Need ideas please.

[StrangerThings1992]

I make a few meals a week for my Grandad who is struggling as he's getting older.
In colder weather I've been doing soups/stews/spag bol/lasagne/curry ect but now the weathers warming up I'm abit stuck on what summery meals I can make him that are easy for him to just wack in the microwave or take straight out the fridge.
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas?
He doesn't like pasta salad.

Thank you :)

I just make plenty of what you have listed as he still likes it occasionally then even if it is stinking hot (and we have had a brutal summer this year) he will still eat it. You could buy a piece of ham to cook and slice not too thinly as it freezes well. Would he eat ratatouille, perhaps?

If he wants anything else, he buys a cooked chicken, slices of ham and bags of salad for himself.

Lasagne? Freeze portions then he can just microwave it?

Cold meat, simple salad and warm new potatoes are a summer favourite of my octogenarian.

If you supplied some semi-prepped salad (eg you've washed and trimmed everything, but not assembled it), sliced cold meat and cooked new potatoes he could warm them up in the microwave. Or you can buy pots of new potatoes that go straight in the microwave and are ready buttered.

Quiche
Tuna potato salad www.justspices.co.uk/recipes/tuna-potato-salad.html
Spanakopita
Summer minestrone www.vogue.co.uk/article/hemsley-hemsley-summer-minestrone-buckwheat-pasta-basil-oil
Summery chickpea stew https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/summery-chickpea-stew.html

id stick with the soups, it’s easy and freezes well.
Could you help him stock up on things that might make nice sandwich fillings, like hummus, cold cuts and pickled veg?

Thanks all some really good ideas! :)

Could he manage to pop a tray in the oven? I'm thinking one person tray bakes with chicken or fish, potatoes, veg and a marinade or sauce.
You could then also make him a quiche, fish cakes, stuffed peppers etc

When SIL had a baby in the middle of a crazy heatwave, I had this issue as I was helping to provide food but it was too hot for heavy stuff. One thing I did that worked brilliantly was to roast a whole chicken, and provide those packets of pre-cooked rice or a tub of prepped veg for the microwave - so one full meal and then left over chicken for nibbling or doing whatever she wanted with as need be.

I also did roasted veg would I'd provide in tubs she could just put in the oven (those tin foil ones) to heat through with couscous and feta cheese.

I am not sure if a big salad is good for your grandfather, but I did a couple of big salads without dressing for her to dress and eat when she wanted.

If I was doing something like this for my dad, I'd probably add a pototo salad with some smoked mackerel as an option. And maybe something like a prawn cocktail salad in a pot.

Perhaps you could ask him for idea. He may be happy with the 'hot dinner' all summer as well, you never know.

Fish parcels and veg would steam in the microwave or oven and would be simple to do.

Salmon en croute

Risotto

Sausage rolls served with potato salad

On the day you drop the food off, I'd also include say 2 containers of salad which can go in the fridge and can be served with a frozen meal. That is assuming he'd like a salad? Maybe a separate container of dressing he can drizzle of the top.
Potato salad, bean salad, Greek salad, Ceasar etc

Does he freeze everything, or could you just make up a few plates for say 2 days worth which he can keep in the fridge? Quiche and salad, ham/egg and salad or new potatoes, bangers/mash/gravy/veg.

Edited as just found all these ideas too: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/freezable-recipes

He does have an oven but he struggles using it now, he much perfers the microwave.
He's 86 so he's doing pretty well for himself, he looks after himself in the sense that he showers daily and goes for a walk everyday it's just he can't cook at all so he lives off unhealthy ready meals and cheese sandwiches 😂.

I like the idea of making up a few salad bowls for him. And he puts some meals in the fridge and some in the freezer.

Thanks again everyone, I'll go to asda tomorrow to get some bits.

💙