jams, flavoured teas if she likes them, small bags of posh chocolates/fudges, a variety of small home baked cakes/tarts so that she has lots of treats but nothing is overwhelming or too much.

Cous Cous ?

No I'm not taking the p*ss, but I don't think she'll be fancying heavy food at the moment - perhaps I'm wrong?
She's a tiny skinny little thing.
So if she'll like cake, I'll do that.
Having said that, just had a major flop with a cake I made yesterday.