What high-protein sweet things can I encourage friends and relatives to take into my 93 yo aunt in hospital?

[loveyouradvice]

Just that really - what's easy to find in Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury's... she loves coffee things and I see Waitrose's cappucino mousse is surprisingly high in protein (5g). She's recovering from an op and is also on antibiotics so anything kefir or greek yogourt related also good. But there dont seem to be many in one-portion sizes... she would hate the waste of bigger sizes.

My mum likes protein drinks which are iced latte flavour - in hospital maybe take a straw or decant into a cup. Otherwise there’s loads of high protein yoghurts and mousses in the supermarket

Why are you worried about protein? Has the doctor said that?

After surgery, your body is working really hard on recovery

So digestion needs to be easy and she might not want to eat much

I would take her anything she likes to eat and not worry too much about what it's made up of

Because of recovering from a significant operation ... older people absorb far less protein so have much higher needs anyway, further increased by recovery... and while at home she eats okay-ish wiht a couple of ensure a day, she doesnt like hospital food and doesnt eat much of it.

Yogourts and mousses are defintely the way to go. It would be good to know what else or which people have found popular.

Would pates and cheeses work?

Frozen high protein yoghurt. Just freeze one.

what about those tiny single serve salmon/cream cheese hors d’ouvers in the fridge section. Single prawn cocktails.

M&S desert aisle. Drop the focus on protein specifically and go for calories that Theyre keen on.

Smoked salmon often a hit.

The individual mousse portions with a profiterole on.

If it’s there thing the hummus & carrot / apple peanut butter dippers but they need decent teeth.

Custard is often a winner.

Unless a doctor has told you otherwise I would think she needs any sort of energy more than she needs specifically protein - anything she can and will eat. I wouldn't start making it harder to find something by trying to find something with perfect macros.

Whilst not proteins, dates are nutritious antioxidants. Lots of health benefits. Blueberries too.

Skyr is naturally high protein, they do drinks in it as well as individual portions and there are plenty of high protein items in the yoghurt area even including tiramisu flavour if she likes coffee flavoured (lindarghs). There's high protein chocolate bars near the vitamins section now and bagels believe it or not (sons obsessing over all things high protein 🙄).

Greek yoghurt is high protein. Protein bars. Protein pudding. Barebells soft protein bars are 16g each and cake like. Or MyProtein Cookies.

You can add powdered whey to rice pudding

How about halva? I think you can buy a coffee flavoured sort.

M&S do a nutrient dense range and have 2 pudding type one portion pots usually in their sandwich/food to go aisle.
My mum loved them whilst in hospital with complications of cancer.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/food/nutrient-dense-berry-bliss-bowl/p/fdp60787721#intid=pid_pg1pip96g2r1c1

Aldi is good for high-protein yoghurts and mousses. If you wish to give her a treat how about Walkers coffee creams? think she deserves something special after an op!

I agree I wouldn't focus particularly on protein at this point, I would buy anything she likes and is happy to eat. When my mother was in her 80s she broke her hip and while in hospital she was happiest drinking smoothies. Mousses and yoghurts are easy to eat so they are also a good option. Your aunt can focus more on protein (if she wants to) in future.

I really like the Lindahl kvarg (quark) yoghurts. Lots of flavours and 20g protein per pot.

Protein pancakes with chopped up strawberries and cream.

Just buy some nice things for her to eat. It does the world of good to have some treats to enjoy.

Be careful of anything marketed high protein, check the ingredients for difficult to digest sweeteners and bulking agents. Protein bars are often full of inulin / chicory and oligofructose or maltitol etc. All these things will cause gastric upset.

have you discussed high protein with the hospital? I'd expect the dieticians to have been involved if there was specific advice (and I'd certainly want to know her kidneys were ok before cranking up on the protein). It may be the right thing to do, but post-op geriatric physiology isn't always straightforward.

Salmon mousse.

My Mum really enjoyed individual pots of custard and rice pudding! Not as old as your aunt but she was very unwell (unfortunately died without going home) and got a lot of pleasure from things which reminded her of when I was a small child and we'd eat them as a treat.

Oh yes @SleepingisanArt - my Mum too, and sadly died from dementia in her mid 80s.... but wonderful memories of eating treats together, as we did when I was a child

Lots of fab ideas on here - huge thanks everyone. Calories not such an issue, as she loves her chocolate and luckily has not yet shrunk... though of course, worth bearing in mind.

Going to go and browse all these - Really appreciate the input!!

Fage Greek yoghurt is very high in protein. Mixed with a spoonful of honey, it’s absolutely delicious. I don’t know if they do it in small pots (I buy the 1kg tubs) but could you split it into smaller Tupperware pots, mix with honey and/or high-protein granola and/or raspberries (for fibre), and take it in daily?

I should think a change of diet is the last thing she needs at the moment. I would focus on whatever she fancies from her usual things. A sudden increase in protein or dairy etc might very well upset her digestion.

Good point @TheProvincialLady ... luckily she does love prawns and greek yogourt and cappucino mouss and eats them regularly ... shes also quite an adventurous eater so would enjoy trying something new so long as it felt fairly safe... Im thinking kefir drinks.