Pasta salad?

[merigayle]

Heavy foods tend to be comforting, so I understand that. 

Will your food be eaten by the patient as well as the family?  If so, I might actually avoid a vinegar-based dish and opt for something more neutral.

She is not really eating. I am planning on picking up some prepared foods tonight for tomorrow. I am overwhelmed by pasta salads! With DD not in school and camp, i just do not have any time.

[diablita]

Whatever you do, it's thoughtful and I'm sure will be appreciated it.

We did this for friends a few years ago.  The best food items were those which could be held and reheated without impacting quality. 

[merigayle]

Got a loaf of fresh crusty bread and Italian Wedding Soup from the market. I made Lentil soup yesterday and will package some of that up too. I know my neighbor (the one on hospice) likes to make Italian Wedding soup.

[diablita]

That sounds perfect.

When my mother was first diagnosed and I stayed in Miami, DH and DD drove back up.  Our friends got together and made a ton of different soups and chilis (they love soup) and it was SO nice to know that my family was being nourished with healthy, hearty food while I was helping my mom.

[triciaflower]

Soups are perfect. They reheat well and are full of vitamins. You are so thoughtful, Meri.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[merigayle]

thanks! The one on hospice has been trouble eating for the past few months, so i think soup is good.

[merigayle]

So the dietary restrictions are for the husband, not the wife who was on hospice. I am up again tomorrow and I think I will make a Caesar pasta salad. I went to Costco today and nothing struck me for them in the prepared food section. Any other meal ideas that a vegetarian can make for them, let me know, as I think we will try to do the meal train for quite some time. Funeral is Saturday and we do not want to leave them alone, and hungry, once all the visitors stop.

[Run Amok]

All of my best ideas are in that thread CGirl posted. I bumped it because good stuff there. The pesto one could easily be modified to a different pasta than tortellini. I like the cold peanut noodle suggestion though because it's a little more substantial and filling.

[merigayle]

All of my best ideas are in that thread CGirl posted. I bumped it because good stuff there. The pesto one could easily be modified to a different pasta than tortellini. I like the cold peanut noodle suggestion though because it's a little more substantial and filling.

thanks!

[Run Amok]

Oh, now I see you went with soup. That's perfect! It reheats/freezes well and is comforting and nutritious!

[merigayle]

Oh, now I see you went with soup. That's perfect! It reheats/freezes well and is comforting and nutritious!

Pasta salad for tomorrow, but i think i will make a caesar salad pasta salad (noodles, chopped romaine lettuce, halve cherry tomatos, parm cheese (on the side for the cheese restrictions), croutons and caesar dressing. I will see if the market has some pregrilled chicken i could put in it too.

[Run Amok]

Great idea!

[merigayle]

Minus the chicken, it is one of DD's favorite meals at her school. I never heard of it until then!

[merigayle]

I made the Caeser pasta salad and it looked beautiful. I even found some precooked chicken strips i diced up and put in it for them. I put the shredded cheese and croutons on the side (since the husband can not eat cheese and the croutons would get soggy). Now what to make for them next? Maybe I need a new thread?

[Run Amok]

how many meals do you need to cook for them? You've been amazingly generous so far!

[merigayle]

As many as they need. Now that the wife has passed, my fear (which I shared with the third neighbor) is that people will just fade away and the help and support diminish over the next days/weeks. I told the other neighbor that she and I can do it for a long time if we need to and she agreed. It is just so hard with the way I eat/cook and their dietary restrictions. Not so sure quinoa salad or Indian curries will do it for them But at the same time, a lot of the comfort foods I would traditionally make like baked ziti, lasagna, mac n cheese, etc, they cannot eat with the cheese restriction. The other option is just do prepared foods and the cost of what I made today was more than the prepared foods from last week. At least it is summer and I can do lighter dishes like pasta salads. Maybe I will just do a different pasta salad each time, haha.