We have several places around my area, that you can
1. prepare meals for yourself at their place
2. purchase prepared meals for whatever number.
One closest to me is called Evening Meals.

You might want to check that out for him.
Lots better than frozen dinners from super markets.

I get a filet at the butcher and have it sliced in half horizontally, so it's really just a small, thin steak. I season it with herbs, salt and pepper, pan sear it for a few minutes both sides, and serve it with a nice side salad and a glass of red wine. Done!

Maura, maybe if you purchased 4 or 5 of those plastic, microwavable ( in case he can be convinced to go that way ) coverd dishes that are separated into compartments you could fix left overs and freeze them to give to him. You can put foil between the food and each compartment of the plastic dish. If you freeze a slice of meatloaf, a serving of mashed potatoes and one other vegetable you might serve at dinner he can remove them from the plastic and heat them in the oven in the foil. If you fix him several different dishes and have them already frozen, he can mix and match the vegetables as he sees fit. If the meals are fixed in that method they won't seem so much like left overs.

If he ever decides to use a microwave you can just do without the foil wrap.

Linda

How about poached salmon or chicken. I poach a few pieces of chicken at a time and then I can use it in various recipes throughout the week. I tend to use breasts. I sautee an onion and garlic in olive oil, toss in a carrot if you want and add chicken broth or water if you don't have broth. Simmer the chicken until done.

I made chicken salad for sandwiches with it or add it to salad or pasta.

You can poach salmon the same way but I usualy add a little lemon and with a little rice on the side and a fresh veggie. Easy to prepare.

If you show your Dad how to make a pot of long grain rice - he can use that during the week. He can make himself a rice pudding if he would like just by adding raisins and milk and a little cinnamon in a bowl. He can add mushroom soup to rice and add some chicken or ground beef for what I call "slop" LOL I usually add a dollop of sour cream to the sauce.

Skillet dinners using canned tomatoes or even a boullion cube to make sauce is easy. I sautee and onion and garlic, add ground beef. Toss in some sliced mushrooms or zuchinni if you have it on hand. I either add some canned tomatoes or if you don't have that on hand - a beef boullion cube in some water and add that to the ground beef to make a gravy. You can thicken it with a little flour and water to make a gravy. I toss this over some bow tie noodes or rice for an easy fast dinner. There is always some left over for the next day.

You could make a big pot of chili and freeze portions of it so you Dad can reheat in a pot.

Eggs - omelet or french toast. I love eating breakfast for dinner. LOL

Meatloaf - great leftovers for sandwiches.

My 69 year old sister lives alone and she doesn't cook big meals. She will eat frozen dinners but only the healthy ones with no preservatives and low sodium. Many of the frozen entrees are high in sodium so you really have to read the label. She will make sausages or hot dogs for herself or fry up a steak or hamburger.

Does your Dad like to barbeque? You can make all kinds of meals on the bbq.

Good luck.

Anne

You know if your dad is happy with what he eats and you are fine with having him over several times a week I just don't see the problem.

Some people just don't like to cook for themselves and some do. Just be sure he eats well at your place.

Does he have friends. Lot's of older men go out to breakfast or lunch with their cronies. As a new widower just give him time and let him be about what he eats. Be glad he is eating.

If he asks for meal ideas then you can help him plan some menus but if he hasn't asked then let him be.

If he were unable to cook for himself, you could try Meals on Wheels, even if it was just a couple of days a week...In our area, we have some get every day and others just 3 days a week....I help in the kitchen and we put out some darn good meals, wouldn't mind getting them myself!

Get Dad a microwave...i picked up one at wally world a year or so ago for 29.00...it's dials instead of digital so very easy to use and very small...

He can heat your leftovers...he can bake a potato...he can heat a can of soup...he can steam some veggies...all without the mess of the stove!!

One of our little grocery stores has a wonderful deli that has several hot veggies and 3 or 4 meats to chose from for a meat and three veggies it's like 4.69..

Meals on Wheels is a wonderful option!!

The best to your Dad on Fathers Day!

It's really hard to suggest something without having some idea of what types of things he likes. My dad was a very fussy eater. When my mother died there was a similar situation. Not motivated is a good way to put it, but let's face it. He's probably still grieving and just doesn't really feel like eating and I assume cooking is a foreign concept to him.

I know some people go crazy at the idea of convenience foods but isn't it better than nothing? What about a local deli? Get a rotisserie chicken and some side dishes. Pick up (or make) a turkey breast, small ham, roast or something and have some nice sandwiches. There's some decent canned soups, stews, chili, etc, even canned potatoes, veggies and the like.

I take it he never has had to cook for himself? Perhaps therein lies the problem. Too often people try to force someone to make overly fancy "nutritious" meals when it's far better to start slow with something he'll feel confident making for himself. Maybe it's nothing more than a fried hamburger, a bagged salad, some instant potatoes and the like. Then maybe someone can show him how easy it is to take that hamburger, mix it with some cooked pasta, add some tomatoes and seasoning and you have a completely different dish. Then sometime, now that you know how to cook pasta, take some of the leftover chicken, mix it in instead of hamburger, etc.

Another thing comes to mind is a crockpot or a Nesco roaster. Pot roast, potatoes, onions, carrots... chicken, or a turkey breast (or drumsticks if he likes dark meat, a small ham.

Many people are apprehensive about a microwave. If you know how to use one, they're useful, but I don't rate it as a great cooking appliance. It's a utensil. I think a crockpot, Nesco or even a good set of cookware (non-stick - easy to clean) is a far better investment. But if you go with a microwave, definitely get the dial version. Someone new to cooking will be intimidated by having to program in the software code for Mecroshaft Wanders in order to heat a can of soup!

An idea for an appliance that I use a lot is a convection oven. Mine is one of the simple little ones that's like a big glass dutch oven and the heat unit is in the cover. You set it on top and set the time and temp, flip down the handle and you're cooking. This is a mini oven. It bakes fabulous potatoes, makes pizza rolls in 6 minutes, warms things and you put a few quarts of water in it, add a couple drops of dish liquid and turn it on warm for a few minutes and it splashes ir around and pretty much cleans itself. OK, you do scrub it a bit if something is burned on, but especially when it's new it's not a problem and you can always line it with foil. I do that and cook bacon in it. It came with a second level rack to do 2 things but the hot stuff will be on top. I use it on one level. I've been known to use this together with the microwave and the stove to make a meal.

One of my points that's maybe getting lost is to sit down and figure out what things he likes and doesn't like. How much time does he have, how much experience he has, etc. Then work on fitting some things in. And the first time you have one part of a plate cold while the other side is overcooked in a microwave, you'll soon quit using a microwave for cooking. Low and slow and you can keep an eye on things. And run less risk of burning, overcooking or failure in general.

I'll say from experience, a SIMPLE, home made, or semi-homemade meal is FAR superior than the McDonald's drivethru. Tater tot hotdish may send chills up some peoples' spines but compared to what Mayor McCheese puts out... I'll take tater tots!

Another thought, bacon & eggs? Omelets? Fritatta? Even a platter of sausage, cheese, veggie sticks and the like can be an enjoyable meal. There's times I just don't feel like cooking. But I will slice some sausage and cheese. Or take some bagged salad, add some cheese, tear up some deli meats and have a pseudo chef's salad. Especially with summer here pasta salads are good eats. Don't overlook good quality hot dogs or sausage. Brown & serve sausage and eggs, with a side of Simply Potatoes?

Another thought for ideas is to look at the TV dinners he's getting. That should give an idea of what he likes. And you're more willing to learn to make something you LIKE than something you SHOULD eat. Again, I think it's more important that he get a start than to worry about it being the nutrionally perfectly balanced meal. Face it, this country doesn't eat right and we won't change that overnight. BTW, does he take vitamins? That might be a good idea.

I've been cooking for one person for over 30 years. (OK occasionally 2 and for a little while more but that wasn't long). Groceries aren't sold for one person cooking but it's getting better. You can buy potatoes, onions and some things individually now but a head of cabbage, head of lettuce, stalk of celery, etc, and of course the 20# turkeys, 5# roasts, meat sold in bulk packs, etc, get real. But I digress. I'm just trying to say that for a first time cook it can be intimidating. Nuff of that.

I'm hoping this is some help. I'll go through some of my menu idea lists and post back some of the things I have on there for ideas. Good luck!

You're so sweet to have you dad over often and to worry about him. But, he does need to start doing for himself. I think he could make a grilled ham and cheese. Or a fried egg sandwich or grilled PBJ. Salads are pretty easy if he likes them. Everyone here as had excellent ideas.

It's hard and lonely cooking for one. No one to appreciate it but yourself, so it hardly seems worth the effort. I wish him all the best and hope he's taking care of himeself.

I dine out, daily, for my main meal.
Don't enjoy cooking for one.
Just suits me!

Was hard at first, when they say JUST ONE, but I'm used to it now and doesn't bother me.