Food Obsessions

Daisie

My 90 YO mom with mixed dementia has become OCD for lack of a better descriptor about food expiration dates. I clearly write purchased and opened dates on everything with a sharpie but there still no trust and we waste a lot of money on food because she constantly throws it away when it’s perfectly fine She says it tastes sour or has a weird texture. She tells me she can’t trust my judgement so she has to check before I cook anything.

Can anyone relate?

towhee

With my LO it was the opposite problem. Every time I tried to throw something away she would sniff it and declare it was perfectly fine. I had to clean out the fridge when she was occupied in her closet or risk a argument.

M1

Hi Daisie. Taste perception can change with dementia, I wonder if that's contributing to the problem. Some medications can also have taste side effects. I believe she lives with you? You may have to limit her access to the kitchen, including locking the refrigerator.

PeterMelazh

My grandmother had dementia too, and she was always convinced food was "off," even when it wasn’t. Locking the fridge seems like it could cause more frustration, honestly. What worked for us was setting aside a “safe” shelf in the fridge with stuff she trusted, like freshly bought items with visible dates. We also started making small pre-portioned meals and putting clear labels on them.
Oh, and using things that don’t spoil easily helped too, like protein shakes made with best organic whey protein powder. That stuff lasts forever and was super easy to use without her getting stressed about it going bad.

SusanB-dil

Hi PeterMelazh - welcome to 'here', but sorry for the reason.

This is an older post, but you do have a great idea there about the protein shakes. MIL wouldn't get the hang of a 'safe shelf', but she cannot be left alone, anyway.