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fried food for 94 year old MIL

(40 Posts)
threads Fri 04-Aug-23 10:14:26

My 94 year old MIL lives alone, supported by a team of excellent carers, for whom I am looking for some meal inspiration.
She has begun to not eat foods that she previously enjoyed, saying for example that lasagne "looked horrible". By which I assume, she means "messy". She likes to have foods that are identifiable, and loves the frying pan.
Does anyone have any suggestions for foods that she might like, as there are only so many ways to serve a fried egg!

BigBertha1 Fri 04-Aug-23 10:18:52

My parents only liked identifiable English food so it was all pork chops, sausages, chicken but only roasted, cod preferably in breadcrumbs (in the oven) and Dad loved a juicy steak. Not sure everyone's teeth would be up to that. Sorry I'm not much help.

Foxygloves Fri 04-Aug-23 10:24:50

Salmon fillets, little lamb cutlets, sausages(!) fish cakes, any fish, really-sea bass etc - chicken breasts, (maybe poached ) Does she eat liver? Lambs liver and onions, rissoles, strips of chicken fillet - perhaps served with an optional sauce.
I can sympathise. Many many years ago I cooked for a Directors’ Dining Room in the City and was told from the outset by the butler (!) that they (men, of course) did not like what they called “slurpers” ie anything like a casserole, or cooked in a sauce. Bang went my plans for Coq au Vin on the first day!

Wyllow3 Fri 04-Aug-23 10:26:13

Hi threads. I'd suggest, if she is prepared to use a microwave, she goes down the route of Wiltshire Farm Foods or similar, as they do good ranges of traditional and nutritious conventional meals.
MiL swore she would never use a microwave now it is her best friend. But careers can easily use it too, and it means they have a little more time to spend with your mum with a cuppa T then cooking from scratch.
(You can poach chicken and salmon and most vegetables in a microwave too - I do).

henetha Fri 04-Aug-23 10:33:50

Sausages and bacon, but grilled instead of fried, possibly?
And fish, grilled. Or chops. Still recognisable, but healthier.
Does she still enjoy a roast dinner, or a shepherds pie, etc.?

Casdon Fri 04-Aug-23 10:34:15

Marks and Spencer do individual portions of ready meals, my parents are particularly fond of their liver and onions.

BlueBelle Fri 04-Aug-23 10:35:31

My Dad swore by Wiltshire farm foods too Wyllow

Foxygloves Fri 04-Aug-23 10:35:54

If she loves her frying pan and has reached the ripe old age of 94, why deprive her of the pleasure?
Fried does not necessarily equate to swimming in fat and with all respect Wiltshire Farm foods would be providing just what she seems to object to.

Callistemon21 Fri 04-Aug-23 10:40:02

Foxygloves

If she loves her frying pan and has reached the ripe old age of 94, why deprive her of the pleasure?
Fried does not necessarily equate to swimming in fat and with all respect Wiltshire Farm foods would be providing just what she seems to object to.

Absolutely!
A little of what you fancy does you good (apparently) - particularly at 94.

Wyllow3 Fri 04-Aug-23 10:44:54

Casdon is right about M n S foods being popular - friend at the gym takes her very elderly relative for a weekly trip to choose his own.

Wiltshire Farm foods do seem to supply the traditional meals where things are properly separated etc etc
wiltshirefarmfoods.com/how-to-get-started/our-meals?&infinity=ict2~net~gaw~ar~661664745992~kw~wiltshire%20farm%20foods~mt~e~cmp~Search+%7C+Google+%7C+Brand+%7C+Core+%7C+Exact+%7C+New+Users~ag~Brand+%7C+Core+%7C+Pure+%7C+Exact+%7C+New+Users&gclid=CjwKCAjww7KmBhAyEiwA5-PUSnWHVaCTrY4_MCp7UWSxAWXZkdjdo3QGnf-Rg8rrM3lzSn802C8JpxoCyqcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

NotSpaghetti Fri 04-Aug-23 10:45:19

My 99 year old mother-in-law likes www.cookfood.net/ ready meals (frozen)

I know they do some straightforward ones and are quite close to home cooked meals as made in smaller batches. Also do small portions ideal for children-sized appetites.

She likes smoked salmon (the mild one) and sardines/pilchards on toast. She likes few prawns with sandwiches and salads and for reasons of "safety" buys them frozen already cooked.

She likes "old fashioned" Naked ham and their sausages occasionally.

Cauliflower and or brocoli with macaroni cheese.

She likes cheese and biscuits for a snack.

Omelette, poached fish etc. She buys small ready prepared packs of vegetables sometimes if she's feeling "lazy" but otherwise she will scrub a potato and so on.

Good luck.

Katyj Fri 04-Aug-23 11:04:14

NotSpaghetti. Are those cook meals for the microwave or oven How big are they ? my mum will only eat very small portions. M & S do small ready meals but she says their tasteless. I know she shouldn’t but she puts a ton of salt on everything. I’m really stuck too.

fancythat Fri 04-Aug-23 11:17:16

The other day I came across foods that were used in war rationing times.
If you get really stuck, you could google those.

Riverwalk Fri 04-Aug-23 11:29:24

Foxygloves

If she loves her frying pan and has reached the ripe old age of 94, why deprive her of the pleasure?
Fried does not necessarily equate to swimming in fat and with all respect Wiltshire Farm foods would be providing just what she seems to object to.

Exactly - there's nothing wrong with fat nor a frying pan!

Foxygloves Fri 04-Aug-23 11:31:21

fancythat

The other day I came across foods that were used in war rationing times.
If you get really stuck, you could google those.

Poor lady!
Spam, snook, Woolton Pie?

Foxygloves Fri 04-Aug-23 11:34:28

Actually it’s probably “Snoek” and came from S Africa in tins.
Universally loathed according to my father!

Riverwalk Fri 04-Aug-23 11:41:19

I keep reading that air-fryers are ideal for sausages, chips, chicken etc - maybe a small one would be suitable and make things easy for the carers.

Additional instructions to my sons - do not arrange Wiltshire Farm Foods or similar for yer old mother!

Theexwife Fri 04-Aug-23 11:57:13

Look through a supermarket site with her to get some ideas.

Casdon Fri 04-Aug-23 11:57:21

I think an air fryer is a better option than a frying pan if your mum is like mine, her eyesight is failing and I worry about her burning herself accidentally, which isn’t good when you’re on warfarin.

NotSpaghetti Fri 04-Aug-23 12:16:38

Katyj - some are microwave but my mother-in-law doesn't want a microwave.

Size-wise she sometimes has half. Some are in child portions - eg. She has had fish pie and macaroni cheese in children's sizes.

She has had one-portion chicken and ham pie from them which she enjoyed and some casseroles which she tends to eat half of one day, half the next.
Obviously threads wouldn't choose some of these - nor probably tagines and lasagna.

I have eaten some of their dishes and they seem pretty good to me. I did think the aubergine parmigiana needed longer in the oven than stated but then I know lots of timings aren't 100%.

threads Fri 04-Aug-23 12:30:12

Oh thank you all SO much - this is my first post, and you have all been really helpful.
I am wishing to revive her beloved frying pan, for the carers to use on her behalf.
I was told quite bluntly, that Wiltshire Farm Foods had nothing that she liked [!!] Their catalogue is the size of an old Yellow Pages.

Doodledog Fri 04-Aug-23 12:37:39

Not fried, but what about this sort of thing? It serves 2, so would do a couple of days with a change of menu in the middle. £4.40, so £2.20 a portion.

Katyj Fri 04-Aug-23 12:53:06

NotSpaghetti. Thank you, I’m going to try those, she would probably only eat half too , but can’t use the oven only microwave. Just hope she reheats it properly.

Elegran Fri 04-Aug-23 13:01:57

Could you introduce her (and the carers) to the spray cans of oil? you spray a little into the frying pan, so you are not frying stuff in a lot of grease.

An air fryer is a good idea, if she has space for it on the work surface. She or the carers can heat up things like sausage rolls, cornish pasties, little pies, fish in batter or breadcrumbs, chips, potato croquettes, potato pops, even cook a steak or kebabs. It is safer than bending and reaching into a conventional oven to take things out.

Granmarderby10 Fri 04-Aug-23 13:34:18

My partners mum - she lived to 96 would call some foods a “moj” (sp?) she was from Sheffield.
So! Bring back the lamb and the pork chop. With delicious minty gravy, mash and Yorkshire puddings, or crispy pork fat with apple sauce and oniony gravy

Italian food and fork foods have had their moments in the sun imo and I am literally sick to the back teeth of burgers burgers burgers and chicken nougetty things.

Is it wrong to yearn for Great British traditional style foods?
If I can manage with my teeth I’m sure youngsters’ could and
Kids could practice their cutlery skills on them😅

See how they’d take to that. Personally I reckon that they’d eat them if they were really hungry. And the parents can afford them of course!
Ps threads try Delia Smiths recipe for rissoles - they are delicious or M&S crisp cakes , very nice served with appropriate gravy and just enough for small appetites.