Making nutritious calorific food - sweet or liquid!

[loveyouradvice]

Hi my 82 year old Mum is now just drinking iced coffee and eating cakes/puddings, with occasional quiche - unless she is with one of us when she will sometimes eat a savoury meal, but often not.

She has lost a shocking amount of weight and just forgets to eat, thinking its normal not to eat much at her age. Her mother was tiny.

I've realised I need to start making more food to deliver.to her rather than sending Ocado as I don't think she is getting the nutrients - we can get to her twice a week.

Any thoughts on quick and easy and very nutritious sweet food that lasts for 3 days? I've put my initial ideas in the next post and would love some more?

Anything you can get nuts or nut butter into, and avocado - chocolate avocado cake for example. Bananas, full fat Greek yoghurt (higher in protein than other yoghurt or cream and also has probiotics), seeds are also all great ingredients to try and include.

Would she drink smoothies or enjoy soup? You can pack a lot of great stuff and calories into those too.

Would she drink complan?

Sounds odd but try the iced coffee slim fast shakes but as a supplement not a replacement. They are the equivalent of a meal and contain loads of calories and nutrition.

Did you know that those Ensure drinks actually have recipes for their use on the website! Never tried them myself but I do mention them to people

I've been very underweight and had to supplement with Complan milkshakes and soup. You could see if they do a coffee flavour shake? I used to get chocolate flavour. They have all sorts of vitamins added (or so they say).

I add almond powder when I need to add calories. If you can get her to eat savory try butternut squash risotto (simple squash risotto on BBC good food) or lentil and sweet potato curry also from BBC good food.
You do need to ensure nutrition.... It's so hard to get the balance. Good luck.

Ensure do latte flavour that can be warmed up

Can you make sweet muffins but pack them with carrot and courgette etc? Like ones you make for kids or healthy breakfasts on the go.
I'm pretty sure I've seen chocolate mousse/pudding recipes using avocados.

Also I make a no bake flapjack type thing.

Usually half a jar of peanut butter and half a squeeze bottle of honey warmed in a pan.
Then I add enough oats, chopped nuts, seeds, raisins, grated dark chocolate, chopped dates etc to form a stiff mixture.
Sometimes I also add a scoop of protein powder if we have some in.
Then either roll into balls or press into a tray and chill before cutting in to pieces.

I make a yummy milkshake (that I got addicted to when pregnant):

Half an avocado
4 dates
Big handful of oats
Banana
Tbsp cacao
Milk to taste/preferred consistency

You could probably freeze it. Really good for breakfast for reluctant eaters!

Oops, forgot! 1 tbsp of any nut butter you want! That's key, makes it so yummy.

my mum is the same but she has a tendency to get an upset stomach if she eats more than she does normally

I let her eat as she pleases. If you go down the "adding cream" route then please tell her what you are doing in case she feels instinctively that she can't eat something that rich etc.

well, actually, I should probably add - my mum does eat things like savoury food but she eats very little. I'm not sure what her total calorie intake is but it's not all from sugar.

though I'd probably not say anything unless she actually felt unwell.

Really great thread - thank you everyone!