Is she diabetic? Also make sure her meds do not conflict with the food. Liquid avaiable also If you can afford it there are a variety of choices like Healthy Choice . That way it is balananced. You could make up TV dinners, such as chichen, dressing, veggies, hamburgers, pototoes, rice, noodles etc. The problem with some of these is to make sure she leaves them in so they will be hot, but not get burned when they are taken out. Maybe potholders near the microwave would be good. Make sure the meals are balanced also. When does she take the meds? Good luck.

As a diabetic, potatoes, rice, noodles and bread make my blood sugar shoot up. A microwave meal that doesn't shoot my sugar up is "Jimmy Dean's Delight Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl" with 19 g carbs. They have a tiny bit of potatoes in them, not enough to raise my sugar level.

Like most frozen meals, they are high in sodium, 720 mg, so if she has high blood pressure, I'd be careful with microwave/frozen meals.

There are some healthy soups, I think. The sodium level on prepared stuff is going to be a limiting factor. Look at Select Harvest soups.

I cooked dinners for my much loved father in law for quite some time. I cooked enough supper to prepare a good helping for him in a microwavable dish. Favorites were stew with plenty of veggies, served over brown rice, oven baked chicken with sweet potatoes and a green veggie, grilled chicken with piles of grilled zuccini and squash.

Food that is healthy doesn't need to be tasteless, just balanced. If she is diabetic, you'll need to provide proteins, complex carbs, and plenty of veggies.

By the way, I put his dinners in those sectioned TV dinner plates, covered with a couple layers of plastic, then foil. Label the contents clearly.

If she is diabetic, it is not sugars you have to watch with her diabetics, it is the carbs (sugar, noodles, rice, breads -- to name a few-- all turn to carbs)Please talk to a dietitian to find out how many carbs she can have per meal and plan her meals based on that. She can eat most anything (limiting her sodium), portion control, but again talk to her dietitian.

This post was edited by vickey__mn on Sun, Dec 2, 12 at 21:17

Lydia, have you checked with your local meals on wheels program? That service in my mothers county has frozen meals that are made up to be reheated at home, and anyone can buy them whether they are participating in the delivered program or not. All are healthy, most deemed low fat by their dietician, and about 75% marked low salt and diabetic appropriate. I'm sure areas are different, her particular area suggests a '$3 donation per meal'.

OT, she hasn't signed up, she doesn't think she needs it and her nutrition is beginning to worry me - I get the Kirkland/Costco generic brand Ensure and make certain she always has a supply in the house. She likes the nutritional drinks, Costco price is about $22 for a box of 32 servings. Last time I checked into it, the Meals on Wheels service in her area had a waiting list of about 75 names, but that had nothing to do with picking up the frozen prepared foods.

Don't get the Ensure, get Glucerna instead, for a diabetic! Ensure is loaded with sugar, Glucerna is recommended for diabetics. Also available at Costco.

I do this for my MIL, too.
I just make her plates of whatever we are having. I make sure the veggies and meat are the stars. I often do have one small starch side...just enough that she does not feel deprived. She's a stubborn woman and left on her own, would eat almost all starches.
Yesterday we had pork loin, scalloped potatoes and brussel sprouts. I put 2 small plates in the freezer for her.

She's 80 years old, multiple strokes and type II diabetic. I am not fighting with her over a few carbs.

I also make single serve pudding and jello cups. (no sugar).

Yes, Marie.. she is diabetic as I put in my subject line. :) Oldgardener, I'll have her try one of the Jimmy Dean bowls and see what she thinks.
Morz... yes she is signed up for Meals on Wheels.. today is her first delivery.
She was testing her blood sugar 4 times a day when she got here and only once on the first day did she need insulin. I don't cook low carb or low fat.. I think my meals are pretty well balanced.
She has a good appetite for someone who barely weighs 90 lbs! She gained 2 lbs. within the first couple weeks... she needed it though.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

yes do watch! omg! fil had a freezer full of banquet and marie callander...2 of the worst for sodium (heart problems) while we were there, had dh's cousin come and clean out the frezer and bought a couple of the lowest sodium, for him to try...

You might want to get a copy of the book below. A diabetic friend of mine said that it was the only really good diabetic book he had found. It has great reviews on Amazon.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Magic Foods for Better Blood Sugar (Readers Digest)