Drama Llama Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 DS14 and I are signed up to make a few meals tomorrow at a home for elderly people who were formerly unhoused. It's a small group. I haven't been able to get any info on food preferences, but I am assuming that soft textures for old teeth, and foods that are familiar will be good. I need to go to the grocery store anyway so I'm not limited by what I have at home. I also said I'd leave them breakfast for tomorrow. Here are some ideas I had bbq pulled chicken with rolls, potato salad, 3 bean salad stuffed shells with spinach and cheese and marinara sauce, with sausage, peppers and onions pot roast with potatoes, carrots, onions and peas meatloaf, mac and cheese, carrots and broccoli I am a little worried, because the instructions said to label everything for people with allergies, when I wish they'd just said "here are the allergies", but I'm thinking that I should make a few foods with different allergens, so that no one goes hungry. Although, we'll have my oldest with us and he drives so if we get there and someone is gluten free or something he can run to the store too. For breakfast, I was thinking of baked oatmeal with lots of fruit and egg muffins? If we make them there, people can tell us what they like in their egg muffins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted July 26 Author Share Posted July 26 I could also do salmon, that's easy to eat. I could do it with risotto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Stringy meats like pulled pork and pot roast (depending on texture) are not that great for people with dental issues 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 What about really excellent hamburgers? Like, some stuffed with blue cheese, some with sharp cheddar on top, grilled onions on the side, sesame seed buns. Dill and sweet pickles on the side, tomato slices ditto. Two kinds of mustard, mayo, relish available. Then a hearty salad (like the Costco broccoli salad kits) and a green one. The hearty one would work as almost a meal with a bun eaten on the side like bread for someone who didn’t like hamburgers. Or what about German meatballs in mushroom gravy with spaetzle? Ground meat is always easier on tender teeth than intact meat. You could have cheese ravs as an alternative to either one. The Buitoni ones are really good and not all that expensive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I was going to suggest spaghetti and meatballs. You could do a white sauce and red sauce if you want to offer variety. Pot roast seems like a great comfort food option but I hadn't considered the stringy aspect mentioned above. What about something like a hamburger stroganoff? Personally I would not do salmon, some people are VERY fish adverse and even if there is another food choice just the smell can be off putting for those who don't like it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Meatloaf and pasta have always been winners when we get to make meals for folks who are/were recently homeless. Green beans generally trump broccoli with them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Pot roast sounds so good to me, but I agree that it could cause problems for people with dental issues. I agree with everyone suggesting ground meat options: familiar dishes like meatloaf or meatballs with some kind of pasta sound like a good plan. Swedish meatballs and noodles, or spaghetti and meatballs, or something similar. Maybe meatloaf with mashed potatoes? Macaroni and cheese is a good idea too. Would older folks be familiar with baked oatmeal? It seems like a fairly recent innovation to me. Things like sausage and cinnamon apples, bacon and eggs, biscuits or muffins, pancakes or waffles, sausage gravy or creamed chipped beef would be popular with my older family members for breakfast. Maybe some sliced peaches with a bit of sugar, or a fruit salad, or melon slices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 What if I made the spinach pasta and meatballs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 1 minute ago, Drama Llama said: What if I made the spinach pasta and meatballs? That sounds like a good combination, giving people a choice. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 1 hour ago, pinball said: Stringy meats like pulled pork and pot roast (depending on texture) are not that great for people with dental issues Hmm I don’t think I know this. These kinds of things go over well babies and people with dentures that I know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saraha Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 (edited) Of the four old people I cook for, unanimously they will choose “old people food” chicken pot pie, beef and noodles, biscuits and gravy, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes and canned beets. Only one likes when I push the boat out a little bit, but the things that get the most compliments from him? Meatloaf, bread pudding, and chicken noodles or pot pie. 🤷🏼♀️ Every Thursday I take dinner to a widower who lives next door, besides Gold Star spaghetti, his favorite foods are always those traditional old people country food. He has never in his life eaten a taco or salmon and “isn’t about to start” They are all about stuff they recognize, so my oldies would not want to try egg muffins or baked oatmeal, they would just want stuff their moms and wives made. 😆 These are all people 75 and over eta: and cooked apples. For some reason when I show up with some cooked apples with a little cinnamon and sugar, you’d think it was their birthday eta2: and two of my oldies are for some reason very suspicious of muffins. I’m thinking their wives went through some “health craze” and did some stuff with muffins. But if I make a coffee cake? Total win Edited July 27 by saraha 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 12 hours ago, Elizabeth86 said: Hmm I don’t think I know this. These kinds of things go over well babies and people with dentures that I know. Now you do know it then. There is a huge difference between people with dental issues…missing teeth, rotting teeth, gum disease and “babies” and “people with dentures.” Formerly homeless and homeless people have dental issues more often than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Chicken pot pie has always been a hit wherever I've taken it. I don't use potatoes, just chicken, peas, and carrots - all diced fine so hopefully no issues with folks with dental problems. I usually take a hunk of cheddar cheese because I like the sharp taste as a contrast to the chicken pot pie. Meatloaf is also good. I'd probably do mashed potatoes because that really is a comfort food - and green beans. Chicken and noodle soup would also be good, but it's so hot here that doesn't sound appetizing to me. Split pea soup with ham pieces also seems to be popular with the older folks I know. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 13 hours ago, Drama Llama said: What if I made the spinach pasta and meatballs? Is spinach pasta just pasta made with spinach added to the dough OR is it a dish with pasta, spinach and other ingredients? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 19 minutes ago, pinball said: Is spinach pasta just pasta made with spinach added to the dough OR is it a dish with pasta, spinach and other ingredients? Pinball has a good question. Most of the elderly folks I know are pretty suspicious of food that isn't what they consider "normal". If the pasta was green, I think that would give some folks who aren't used to it pause. My MIL has finally tried wraps. Spinach wraps no less. Her IL place has them occasionally for lunch. She loves the turkey wrap and raves about it each and every time they have it. She had never heard nor seen such a thing. She does have dental issues, so she takes it to her room and finds a way to eat it there. I think she has encountered all sorts of novel food there - brussels sprouts, gnocchi, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, frito pie, tiramisu (which she assured me absolutely did not taste like coffee, so I've wondered if that is what she had). But much of the food has been a shock to her because it is stuff she never has seen before - or in many cases - never heard of either. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Pot roast and pulled pork aren't always stringy. I’ve had plenty that wasn’t. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drama Llama Posted July 27 Author Share Posted July 27 27 minutes ago, pinball said: Is spinach pasta just pasta made with spinach added to the dough OR is it a dish with pasta, spinach and other ingredients? No, I was thinking I'd make something like shells with spinach and ricotta filling and marinara sauce. Like this: https://www.forkknifeswoon.com/spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/ although I won't use that specific recipe. and then a tray of meatballs and roasted veggies, probably zucchini and peppers and onions. I could do that so that the veggies and meatballs are separate and people can take what they want. I really like the cinnamon apples idea. I could do that for breakfast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 14 minutes ago, Drama Llama said: No, I was thinking I'd make something like shells with spinach and ricotta filling and marinara sauce. Like this: https://www.forkknifeswoon.com/spinach-and-ricotta-stuffed-shells/ although I won't use that specific recipe. and then a tray of meatballs and roasted veggies, probably zucchini and peppers and onions. I could do that so that the veggies and meatballs are separate and people can take what they want. I really like the cinnamon apples idea. I could do that for breakfast. Gotcha… now my mouth is watering…it all sounds good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 31 minutes ago, Bambam said: Most of the elderly folks I know are pretty suspicious of food that isn't what they consider "normal". My experience exactly. There’s variation, of course, but speaking generally, familiar, traditional foods have been popular. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Many of them may also have issues with being able to taste or smell as well as in younger years, so being able to recognize and remember foods is part of the draw. As much as I like Thai and Korean flavors, I wouldn't feed it to elderly or homeless people. @Drama Llama Thank you for serving in this way! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Cooked apples are yummy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 2 hours ago, Bambam said: Chicken pot pie has always been a hit wherever I've taken it. I don't use potatoes, just chicken, peas, and carrots - all diced fine so hopefully no issues with folks with dental problems. I usually take a hunk of cheddar cheese because I like the sharp taste as a contrast to the chicken pot pie. Meatloaf is also good. I'd probably do mashed potatoes because that really is a comfort food - and green beans. Chicken and noodle soup would also be good, but it's so hot here that doesn't sound appetizing to me. Split pea soup with ham pieces also seems to be popular with the older folks I know. This is all what I was basically going to recommend too (except the split pea soup, but just because I’ve never made it or eaten it!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 5 hours ago, pinball said: Now you do know it then. There is a huge difference between people with dental issues…missing teeth, rotting teeth, gum disease and “babies” and “people with dentures.” Formerly homeless and homeless people have dental issues more often than not. Ok. I see what you are saying. I was definitely thinking dentures. I’m sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 5 hours ago, pinball said: Now you do know it then. There is a huge difference between people with dental issues…missing teeth, rotting teeth, gum disease and “babies” and “people with dentures.” Formerly homeless and homeless people have dental issues more often than not. I hope you weren’t angry when you were replying to me. Sometimes my brain is mush. In my mind any form of toothless-ness would be about the same. Please excuse me for not being aware of something. Your reply came off like you were annoyed that I’m so ignorant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinball Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 1 minute ago, Elizabeth86 said: I hope you weren’t angry when you were replying to me. Sometimes my brain is mush. In my mind any form of toothless-ness would be about the same. Please excuse me for not being aware of something. Your reply came off like you were annoyed that I’m so ignorant. No, not angry or annoyed. If you didn’t know, you didn’t know. No worries. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 21 hours ago, Drama Llama said: What if I made the spinach pasta and meatballs? I am coming. Let me gas up the car! 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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