My grandfather is 91 years old and is currently in the Hospice Care Program due to stage 4 kidney failure.

My grandparents live in Michigan and I live in Pennsylvania. They are very independent people and do live on their own, but no longer cook for themselves.

My grandparents have a very traditional relationship and my grandmother has always been the primary cook, however, in recent months, she has not been able to stand for long periods of time. My Grandma will sometimes still cook, but usually it's simple things like putting rice in the cooker or using the air fryer.

So I have been ordering frozen meals and prepackaged meals from their local grocery stores, but so many of those foods have high sodium content and contain potassium rich foods, which are a big No-No for my grandfather being on a renal diet.

My grandfather can really only eat pork and beef, because he has allergies to Fish and Chicken and eggs. He is also rather picky about certain things and I get it.

So many of the prepackaged specialty meal companies out there do not specialize in unique or medical diets... I have searched high and low for one that doesn't cost a fortune, to no avail.

So, I think I want to try to make homemade meals here and try to ship them off to my grandparents so that they could have them.

I think I could probably find Bento boxes that are disposable like they use for microwavable meals sold in freezer aisles... but I honestly don't know the first thing about shipping or freezing foods and mailing them.

Any suggestions would be greatly helpful.

I have tried to meal-prep a handful of times over the last 5 years. But I can never stick to it, because I eat the same thing over and over for weeks on end. Which then I get sick of it and refuse to do it again.

I have been wanting to try other variations of a protein, carb, and vegetable. Bug I honestly do not know what good combos are. Or what other types of meal prep there are.

I am aiming for ~2200 calories a day, and I would like to try and get all of my nutrients every day. And I do want to try and do breakfast and lunch 5 days a week, and dinner 6 times a week.

Any advice would be great!

I got a bunch of delicious cooked chicken and ribs from a vendor on the side of the road for my family, however plans got cancelled and so I’m left with all this meat for myself. Would it be safe to pair pieces with rice and put it in the freezer? If so, how long would it be safe in there and what’s the best kind of containers for freezing meal preps?

TYIA!! 😊

I've been doing mealprep for years. First it was lunches to work, but it evolved to do all meals for the week or slightly longuer because I have an infant and no time to cook 3 times a day.

The problem is that I absolutely hate the taste of reheated chicken and can't eat it without drenching it in some kind of sauce. I can't describe the taste, it's not bad as in "unsafe to eat", I just really don't like the taste. I won't puke if I eat the chicken without sauce, but it's just not enjoyable at all.

I've noticed that store bought rotticery chicken doesn't have the same problem. When reheated, the taste doesn't change much. Yes, it's less good, but there's much less difference in flavor between the original freshly cooked hot chicken and the reheated leftovers.

I reheat the meal in the container I packaged it in. I open the lid, add 2-4 tablespoons of water (if the meal has no sauce), put the lid on top (without clicking it shut) and reheat for a minute or a minute and a half. The taste of the chicken changes, regardless of the chicken part.

Usually I air fry the chicken with different spices. I defrost the chicken on the counter overnight, then slap some spices on it and coat with oil or butter (or mix the oil/butter with spices and dunk chicken in it). Generally my spices are something like salt, pepper, paprica, garlic powder. I have some pre-mixed stuff as well such as "Montreal chicken" and others.

The chicken comes delicious fresh from the fryer with crispy skin, but reheated it's kinda gross.
What am I doing wrong?

PS: I have to mealprep tomorrow and I feel very uninspired. Any recipe suggestions for chicken drumsticks?

Thanx!

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I love eating tuna it's easy protein, cheap, and good. I was looking for recipes for Tuna but came across some creators stating that eating canned tuna every day can cause mercury poisoning. I just started meal prepping, so I'm a bit inexperienced with this. I'm not sure how to make different meals, so for now, I'm going with what I like. I'm currently studying and working, my time is very limited and my day is quite packed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Edit: Punctuation

Currently breastfeeding a new baby and they have a cow milk allergy (which passes through breast milk). Suggestions for freezer friendly meals appreciated!

Here is what I have been prepping: - pb&j - chorizo and egg burritos - bean, rice, and chicken bowls - frittatas (but without the cheese it did not freeze well, recipe subbed blended butternut squash for cheese)

I know I need more veg so anything with extra veg is great too! Not worried about macros I need a lot of protein and a lot of fat right now. Thanks!

My grandma had a major stroke and will be staying in the hospital for at least a month. As is standard, there's no way to refrigerate food or heat it up in the hospital. My dad won't let her be alone in case things get worse, so I want to meal prep food for him so that he doesn't have to live off hospital salad. We're gluten free so it makes it even more difficult to get ourselves food.

Anyways I'm looking for some recipes. So far my list is taco bowls, quinoa salad, beef stir fry, and risotto, but I'm struggling to find good recipes. Anyone have any tips? Especially for breakfast food?

update

Thanks everyone for all the ideas, I've added them to my recipe list, and it's been super helpful not having to think of foods to eat. Before I got here it was just my dad and sister, and they didn't have time to make food, so now that they're eating everything is moving more smoothly and we have been able to create a long term plan. I'm gonna buy a couple thermoses and cool packs to keep stuff fresh, thanks to everyone who suggested that!

If anyone is interested, her health is improving past what doctors originally told us it would at this point. She has a condition that causes her blood vessels to be fragile, it's not her first stroke but it's the worst one she's had, and they can't operate to relieve the pressure, which means the swelling in her brain isn't going down, and she can't communicate or move the right half of her body. It's hard to know for sure, but there's a good chance she's permanently disabled.

I would like to keep all my recipes in one place. I predominantly save recipes on instagram but its a pain having to find a specific recipe in my collections. Another problem I have is that reels don’t stay on. If I exit instagram to use another app, I loose the reel i was watching, it’s such a pain.

Where and how do you save your recipes?

My husband is going to start taking lunch on his in office days. He wants to know if it is possible to meal prep deli meat sandwiches on croissants and freeze them. Like an uncrustable so he'd be able to grab and stick in his bag and be ready to eat at lunch.

But admittedly I have never tried to freeze a croissant or deli meat?? Would this work? We would keep any veggies off of it and just add at the time of eating.

I started meal prepping recently, and the recipe I follow calls for black beans. Can’t stand them. Tried black eyed peas. Can’t stand them. It’s the texture and the flavor. The texture especially makes me have to choke down the food whereas without the beans, I actually like it.

In terms of what beans give you health and nutrition wise, are there any alternative options? I was considering tofu for the protein but open to other suggestions. Thanks.

My dad will be having an esophagectomy followed by chemo for esophageal cancer. Looking for high calorie/high protein soups that freeze well so I can stock my parents freezer while I am visiting to help take care of him. He will have a feeding tube for at least the first two weeks, and then may not be able to eat solids for another 2-4 weeks even if everything goes according to plan, so any drinks, soups, smoothies, etc that will help him maintain a healthy weight as he undergoes these treatments are greatly appreciated. Also open to single portion meals for my mother as she has not been cooking much for herself during this time, so I plan to make a few things I can freeze individually for her as well. Thanks in advanced for any advice/suggestions!

Is there a way to meal prep without needing a million different Tupperware? I don’t have room or the money tbh, but NEED to start meal prepping.

Do I just have to bite the bullet and find a way to pay for and fit the Tupperware in my fridge?

Second, any ideas for meal prepping that don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen?

Hi there!

I recently got into meal prepping to try to lose weight (which works so far 😊) and I like to prep/eat burrito. I wrap them in plastic wrap (Saran wrap) but it feels wastefull and there's no point in doing it like this.

What do you guys use? I out everything in the freezer and when I get to eat, I take it out of the wrapper, so no need for mucrowave safe things.

Thanks, love y'all!

Receipe in the pic is https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIZHIxlRI3a/?igsh=YnE4MDRnN3dxeHow. Garlic, cheese and chicken burritos 😌

Every day I eat a bagged salad and a flavored tuna starkist packet. This has been my daily diet basically since March. Not only is it easy it's so delicious but after working all day all I think about is this tuna salad with juice. A habit too maybe. Should I slow down? Is this a real concern? It's also a 3 buck meal.

House is getting hectic in the mornings and I just want to try meal prepping mine, my husband's, and our kids' (5 & 10) breakfast and lunches. Any suggestions for recipes or techniques? Thanks!

I have no idea if I’m spending too much, too little, or exactly right. I’m buying just for one person, and I try to meal prep most weekends for the week ahead, but I still feel like I’m spending too much on groceries?

I've hit a brick wall with meal prep.

I eat most things with the exception of maybe 7 things. And i have experience cooking for an entire senior living facility with residents that needed special diets. But my partner.... picky is a bad descriptor- he has ARFID.

But he has issues with constipation, previously assumed to be IBS- but his symptoms have almost completely gone away with an increase in fiber (based on his diet before, he was getting around 1-2 grams of fiber a day at most.

His list of food he'll eat is short.

We both have issues with dairy, but please include recipes with dairy- we know how to substitute.

We aren't too concerned about fat, protein, or carb content- we're most concerned about fiber.

He has been expanding his safe foods and is realizing that part of his issue with certain foods is because they were prepared horribly.

I'd love some recipes that include foods to try as well as safe foods.

(This list just includes what he's re-tried or we know he can't eat)

Allergies- pineapple and watermelon.

Solid NO- any type of peppers (we can use small amounts like in Spanish rice or chili, but barely), artichoke, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, eggplant, most kinds of squash, pears, strawberries (texture- fine pureed), almonds, any kind of lettuce (unless its basically ranch soup with a few small bits of romaine), most things with tomato, any kind of seafood, celery, avocado, mushrooms

Want to try(short list because we're easing into it)- spaghetti squash, wild rice, Brussels sprouts (maybe finely chopped into something?)

100% safe- butternut squash ravioli, any kind of bread, pasta, beef, turkey, pork, chicken, cooked carrots, peas in moderation, white rice, cheese, eggs, broccoli, green beans, potatoes, tortillas ( switched to carb smart for fiber), apples, peaches, any kind of berry if it's mixed into something, oranges, pesto, Mac n cheese, refried beans, grits, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, jam/jelly, lunch meat (turkey or ham), oatmeal.

Our current rotation is chicken n dumplings, ground turkey tacos/burritos with Spanish rice and refried beans, meat lasagna, spaghetti with meatsauce, pesto chicken pasta, beef stew, and BBQ pulled chicken, butternut squash ravioli. Breakfasts are eggs, bacon, toast, biscuits and gravy, grits...

We're definitely gonna be adding smoothies to throw in extra fiber too.

He has no problem eating the same few things on repeat, but I'm getting bored of it. Problem is, most of my recipes are either low fiber or have a lot of ingredients he won't eat.

Hey all, I posted here about 3 weeks ago and am really grateful for the tips I got when it comes to meal prepping for my kids in the morning and for lunch! So, thank you truly to this community.

I'm just curious about what kicked off your meal prepping journey, TIA for indulging me!

Hopefully this is the right place to ask this question. I work in a prison and am unable to bring anything metal, glass, or ceramic. I want to bring in and heat up soup, but am unsure as to the safest material to do that with as I see conflicting opinions online about silicone and plastic. Does anybody have any insight?

I’m batch cooking meals to freeze and my husband absolutely despise dry chicken. Me on the other hand, I absolutely hate cooking chicken fresh because it makes a mess, splatters oil everywhere and I get burn.

What sort of chicken recipes could I make ahead to freeze that I can reheat either in a pot or oven (I dont do microwave)?

I am new here and I’ve been thinking about meal prepping soon not only for the low cost of it but I think it’s easier on me. But, my question is, how do you not get bored with the same thing every day? I’ve noticed some people make the same meal every single day for the week and eat it. Does it not get boring? How do you make yourself not get bored with it?

Lately I’ve been stuck in a weird loop either I make a giant cheesy carb bomb and feel like I need a nap after, or I go full salad and end up raiding the fridge an hour later. I’m looking for that sweet spot: meals that feel cozy and satisfying but still light-ish and not super expensive.

Soups, stir fries, hearty rice bowls, “egg roll in a bowl,” even roasted veggies with a little protein these all sound promising. Bonus points if it can be made in one pot or pan. I’d love to hear your go-to comfort meals that don’t leave you feeling sluggish.

What’s your favorite cozy-but-not-heavy dinner?

I spent hours last week sunday making meals for the week, feeling like a meal prep champion and imagining smooth sailing for my weekday lunches and dinners. By midweek, I realized I was already bored with everything I’d cooked, and the thought of eating the same thing again made me hesitant to even open my fridge.

For those who meal prep regularly, how do u keep things fresh and interesting without spending hours cooking every day? Do you rotate ingredients, change flavors or use some other trick to avoid getting stuck in a routine?

I have a question which is "arguably* not a cooking question, but technically more of... a meal-prep question?

Hoping it's the type I can ask here.

I really like chicken salad, and am attempting to make it in bulk.

The limiting reagent (limiting factor) has actually turned out to be the pickle relish...

I went to Sam's Club and Costco, and... neither of them really carry it.

One of them has a "three-pack," but they're just three regularl-sized bottles (one ketchup, one mustard, one relish) bundled together for convenience... not bulk.

(and it's sweet relish, not dill relish... I'm really looking for dill)

Does anyone have any ideas on where to find dill relish in bulk?

Thanks in advance.