Help!!! in need meals ideas with only a Microwave, and a toaster oven... I am desperate...

[LovesTimone]

I am looking for more healthier options for my parents... 81 and 77 - they have both have been through alot in the health department in the last year and really can not stand to cook a whole meal for themselves... nor do I want them trying to cooking whole meals for themselves... they need/ want something easy to make... I do take them homemade food when I go over there... the problem is I live 135 miles round trip from them, so its not like I can just run over... I 'm taking care of them, not only due to this mess with the virus, for well over a year now... shopping, back and forth to appointments, whatever it is that they need, I take care of... I am not complaining... just trying to cover all my bases. I am worried about what they are eating... getting a sandwich, and soup or a TV dinner meal is just not getting it.... it's okay for every now and then... but I need some easy meals... I am buying them a larger toaster oven and a toaster, this week.. I said why don't you toast that bread mom, she was like the toaster quit working... I was like when, my dad around Christmas I was like why did you not tell me... we don't want to worry you...so you can see what I am up against...
My Dad is having to use a walker right now and he can manage scramble eggs in the morning on the stove top.. and even that makes me nervous... right now neither of them can use the oven, no bending over... so something quick on the stove top...

They have a crock pot but its small one..
Frozen food options are okay...

So I am looking for suggestion for all 3 meals...


Thanks everyone...

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

Not healthy, but college dorm life taught me how to make Mac n cheese and ramen noodles in a coffee pot.

 

[dish rag]

If you google that you will get many many ideas come up.

 

[lorimay]

My son just made something new to us from Ore-Ida called "Crack an Egg."
A few varieties to choose from.
Like it says crack an egg and Microwave, simple and he said pretty good. Add a pice of toast easy breakfast.

We have an Italian Market here in South Florida and they make prepared dinners i.e. Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Francese, Rigatoni Bolognese, and good soups too, they are frozen. Pop in the microwave.
I pick those up for my mom because since my dad passed, she doesn't want to cook anymore.
Maybe you can locate a little shop like that for them, if not you can make a few things for them and freeze them.
They are a lot healthier, with less salt than frozen dinners from Stouffers and such.

 

[lovemygoofy]

My husband's grandma is 89 and lives alone (whole 'nother story) and can't really get around that well any longer either.
She lives in MI and we live IN but good portion of the family lives around her. One the things we have started doing from here is sending her takeout from Door dash. I'll order her take out and have it sent to her. Another thing the family started doing was making big meals and freezing in individual portions. When I know I'm going up, I'll make soups, quiche, taco/fajita/grilled meats, and we bag and freeze and label everything. Another aunt picks up making sure there is fresh fruit delivery every month as a treat from fruit of the month club.

A couple things that have helped is having everything precooked so she doesn't have to stay up so long. You can buy lots of precooked meats like grilled chicken or grilled steak or even pulled bbq or ribs. Yes, it's loaded in salt but at least it's some different foods. You can also do flavored packs of tuna or chicken now and there is chicken in cans. They could cook couple potatoes in the toaster oven (maybe?? I don't know??) and top with the meats and microwave steam bag of veggies.

There was bacon and egg cook things for the microwave as well instead of trying to cook things at the stove. There is now microwave pasta or those steam bags that have rice or pasta or even potatoes. At this point if you want them to eat differently, you are going to have shop more in the easy to make like convenience foods and not from scratch if they can't stand or move that easily. At this point make it easy as possible to have meals but not difficult for them to create.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

How about some small baked potatoes cooked in the toaster oven? Then microwave a frozen veggie mix, and top the potatoes with veggies and cheese.

 

[TheConsciousness]

If dorm-life taught me anything, almost anything you can bake, could be done in smaller portions in the toaster oven.

 

[Dole_whip_doll]

My husband's grandma is 89 and lives alone (whole 'nother story) and can't really get around that well any longer either.
She lives in MI and we live IN but good portion of the family lives around her. One the things we have started doing from here is sending her takeout from Door dash. I'll order her take out and have it sent to her. Another thing the family started doing was making big meals and freezing in individual portions. When I know I'm going up, I'll make soups, quiche, taco/fajita/grilled meats, and we bag and freeze and label everything. Another aunt picks up making sure there is fresh fruit delivery every month as a treat from fruit of the month club.

A couple things that have helped is having everything precooked so she doesn't have to stay up so long. You can buy lots of precooked meats like grilled chicken or grilled steak or even pulled bbq or ribs. Yes, it's loaded in salt but at least it's some different foods. You can also do flavored packs of tuna or chicken now and there is chicken in cans. They could cook couple potatoes in the toaster oven (maybe?? I don't know??) and top with the meats and microwave steam bag of veggies.

There was bacon and egg cook things for the microwave as well instead of trying to cook things at the stove. There is now microwave pasta or those steam bags that have rice or pasta or even potatoes. At this point if you want them to eat differently, you are going to have shop more in the easy to make like convenience foods and not from scratch if they can't stand or move that easily. At this point make it easy as possible to have meals but not difficult for them to create.

How about some small baked potatoes cooked in the toaster oven? Then microwave a frozen veggie mix, and top the potatoes with veggies and cheese.

Oh! The potato thing made me remember! You can buy these oven mitt type things and put a potato in, microwave for so long and it’s a baked potato!

 

[indimom]

You could freeze portions of meals you make for yourself and they could just thaw in the microwave. Soups, lasagna, meatloaf, chicken with rice. Add bags of frozen steamable veggies. Easy dinners. My parents freeze leftovers of all kinds of things I would never have thought of.

 

[MIGrandma]

Do they live in an area where there is a senior center that offers “meals on wheels?” They are inexpensive and could be delivered hot to them daily during the week.

 

[starry_solo]

What do they like to eat? You can get all sorts of ideas but if they don’t like to eat it....

if you are able to, consider going over there one weekend day and cook a week’s worth of meals for them.

 

[Christine]

Unless you get VERY creative, I'm not sure there's a lot more you can do with a toaster and toaster oven that is any healthier than what they are currently doing. That's the goal right? I mean, I am sure you can get really creative with a toaster oven, but are they up for that?

Anyway, when my FIL decided he didn't want to cook anymore (and he had no issues) and spent most of his time eating cereal and then getting sick, we signed him up for a seniors meal delivery service. I think it was this one but there are certainly others: https://www.silvercuisine.com/?gcli...oSuFjpVCnnPp-jP_iHUC8WdgM7TTw2MBoCLaEQAvD_BwE

I don't know if money is a factor for you but you don't have to order an amount to feed them every night but just enough to intersperse them throughout the junkier things they are eating. As I recall, they seemed pretty good quality. I ate a few myself because my FIL ended up going into the hospital and passing away before he finished them all.

 

[nkereina]

Where do you live? Prepared meal companies are becoming more and more popular. Here in Buffalo, there are at least 4 that I can think of with storefronts across the area that you can walk into, or they ship nationwide. The companies are popular in gym communities - bodybuilders, those looking to lose weight. But, they are practical for anyone in addition to being nutritious and tasty in most cases. If there are any where you live, check them out. Most offer sample packs and I know a couple here offer $5 meals on Fridays. They are all cooked and refrigerated, and can easily be frozen for use later. To heat them up, you just pop them in the microwave for 3 minutes. My favorite company is called 95 Nutrition, and they ship nationwide if you don't have any places locally. They have unique options and I can attest firsthand that they taste good too! Bite Meals is another popular one in Kentucky that ships nationwide as well.

I also agree with PP that if you have the time and energy to cook up a bunch of things in advance for them to freeze, that might be a good option. My MIL is doing that for her 93 year old mother, who is homebound due to the pandemic. She's made soup, meatloaf, burgers, sauce. Our grocery store sells the Barilla already cooked pasta they could buy, or its easy enough to cook some to send with the sauce. Then they can just heat it up in the microwave if you don't want them making pasta.

I also think the Meals on Wheels suggestion is a good one to look into. Where we live, there is Schwan's home delivery too.

ETA: Check Pinterest for crock pot recipes. I'm a terrible cook and don't know much about it at all, so I use my crock pot all the time and choose only recipes that don't require any pre-cooking or preparing. I find most of my recipes on Pinterest.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I send my mom groceries and order her meals via DoorDash. One meal for her lasts 3 days, supplemented w things like yogurt, applesauce, bananas.

as folks get older, they tend to not eat as much and graze more (in my experience, ymmv)

my mom spent 8 days inpatient then headed home w 2 months of antibiotics, some home health visits. (Non-covid related)

one of her friends gets meals via schwans, but they can be heavy in the sodium.

i live the make them meals and freeze them. I would buy a decent set of rubbermaid containers and cook and then package in small servings.
good luck, it is hard being far and worrying about food of all things.

 

[amcnj]

Any toaster oven I had also made toast, so you might not need both appliances, unless you feel they would be more comfortable using a conventional toaster.

Most vegetables can be cooked in the microwave. Potatoes, white or sweet, just need to be pierced to avoid exploding, or can be cubed and microwaved in a covered dish. Others like broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots, green beans... can be put in a covered glass/Corning dish with lid and a little water.

And of course there are many frozen vegetables out there, some in steamable bags, so no other container is needed.

There are some canned protein sources, such as tuna, beans, chicken. Eggs are relatively quick and easy. Prepared main dishes are available, needing only a reheat in the toaster oven or even microwave. There are also frozen meat choices, some already cooked, others that wouldn’t take long in a toaster oven.

 

[Imzadi]

I have a small kitchenette in my apartment. I haven't had an actual oven in decades. I do have a great 6-slice toaster oven with a broiler feature. Most of them have one now. I'm actually looking for a good convection oven with a broiler feature, so I can cook a bit faster. They even come in a deeper size to fit full size pizzas.

Seriously, I can cook everything a regular oven can cook. Just not in a large size. But, cooking for two in it is perfect. The electronic chips inside to regulate heat make them work exactly the same as a regular home oven. So, don't be fooled by the size & shape. If (general) you can't figure out what to cook in it, it's not because it's not possible. You are stuck visually on the size. It is basically a small oven. The catering companies I used to work for used to bring 2-6 portable convection ovens to a site that didn't have ANY cooking appliances, set up in the back. And they worked in those and turned out beautifully, professionally prepared foods.

I broil lamb & pork chops. An occasional steak. I love baking or broiling fish in it. Just a sprinkling of salt, pepper, garlic powder and some spices. That's it. Chops and fish CAN go directly from the freezer right to the toaster oven without defrosting. It just takes twice as long to cook, than cooking fresh or defrosted.

For chicken, I either split the chicken in half and bake/broil only one half, laying flat. (Perfect portion size for two.) Or I cook a lot of chicken breasts & thighs already cut apart, which I prefer. The less fussing and handling the better for me.

For baking/roasting vegetables, I have found baking pans that fit in the toaster oven. They are out there. You can probably find them on Amazon or Target. Just measure the inner dimensions carefully so the pans fit. One is an aluminum, rectangular pan, that I just bent up the side flaps with a pair of pliers, and now it fits perfectly in the oven. I even have a small, 6 portion cupcake/muffin pan and will be baking corn muffins later as I was finally able to get some mix. And I found some rare, self rising flour, so I can make some fresh flatbread too.

One tip: Make sure the toaster oven nor convection oven has an auto OFF timer. I love that feature. I can walk away, be watching TV or doing whatever, and don't have to worry about burning the food. If I set it for 25 minutes, it turns off in 25 minutes, while i finish watching the TV show. This is a must have feature for forgetful, elderly adults.

I also have a good electric, double stove top burner for cooking and sauteing on a stove top. It fits on the kitchen counter. It has a sealed metal burner, than the kind with the coils. It's easier to clean. My apartment came with that.

I have a microwave, but I rarely use that unless it's to reheat frozen food I pre-made with my toaster oven & stove.

 

[fla4fun]

What size toaster oven are you buying? When I put one on my Christmas list a few years ago, I stipulated I wanted one large enough to bake a frozen pizza. I got one. It’s a Breville. It’s about the size of a microwave. I love it! I can put any 9x13 Pan in it, and I have non stick cookie pans that fit it that I use to roast vegetables among other things. It came with a pizza pan that fits any frozen pizza perfectly, and also comes in handy as a drip pan for pies. It also has convection so it cooks quickly. I only use my regular oven once a year - to cook the Thanksgiving Turkey. I use the Breville every day. Oh, and it makes excellent toast too. I used conventional toaster ovens for a lot of years, and thought they were fine, but I will never go back after using this.

 

[TW22]

Like a previous poster suggested, meal delivery services are a good option. I really like Daily Harvest and often take their meals for easy work lunches. I also like to make bagel pizzas in the toaster oven.

 

[Imzadi]

i live the make them meals and freeze them. I would buy a decent set of rubbermaid containers and cook and then package in small servings.
good luck, it is hard being far and worrying about food of all things.

I agree with freezer meals. I'd use Ziplock freezer bags instead of the Rubbermaid containers. They take up less space than rigid containers. And if you fill them to the top, squeeze out excess air, no need for vacuum sealing. Just double or triple bag each one and label them well. The up side is that the parents can just plop the food into a pan for the oven or sauce pan, and toss away all the Ziplock bags. No extra washing of containers they have to worry about. And of one lays the bags flat in the freezer, they are very stackable. I found this out while stockpiling for our Stay At Home order.

The best foods for making into freezer foods have a bit extra liquid or sauce. This way, they automatically reheat in the sauce. I have freezer bags full of a spaghetti meat sauce. I left out the spaghetti so I'd have extra space in my freezer and just boil some fresh as I'm heating the sauce in a saucepan.

I also made a yummy dill chicken soup and divvied up the portions into freezer bags. The only up side to the Coronavirus for me is that I've learned to pack and stack my freezer more efficiently. I used to think my freezer didn't hold much. But when I get rid of a lot of packaging I really didn't need, and put everything into Ziplocks or wrapped in plastic wrap, I was able to stuff it quite well. I am actually quite proud of how much I have been able to put in. During the height of being in the epicenter, when it was potentially so dangerous outside, I didn't have to go out for food at all.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I am looking for more healthier options for my parents... 81 and 77 - they have both have been through alot in the health department in the last year and really can not stand to cook a whole meal for themselves... nor do I want them trying to cooking whole meals for themselves... they need/ want something easy to make... I do take them homemade food when I go over there... the problem is I live 135 miles round trip from them, so its not like I can just run over... I 'm taking care of them, not only due to this mess with the virus, for well over a year now... shopping, back and forth to appointments, whatever it is that they need, I take care of... I am not complaining... just trying to cover all my bases. I am worried about what they are eating... getting a sandwich, and soup or a TV dinner meal is just not getting it.... it's okay for every now and then... but I need some easy meals... I am buying them a larger toaster oven and a toaster, this week.. I said why don't you toast that bread mom, she was like the toaster quit working... I was like when, my dad around Christmas I was like why did you not tell me... we don't want to worry you...so you can see what I am up against...
My Dad is having to use a walker right now and he can manage scramble eggs in the morning on the stove top.. and even that makes me nervous... right now neither of them can use the oven, no bending over... so something quick on the stove top...

They have a crock pot but its small one..
Frozen food options are okay...

So I am looking for suggestion for all 3 meals...


Thanks everyone...

My range died on me about......7 months ago (interior gas leak and no way I'm going to try to fix that) and I'm not replacing it until the apt's sale is complete. Since then it's mostly been microwave, convection toaster oven, and an induction burner. The nuker is great for making pasta, rice, eggs, potatoes (best success with small ones) steaming veggies, poaching boneless chicken parts and cooking fish. As well as reheating leftovers.

The convection toaster oven is a thing of beauty. It toasts bread, cooks whole chickens and other meat roasts as well as veggies. I've used it to make ragu sauces, chili, most any casserole dish you can think of. When I don't want the smell of sauteed burgers in the house, it's great for oven roasted hamburgers.

The induction burner does most everything a gas stove top will do excepting roasting peppers.