Cooking for Elderly Relatives

[BlueChangling]

I have two elderly relatives who will be self isolating inseparate houses for the foreseeable.

I will be working from home and only venturing out for essentials supplies for my house and theirs, drop offs at the back door without any contact. My husband is the only other person in my home will only be leaving the house for work.

I know I can make our supplies last longer if I can make a big meals and portion it out for each household - lasagne, soups and stews ect. I usually leave a few meals a week up to my nan in normal circumstances.

I'm worried this would be unsafe for my relatives as if I become infected without knowing or before symptoms show I could spread it to them that way. My mum thinks it should be ok as take away deliveries for food are still operating and this is more or less the same, and I could spread it to them by delivering shopping as well.

Am I being too cautious?

Not a food safety expert and interested to hear other views but I think based on my understanding of current advice you would probably be OK to cook them some food providing you observe very careful hygiene procedures when preparing and delivering it e.g. frequent handwashing, obviously not coughing or sneezing over any food, ensuring containers are very clean etc. I would only do hot food that you are going to cook thoroughly at your house, and then will be nuked/microwaved by relative until piping hot, rather than cold food like salads or cold meats as the risk there will presumably be greater if you aren't zapping any bugs in the cooking process. And make sure you leave the shopping/meals on the doorstep or in the porch rather than going into the house. There would still be a risk that you are currently incubating the virus/asymptomatic and transfer it onto the food or containers via your hands/breath but if you are having to deliver them food that risk is there anyway... do remind your Nan to wash her hands thoroughly before eating as well!

Thanks @maxelly your logic makes sense. Hard to know what to do but we can only do our best