Cereal ..... Again

I feel you. DH is in bed by 6. He has to eat by no later than 4. Of course I'm not hungry, so I snack at night. Gets old. Plus he will not eat anything with green in it.🤔

I think it’s difficult for meals to hold their interest sometimes. I hand feed my DH who is stage 6/7 because he gets distracted and sometimes has shaky hands. He doesn’t have the wherewithal to get his own meals anymore. That said, a meal can take about 2 hours to eat. Cereal can be old fashioned oatmeal, cooked for 3 minutes in the microwave with a few dried cranberries and frozen bluberries at the end to cool it and some soy or almond milk to thin it a little. I even mix an egg in before microwaving sometimes. Or a sliced banana and peanut butter mixed in. Then, a cup of full fat yogurt followed by a sliced banana with orange or apple or pear in a bowel that he can eat on his own.

Ed posted a recipe for a simple chicken casserole a few days ago that uses mostly pantry ingredients and is quick and high calorie with cheese and corn tortillas. I make a similar casserole with the corn tortillas, ground turkey, a frozen onion and pepper mix from Walmart, canned chili beans with sauce, black beans, canned chilie peppers, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with cumin, salt and pepper and hot pepper if you like. Layer it in a big casserole dish with the torn tortillas and meat, bean and tomato mixture, top with shredded cheese and stick it in the oven til the cheese is melted and it’s heated through. You have a meal plus leftovers for a few days. DH loves it.

We do frozen dinners sometimes too. He likes the Spinach soufflé by Stouffers or Mac and cheese. Each has over 450 calories. Linguini and clams is another easy pantry meal. Linguini is kind of messy, so shells or elbows or ditalli pasta works here, with a big can of baby clams, a good olive oil and salt and pepper. It can be topped with Parmesan.

My doctor says to eat one protein, one carb, and two veggies at each meal. When I'm "cooking" for one, I typically eat a peanut butter sandwich with an apple and a banana, or a mixture of canned beans, corn, and tomatoes, or a tuna sandwich with canned spinach. In summer I make a lot of salads. Beats cereal and wine, for me anyway.

That would be like pouring whiskey on the cereal, wouldn't it?

I met a lady a while back who was suffering from gout. She had been eating nothing but beets, to lose weight. 😲 Beets are good for you, but I learned that eating more than about 1/4 cup a day will give you gout. Humans fare best with variety in the diet.

II recently discovered from the Council On Aging in my home state, MI, Meals on Wheels provides a nutritious meal M-F for those over the age of 60 who can no longer cook for themselves. In addition, the caregiver who lives in same home is also entitled to the meal. I always assumed this program was based upon financial needs, but no, it also is there to HELP. We are now in our second week of receiving the meal and to have one meal not requiring being prepared by me, or picked up at a local restaurant is a true gift. The meals aren't always delicious, but there's always something decent - and freshly prepared in a central kitchen. Everyone please consider this, give yourself a little break ❤

Oh yes this is my sort of a meal 🤣