Hi Giia.

I can tell you one super easy dessert to make that also takes a matter of minutes. Apple Enchilada Dessert. I used to make this all the time when I first started making desserts which frankly wasn't all that long ago:) Hope this helps.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Apple Enchilada Dessert

1. Are there any health issues that need to be addressed?

2. I'd ask what are his favorite meals and then would incorporate them according to the new MyPlate - http://www.choosemyplate.gov/. If that proves to be too many calories, then I'd switch to the old Basic-4, which is what we've used for our meal planning for decades.

3. Dessert at our house is fruit (in all it's forms) but especially fresh, and I'd suggest it for nearly everyone. It's rare that people actually consume even close to the number of servings needed per day.

4. I follow a plan that may help you out and give you some direction. I can leave a day out or switch days without altering the whole plan. I do a lot of freeze-ahead foods so I cook once and that serves for many meals.

Monday - Traditional meal. For us that means a large cut of meat that gets used throughout the week for sandwiches, base for soup, and possibly some for the freezer to use another day. Baked chicken, roast beef, meatloaf, etc.... and all the trimmings.

Tuesday - Leftovers, but usually in a different form from the day before. Or you can use leftovers on Wednesday and they won't appear so "leftover" as they do the next day.

Wednesday - Stir-fry. A casserole would also be an option.

Thursday - International (for want of a better name) - Something with pasta, a tortilla, etc. Even something as simple as a baked potato topped with chili (which I keep in single servings in the freezer). Or the chili can be used in a taco salad (similar to Wendy's).

Friday - Vegetarian (as a way to save on meat - we like to have a big traditional breakfast as a supper occasionally, fritatta, omelette, quiche, bean burgers)

Saturday - Soup and Sandwich

Sunday - Pizza or Dinner Salad

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Government Nutritional Infroamtion for the Elderly

It would help to know other things. Will you be only cooking for him? do you plan on filling his freezer with meals that can be defrosted and heated. Who will be doing the cooking? you? is that why there are time constraints?
How about slpit chicken briefly sauteed with onions and mushrooms with brown rice and a veggie? Salmon pattied from canned salmon, Vegetable beef soup....takes a while to make but will many several meals.
For desserts any kind of apple cake or rhubarb cake or pumpkin bread in a cake pan lightly frosted. Mini fruit tarts, puddings from scratch with eggs and real vanilla flavoring.
Are their any health issues?

So, Kate, do you make the Apple Enchiladas as posted or do you change it in any way? I love apple desserts although I'm really not that fond of desserts as a whole.

jude

First, welcome to the Forum.

How old is he?

Is he French? Italian? Chinese?

dcarch

Thanks for all the replys, time meaning my time prep time
He is very open to most foods, Italian raised in Argentina.
Of course he loves pasta and sweets :)Not sure of age but senior with disability he has parkinson's.He didn't tell me about food issues just no allergies, not sure yet if he is low sodium and or sugar but I will do this mostly.
Thanks Kate that recipe is perfect and I plan on going with cream cheese too.
I am doing all the cooking, I have a husband to cook for sometimes :) he works away a lot but usually I cook for 2 and always have leftovers.
The freezer is what I plan on giving him on weekends.

I love the idea of vegetarian day, I will ask him.
My biggest change for me to do this is consistency, I am so used to spontaneous choices. therefore I need good recipes which I have lots of but don't use anymore.

thanks for the help...

Well, if he has blood sugar issues and loves pasta, you might look into the Dreamfields low carb pasta, I can't tell the difference.

For desserts I'd try to make them fruit based, like apple or blueberry crisp, baked apples or applesauce, pear or peach cobbler. Lots of fruit, little sugar, fewer carbs. I've always liked the pumpkin pie filling baked without the crust, a kind of pumpkin custard, baked in custard cups.

My favorite dessert is a pear and maple cobbler, but blueberry crisp is right up there too. If you want a recipe for either, I'd be happy to post them.

Oh, and I make a dish with white beans, gnocchi and swiss chard, lots of fiber and protein with those gnocchi/pasta carbs!

Annie

I keep ice cream cups and homemade cookies in the freezer for a dessert for my Dad. I get the Blue Bell cups and they are so convenient.

When my parents and elderly aunts and uncles were alive, on Sundays I would cook meals for the week for them (2 couples and 2 singles, yes plus my own family of 5), the favorites were:

Baked Stuffed Potatoes, stuffed with chicken, bacon, broccoli and cheese.
Tacos with all the fixings. (Mild of course. Package the meat separately from the fixings. They thought this was fun.)
Shepherd's Pie
Fish Chowder (New England style) or clam or seafood
Beef, pork or chicken stew (Pork is my favorite with root vegetables.)
Lasagna or Ziti with meatballs
Chef's Salad
Tuna Salad Stuffed tomatoes with deviled eggs on a bed of lettuce
Chicken Rice soup
Beef Vegetable Soup with barley or orzo
Stir Fry vegetable and meat anything (slightly under cook the veggies) with a side of rice
Baked Chicken and rice (I used orange juice for part of the cooking liquid)
Braised Lamb Shanks
Homemade Boston Baked Kidney Beans with a Ham Steak or hot dogs
Creamed Salmon and Peas on toast or as a casserole
Pot Roast
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Quiches, spinach with onion, and ham or bacon and Swiss or cheddar cheese
And always homemade bread or rolls

They weren't a big dessert group but they did enjoy:
Crisps of any kind, i.e. apple, blueberry, peach, pear
Cream pies, banana or chocolate
Fruit pies, apple and strawberry rhubarb were the favorites (except for one uncle LOVED pecan pie)
Homemade cookies: oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, molasses, sugar
Cupcakes, especially angel food which they would eat with fresh fruit

Some had microwaves and heated their meals that way, others used the oven and one heated his meals on a rack over boiling water in a covered pot. I would package the meals according how the method being used to heat them i.e. glass or plastic for the microwave, and baking glass or foil and aluminum pan for the oven and double wrapped foil with an aluminum pan for the pot.

I would drop off the meals Sunday night and pick up the pans, containers, etc. from the previous week.

Thanks moosemac that was very good reply

Giia, you'll know more when you've had some experience cooking for him, but a heads up that sometimes chewing, swallowing can become issues with Parkinsons. (or with anyone elderly depending on the condition of their teeth) Of the very first things you mention, pork chops popped out at me. If I cook pork chops for my mother, I simmer them in gravy or sauce till falling-apart tender, serve with rice or she would eat everything else on the plate, push the chop around and leave it. Cuts of meat that require much chewing, like steaks, chops, roasts may not work out as well as softer foods, ie pasta dishes, ground meats, stews, seafoods etc.

Am also cooking for aging parents. At the moment nothing comes to mind in my routine that hasn't been mentioned (I'll keep thinking...)but had to chime in and give a virtual pat-on-the-back to moosemac. God love you for doing all of that for all of them! It's been less than a full year for me with just 2 extra to please plus all the running back & forth that entails and I often feel overwhelmed. Can't imagine how you managed to do your own family & the others, too.

I recently made a very soft and tender chuck pot roast for my mil and it was still too chewy :-(
And in my experiences, no nuts or seeds. They get stuck in the teeth.

Giia everyone has made great suggestions re: chewing meat, nuts and seeds, dietary issues, fresh vs freezing. You will have varying factors to which you will have to adapt the meals. Also herbs and spices can be issue, either the elders can't tolerate them or their taste buds are such that they want more seasoning. You'll figure it out as you go.

Amck,
God bless you for helping your parents. Helping my elderly family was very rewarding and yes frazzling at times. (The whole "tour of duty" lasted a span of 15 years culminating with my Dad moving in with us for his last 7 years. Yup 22 years total. Oh and I worked full time. Whew!) My aunts and uncles either never married or did not have children and I'm an only child so I became the caregiver for 6 elderly folks all at the same time. They were all very appreciative which made it so much easier. The Drs. appt's, weekly medicine set up, cooking, interviewing and overseeing housekeepers made it hectic. Cooking for them was my favorite part but I gave up my whole day every Sunday to do it. The bonus was I didn't have to cook for my family all week since the meals were already made. My kids were little so we made a game out of it and they learned to cook. At the end of the day we would "visit" all the relatives while we delivered the meals. I wouldn't change a thing! I'm very fortunate that my in-laws were younger at the time and even now are spry at 80 and 83 and self sufficient. When the time comes, we'll do it again for them.

I am in awe of the people who have given of their time and skill to make the elder years better for their relatives. I guess you would call me a lurker on this site, but when I have something I think is good to contribute I will be here, or there.

Welcome out of lurkdom, Deeebert.

This is a very timely thread because I'm just starting to cook for my Stepmother, who really loves junk food. I'd already thought of her heart problems and her kidney issues and things that could be kept in the freezer and microwaved, but I never thought about her teeth.

I've added bread and muffins and biscuits to her frozen "stash", along with some quick breads made in small loaves. One of the things she really does like is scalloped potatoes, so I'm going to work on freezing those. Hey, Stouffer's does it, so I can do it!

Annie

This is a stupid easy mug cake. To make ahead mix the dry ingredients together, separate from the wet, and then combine them at the last minute. It takes about 1 minute in most microwaves. You can double the recipe easily.

1 minute Peanut Butter Cake

2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP chunky peanut butter, smooth is fine as well
1 egg, beaten well
1/2 ts baking powder
1 heaping TBSP AP flour

Mix the sugar and butter amd peanut butter with a fork in a mug. Add the egg and beat well. Add the other ingredients, mix and microwave for 30 seconds. Check the mixture and microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Pour frosting over and enjoy. If you don't want frosting add some chocolate chips.

Frosting:

1 ts milk
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
4- 5 tsp powdered sugar

Mix well, add more sugar or milk to get a thick yet pourable consistency.

Here are some pics of the cake. You can make a lot of different single serving cakes this way including brownies. Just make sure to spray the mug or bowl well with cooking spray.

Mix the batter, add chocolate chips if you wish, pour into a microwave safe bowl that has been coated well with cooking spray.

Cook for 30 seconds on HIGH

stir, part of the cake will be already be cooked, just stir it in...

Turn over onto a plate and drizzle frosting on or eat it out of the bowl. This is a tasty, easy to make, and you can freeze the batter in cups.

You guys rock, thanks for all the suggestions, I can't even imagine doing this for more people.
Thanks

Jude, I'm sorry I have been out of town and just saw your post. I made it exactly as described. Nice and simple. Hope you like it.

Kate