Husband said freezer full of dinners for FIL was cheesy Xmas gift. What say you?

[Mothersweets]

It is a wonderful idea!

 

I did something like this for several years for my grandfather and father. I either gave them gift certificates to a meal service or actually ordered the meals myself and had them sent to them periodically throughout they year. They both LOVED it.

 

Your dh doesn't know what he is talking about-and I mean that in a nice way (bless his heart :) ). My dh thought it was weird at first, too, but then he saw what a burden it lifted off of them both and was happy about it.

 

Go for it! Your fil will appreciate the meals -and YOU-so so much!

[OrganicAnn]

I would try to figure out what about it your husband thinks is cheesy. It may not fit his idea of a gift (like you can't gift wrap it). Even if you don't think it is a valid argument, you might rethink it. I think I would do half and half - I would get a gift card to a restaurant and the rest of the gift is freezer meals. Then see how each goes over.

 

We used to give my husband's Grandma and her husband a gift card to a restaurant. They didn't need any things (since their house was crammed full of stuff). We knew that it wasn't her idea of a gift', but since her idea of a gift was a knickknack we would not add to the problem. Just to say that people have different ideas of what makes a good gift.

[Renthead Mommy]

but it's not like I'm going to gift wrap a freakin' possum or something.

 

Okay I'm still cracking up over this! This is just too funny!:lol: I've got tears from that one!

 

Yes, the husband is just going to have to get over it. Plus the kiddo is old enough to really be helpful doing all this now. As opposed to when I used to do this regularly and he was about 2!

 

One plus of doing it is it will force me to actually cook things for our freezer. I keep saying I'm going ot start doing that again, and I keep putting it off for some reason. I think it's one of those things where once you start you remember "Oh yeah, this wasn't so bad to set up/pull off!" But the starting is just sort of a dreading moment.

 

I think he just doesn't really get what I was saying. But I also know he looks at Christmas different. He's mom's family was Jewish and his dad's was catholic. It sounds like the catholic side tried to make up for the lack of presents thing from the jewish side on Christmas when he was little.

 

Our first christmas engaged/living together he asked me to pick out something for his parents. Not a clue what it was at this point, but I do remember husband's reaction was "Is that it? What else? You can't just get them that!"

 

And my answer was "Of course that's it! It cost almost $50! That's about $20 over what you normally would spend on parent gifts!" I was shocked he thought we needed more, he thought the fact my family kept things between $20-$30 shocking. I still remember him saying (14 years ago) "But we have to get them more. They'll spend WAY more than that on us." My feeling was, well let them, but we don't have that kind of money at the moment, and even if we did, you don't have to equal money spent. It's not a contest.

 

I have come to lean however that it is sort of a contest with my FIL. If you ask for something, and it's the normal, mid size, mid price one, FIL won't buy you that one. He'll get the model that's bigger and better. Then it's "Look how much nicer this one is than the simple/smaller/cheaper/lousy one you asked for! See what I did for you!" Great. Except the reason I asked for the smaller/cheaper/simpler one was because it was the that fit the need, would get used, I liked better, whatever.

 

I don't compete in the contests. I learned long ago, that no matter what I do (good), or what my brother does (bad) I will never raise higher on my mother's family totem pole. So I just don't compete in the "contests". Not my mother's, not my FIL's, no one's. My husband doesn't compete either anymore. Granted being in the AF and normally living hundreds to thousands of miles away helps!

[Sophia]

That's one of the best gifts I've ever heard of.

[Trish]

So my FIL is 69. After years of taking care of crazy MIL (nice crazy, but still crazy before other issues did her in) he's on his own. He still works. He's commented about how, now that he's got all this extra time, he's so busy with things that he doesn't have time to cook.

 

In the past I've done the 'cook for a day eat for month thing'. When we moved back here, near FIL, and after his comments on 'no time for dinner' I said something about the 'cook for a day' thing. I've even gone through my cookbook with FIL to pick out things he can eat (he's got diverticulitis) to someday, maybe, make for him if I actually do a big cook like that again. Which to this point, I haven't done.

 

Now we are talking christmas gifts. The last thing FIL needs is more 'stuff' (aka crap). Plus I'm tired of buying thing people just don't need. So I suggested for christmas to make a number of dinners in single servings so FIL can just pull one out of the freezer, thaw it durning the day and then have something to make for dinner that night.

 

My husband, who was on the phone, says "Oh that's cheesy! You can't give him a bunch of food for dinner!" And then they were boarding his plane so he couldn't talk anymore.

 

So? Is it cheesy? Would it be an okay christmas gift for a 69yo single guy? Would you do? Or just get another piece of plastic thing?

 

Soap on a rope would be so much more useful when he's hungry. Or, maybe a garish tie.

 

Seriously, this is a gift that I as the cook in the house would love even though I cook!

[Unicorn.]

Oh, just wanted to mention too, that a couple of years ago, I gave my 22 yo nephew a cooler full of steaks for Christmas. He is a college student living off campus, working full time to pay for it, and was very HAPPY. So yeah, must guys love getting food as gifts.

[texasmama]

I think that is a kind and useful gift.:001_smile:

[katilac]

I want to live next door to you!

 

Terri

 

Oh, I wish you did. The people who actually live next door to me suck.

[Pink Fairy]

I think it's an awesome idea! Unfortunately, my FIL would hate something like that, and he would be sure to let us know. He's got a lot of good qualities, but even when my dh was growing up his dad was weird about gifts--not shy about letting his wife know, in front of the kids (!!!), that he didn't like something or that he didn't feel like he got "enough." After 20 years of marriage, I finally found the perfect gift for him, one that left him with only good things to say--a photo calendar and photo book with lots of pictures of the grandkids.

 

But I digress...

 

If you think your fil would love it, definitely do it, and let your dh pick out another gift that he thinks his dad would love.

[m0mmaBuck]

I love the idea. My 80yo mother hates to cook but did it for 60 yrs while my dad was alive. She hasn't bothered to cook more a than a handful of meals for herself since Dad died a year ago in October. She eats cereal and fruit for breakfast, eats at the Senior Center for lunch and takes her leftovers home for dinner. She would love love love a freezer full of homemade meals at her disposal!

[VBoulden]

That's a great idea! With respect to your husband, I think he is totally wrong on this one. ;):D

[mlktwins]

My dad is 76 and still quite active. He does not like to cook however. He would love this! He would also love a gift of me coming over and doing a good clean of his house -- LOL. He let me have my boys' 3rd party in his backyard 2 years ago and I cleaned his whole upper level so people coming in and using the bathroom wouldn't be appalled. HE LOVED IT!

[hillfarm]

I have done this for my MIL for several Mother's Days now. She loves it. I only make her favorite things, lentil soup, salmon croquettes, meatloaf, etc.--things that she would never cook for only one. I then package them in single or two-serving plasticware and mark the contents on the lid. As she uses things, she saves the plasticware for me to refill again next year.

 

She has told me she loves it and that she makes and inventory list when she first puts it into her freezer, then marks stuff off as she eats it so she knows what she has left. I think next year I will try to remember to make an inventory list to go with it to save her the trouble.

 

If someone is hyper about their lack of need to depend on anyone else, or if they are very secretive about their weaknesses, then this probably wouldn't be a good gift. However, if the person is practical, open to help from others who care for them, and they like your cooking, then it is a great gift.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I think it's a nice idea- it's not useless junk, it's thoughtful, it takes time to plan for and create the meals, and he'll benefit from them more than he would from some random 'thing'.

 

:iagree:

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

My sister has done that for my mother, and she loved it. She has time, she just doesn't like to cook.

 

I would adore it if someone filled my freezer with ready to heat meals.

[stripe]

Does your father-in-law live nearby? Maybe you could invite him over for dinner, if he does.

 

I think a freezerfull of food is a wonderful idea! Make sure you give him a list of what's inside, though, so he doesn't feel like it's a game of roulette when he opens the foil package, fork in hand....However, I have to say that I wouldn't exactly consider this a "present" in the ordinary sense. It's very thoughtful and would be helpful, doubtless more so than another doo-dad, but it's not quite a holiday present.

[Rebecca VA]

I'd use cute Christmas tags to label each package. That would remind him each time he reaches into the freezer that the food is a Christmas gift, made with love.

[5knights3maidens]

Awsome idea!

[Michelle My Bell]

May I make a suggestion? Make your own family some nice meals over the next several weeks, with a little extra for your FIL. Then at the end of each meal, you can package it up, slap it in your freezer and you have 1/10 of the gift complete!

[DesertDweller]

Wow! That sounds like the best Christmas gift ever! I think it's a great idea.

[Mejane]

I think it's a great idea. I send my brother an Omaha Steaks gift box every Christmas. He's single and works long hours and loves being able to grab something out of the freezer. Same idea.

[6packofun]

I think it's great, too, but if dh doesn't like it he *CAN* come up with a gift idea for his own father, right?

[DawnM]

What does your DH want to give him?

 

Maybe you can include a mug with "World's Best Grandpa" or a mug with pics of the kids on it and fill it with something fun to drink along with the food.

 

Or include a casserole pan? I know when I freeze meals I make them in a pyrex casserole pan and then freeze them in that shape so that when I pull them out, I can insert them back into the pan to thaw and reheat.....so maybe a pan like that for him to thaw and reheat?

 

I think your idea is fantastic! The above is just ideas to appease your DH and still be practical.

 

Dawn

[fairytalemama]

I think it's an awesome idea! I want someone to get that for me for Christmas :001_smile:

[jelbe5]

Have not read all the responses but I have to say one of the biggest blessings I received after having a baby was the gift of meals from friends. It is a labor of love. I think it would be a wonderful gift for your FIL

 

Adrianne in IL

[AnneJ]

I think it is absolutely wonderful!!! Plus you can customize it to whatever his likes are. I know I love it when I have meals in the freezer and I've always been blessed when others have brought over a meal. And you FIL would see it as a gift that you put some thought into--something he really needs (not something that will just gather dust). Let us know how it goes.

[Capt_Uhura]

If your conversation w/ FIL was positive regarding the recipes and he seemed like he would like it, I would definitely do it for him for Christmas. What a thoughtful gift and a wonderful DIL you are!

 

Perhaps you should think small and give him a weeks worth and see what he likes and actually eats. Then you can scale up.

[Laurie4b]

I did this for my dad one year after he and my mom got divorced. I did not do that many--just a few things, but he really, really appreciated the gift. It translated into love and being cared for to him.

 

However, your other problem is that dh doesn't like the idea and that is something to work out. If he doesn't come around, perhaps he could choose one gift for fil and you could do the food thing.

[May]

What a great idea!

[akmommy]

I think it's a wonderful idea. I'm assuming at his age he has all the "stuff" he needs or wants. I don't know how much or how well you fill cooks, but what man wouldn't love a freezer full of home cooked meals made especially for him.

[TravelingChris]

I have seen elderly people, often men, who are malnourished since they don't know how to cook or are unable to do it now. I have seen mostly elderly men eating meal after meal at some restaurant because of not knowing how to cook. Even if he still eats some meals at them, having a choice would be good. Maybe some days, he would like to eat at home. I think it is a wonderful gift.

[mom2denj]

Oh, how I would love to have a freezer full of meals made by someone else!!!! What a great idea!:D

[Abigail4476]

I think it's a wonderful gift, assuming your FIL likes your cooking. :D

[hoosiermom]

I did this for my grandfather for several years, and he would brag to other family members that this was the best gift and the one he most looked forward to. He and my grandmother had been married for well over 60 years when she passed away. Although grandma did teach grandpa to cook as her health declined, he never learned to bake. So every Christmas I would fill his freezers with home-made cookies and pies. He loved it, and I loved doing it for him. I say go for it!

 

~Cathy

[JennyD]

Wow, what a fantastic gift idea!

[hsmom]

I don't see why he sees it as a cheesy gift. I mean people have been giving food to others as gifts for years. Think about all those homemade fudge, cookies, breads. Then the meat, cheese and such. Now I think it is an awesome idea. Throw in some baked goods also. You could be his own personal Schwans lady. lol

 

Go for it and do it, but also give dh the option to do something else.

[scrapbookbuzz]

I don't think that's cheesy at all! Unless, of course, you're making a lot of dishes with cheese. :^)

Seriously, though, I think your FIL will really appreciate it. The only reason your dh doesn't like the idea, I think, is because he's not in FIL's position, and doesn't realize what a wonderful blessing that will be!

[coralloyd]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!

[UmMusa]

Wow, ten pages of replies! I think it's a great gesture and I would like a gift like that. Unless the family is more materialistic and really looks forward to 'things', I don't see how it could not go well :)