Blandish food for fussy OAP

[Deathwatchbeetle]

I realise that most of you have a problem with fussy eaters that are children. However I am looking after my mother who seems to find most food too peppery (Waitrose Aberdeen Angus meatballs were too pepper
or spicy (or as I put it, too interesting!). Had a conversation with my long suffering brother who has a preteen daughter who hardly eats (unless it is chocolate) and is extremely fussy. She is not the worst of her crowd though! I always thought how frustrating it must be for him, he does try cooking from scratch most nights.

She (mum)is happy to have ready meals (Waitrose is our nearest shop) but does not like spice so most of the food there is too interesting. She also hates the idea of cheese with chicken. Does not like spaghetti or rice much too. Hates pizza. The last sausages I got her 'tasted funny'. She is not eating much at the moment either. "off fish' at moment as she believes she has had too much of it. She hasn't really but the problem is even those serve 1 packets are too much for her and so she does get it served up again.

I am veggie and like spicey food so have to cook separately for a bland meat eater. Cooking from scratch may be the way forward. Hopefully be less waste too.

Talk about role reversal, I have had to stop her eating biscuits an hour before dinner as she then will not eat her dinner!!!!

Can anyone suggest any meals they do that might fit the bill?

TIA

I'd suggest very simple, traditional slow-cooked casseroles. Beef, chicken etc. Flour and fry off seasoned meat before adding to a casserole dish with a little OXO stock, some plain vegetables (onion, carrot, leek, new potatoes) and use things like herbs, worcester sauce and tomato puree for flavour.

Try their 'Classic British' range. It's buy one get one half price at the moment. Gammon in parsley sauce and chicken casserole might work.

Favourites with some pensioners I know;

Gammon, with either a parsely sauce or a fried egg
Cottage pie
Chicken casserole
Beef casserole
Chicken breasts in a creamy mushroom sauce
Roast dinners
Hotpots
Mince cobbler

This is probably a stupid question, but is she finding they taste too peppery/spicy or is it that she's getting 'heartburn'?

I would fry her a piece of plain meat and serve with veg and mash, forget about fancy food. My mil is the same....fussier than my kids, she finds lots of food give her heartburn, it's been getting worse, I'm now insisting she sees the GP and gets herself some Zantac or has further investigations.

Stick to meat and two veg. Chicken/steak/ sliced beef/pork chop/lamb chop/turkey steak/gammon steak with broccoli, carrots and potatoes. Bisto gravy is entirely tasteless so she will probably like that.
I cook for my gps and found that the meals they will eat are very limited. Four out of five it's meat and two,they also have cottage pie, fish pie, hot pot chicken or beef casserole, fish and chips, and sandwiches. No rice or pasta. Nothing spicy. Nothing exotic (this includes asparagus ) and they demand a dessert .

When my mum was having chemo we had some of the same problems. One thing that worked really well was toddler ready meals - I think both Waitrose and M&S do them. Because they are aimed at toddlers it is good food, traditional recipes, plain/simple flavourings and small portions. Mum kept some in the fridge and freezer.

Thanks one and all! This is really helpful. Being veggie and loving exotica I gorget about good ol' british cooking!

Sono - mum had chemo last year but it did not affect her appetite at all.I think now being so much less mobile (had iop op) she is not doing much to work up an appetite, plus I forget not everyone eats the same amount as me!!!!

Hey Pregnant -I like Bisto! Hard getting a fish pie as most do not have prawns in them and she feels shortchanged. I guess I will have to make one.

There is some chicken and cashew nut over from the other day. I will stir fry some veggies with that for her. Also there is a chicken casserole with dumplings and I bet she leaves the dumplings!

Havantguard - no she finds it too peppery/spicy.My brother will get some meatballs from Costco as they are blander. He has problems with his daughter who obviously takes after her gran in food tastes.

What about corn beef hash? You can dress that up and down as much as you want.

What about chicken chausseur and mash and some greens. You can get a packet mix for the sauce and its probably the sort of taste your mum is after.

You could always poke a few prawns in a ready made fish pie If she eats small portions then divide up into tiny containers that are freeze able.

Id do steak pie. Again tiny dish. Topped with a bit of pastry.

Or miniature steak puddings - use individual pudding basins. Bet she would love these.

Chicken and ham pie under a bit of mash.

Liver. Lots of older people love it. Fried and served with mash and greens.

Roast a chicken quarter and a potato cut in 2 or 3. Steam some veg. Bisto gravy. The leftover chicken - if any - can be used in pie or a sandwich.

Fish cakes. Make your own. Very easy. Less waste than fish maybe.

If she needs the extra calories then even a banana or a bit of cake can be improved with custard or cream. M and S do great little steamed puddings for the microwave that they usually have offers on.

I sympathise. My mother is still independent. But is very very fussy as regards food. It really boggles my mind sometimes how little she eats ( I must be so greedy!).

Thanks again, all. FIt was probably blindingly obvious to any meat eaters but as I haven't eaten meat or cooked it since my early twenties (Thirty years on) I have forgotten how and what to cook. Food for thought indeed.