fried food for 94 year old MIL

IMO, anyone who’s reached that age can eat what the hell they like.
I once had to have a Word with one of the staff at my mother’s care home, who bossily told her that she should be choosing the brown bread sandwiches (instead of the white) - daily provided at tea time - because they were healthier.
My mother was over 90! (And went on to 97).

Should add that during nearly 8 years in that home, that particular carer was the only one I didn’t take to. IMO def. in the wrong job. All the others were lovely.

henetha

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.?

If I’d made it to 94 bugger the healthy option. If she wants chips every day cooked in lard, does it really matter 🤷‍♀️

How about fried fish such as kippers or herrings? It’s supposed to be good for you. My Dad loved these and lived to be 96.

Cook often has offers on the website that are worth a look. Also, if you Google "cook" discount codes there's often a promotional 10 or 15% off.
If you are new parents there's usually a deal too.
I have bought Cook dinners for "new baby" gifts too abd they seem to be appreciated.

NotSpaghetti

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.

A great shop, food although little more expensive, is first class. Always visit the shop in Battle when visiting.

grannysyb

Years ago, I was a volunteer delivering meals on wheels. Another volunteer commented that the fish and chips which were often served on a Friday were bad for those we were delivering to, my comment was that if you'd got to a certain age, you could eat what you liked!

My Mum’s favourite too. ❤️. A regular treat was me taking her to the hairdresser, driving to the coast, getting fish and chips, parking on the cliffs and eating them whilst watching the sea, then she would throw any scraps to the gulls. We did that in all weathers but she just loved that simple pleasure.

NotSpaghetti Thank you but unfortunately she hasn’t got a sweet tooth, won’t touch anything thing sweet which is a shame as she could do with the calories. unlike me of course that would rather have my pudding first.

A small George Forman grill would do the trick sausages thin pork chops (good value even now) bacon or fish fillet etc. Only minutes to cook and reduction in fat with packet ready mash and veg in the shops aren’t expensive.
One pack would feed my mum twice with added corned beef or a few sausages and peas. Very basic food but identifiable my mum only ate traditional foods too.

Katyj - they do some pretty good puddings (if you dare!).

At 94 what does it matter what she eats, as long as she is eating and enjoying the food she she has.

What about a small airfryer? it will do all the things a frying pan does, safely and well.

Let her have what she wants at her great age. 👍 My Mum lived to almost 97 and all her life ate homecooked foods with veg from our garden and never ate junk food. She got to about 90 and developed a liking for sweet treats, meringues, cakes, TUC biscuits, fruit jelly sweets covered in sugar etc. i noticed each week she was adding more treats.

One day I took her in a small discount shop and we got to the till with her basket full of sweeties, cakes, biscuits etc. a very handsome young man about 35 winked at her and said “I see you are going for the healthy option.” She was so taken aback and blurted out “well they last me for weeks and I give some to my grandchildren”. He said “yeah right” and laughed. We got outside and I said “you big fibber, that lot will be gone in a few days.” We laughed and laughed because she knew it was true. 🤣

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.

Agreed. I saute to begin many dishes.. no fat swimming at all.

If I reach 94, I hope I'm allowed to eat as I wish, fried or not, all identifiable - meat lovers identifying meats should be easy - pieces of pork chop, chicken breast, salmon, bacon - oh, have a fry!

Gammon steak is easily fried and keeps well.
Try looking in Iceland they actually do some very good quality ranges, if she has a freezer they do large bags of various chicken and fish products that can be fried from frozen, this way she can have as much or as little as she wishes.

i'm 91. After a fall about 8 weeks ago my appetite changed. The most nourishing thing I have is milk which never gives me indigestion. I have gone off meat, because the texture us too dry and firm.

I like fried eggs and usually have one per day. The egg is fried in oil low heat sufficient to barely set the white, then I turn it so the other side is whitened. I sometimes vary this with very soft scrambles, again barely set. Served with Heinz ketchup.

I like someone to make soft boiled egg for me.

I always have tins of Heinz cream of chicken soup available, also tins of creamed rice.

I have blue cream cheese to eat with crackers.
I like home made samosa which son gets from an Asia shop.

Years ago, I was a volunteer delivering meals on wheels. Another volunteer commented that the fish and chips which were often served on a Friday were bad for those we were delivering to, my comment was that if you'd got to a certain age, you could eat what you liked!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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%.

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.

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

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!

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