469735 Sat Dec 15 12:09:49 -0800 2007 14 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3210721 My mother, who lives in Florida, hasn't been feeling well and doesn't get out much. She's not much of a cook (sad, but true) to begin with, and I'm afraid she's not eating very well. I'm looking for some sort of service that delivers nationwide. I haven't had good luck with Home Bistro. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Sat Dec 15 12:09:49 -0800 2007 11375 perk 1 3210966 Meals on Wheels is everywhere. Can get cold/lunches as well as hot/reheatable dinners, fresh; delivered daily. This means someone will always go there daily to sort of check on her also. I had an aunt who had foot surgery and had MoW come daily for about ten days. Weeki Wachi, FL. She said it was very nice. Sat Dec 15 13:58:33 -0800 2007 3210721 12123 Cathy 2 3211016 Thanks, Cathy. I'll check them out. Sat Dec 15 14:21:56 -0800 2007 3210966 11375 perk 3 4769503 I did some volunteer work for MOW, not the best, but definitely a descent cooked meal and healthy. I'm a personal chef and have taken care of 4 people over the last couple of years. Some for just a couple of weeks, another for 6 months and my current lady for over a year. I run errands for her and cook her meals. I make her breakfasts she can put in the micro, I also make her sandwiches and or soup which is what she likes for lunch and then go 3-4 times a week for dinner and cook. She has a personal nurse and does some things as well. More expensive than MOW by far. But depending on how particular she is with food. The one lady I worked for I would make 1 large meal and then freeze extras. She could do a micro but not constant standing for a short while it was ok. I would make her favorites, port roast, chicken and dumplings, swiss steak, things she requested. I know of a couple locally but expensive. Sat Jun 13 09:22:20 -0700 2009 3211016 232829 kchurchill5 4 4769943 Ideally, I also think a local, personal Chef is the "Gold Standard" way to go, but as you've mentioned it's costly and most people cannot afford that option on a daily/weekly basis. Sat Jun 13 13:16:36 -0700 2009 4769503 20921 Tay 1 3211575 You might also check into personal chef services in her area. An out of town sibling bought that for our parents once and they really liked it. She came to the house and cooked there, packaged everything up and popped it all in the freezer. Hope your mom is feeling better soon. It's tough to be far away from her at times like these. Sat Dec 15 19:16:48 -0800 2007 3210721 127625 fern 1 3211796 I’ve tried 30 or so Home Bistro meals and found most very bland. However here are three that I do like: baby back ribs, chicken with biscuits, bison chili, These places, for my taste, are better: Impromptu Gourmet. I especially like chicken in morel sauce, blue cheese halibut, garlic herb shrimp. Also the canapé assortment. http://www.impromptugourmet.com/ Magic Kitchen. Good value. No killer gourmet stuff, but akin to good home cooking, Try shrimp pesto, chicken pot pie, lemon pepper chicken, roast turkey. http://www.magickitchen.com/ Family Chef. Try turkey and gravy. Buffalo wings, spaghetti and meatballs, beef pot roast. http://www.familychef.com/meal_menu/ Sat Dec 15 21:54:51 -0800 2007 3210721 55316 mpalmer6c 2 3211857 Thanks so much mpalmer6c! Great list. I'm determined to get her off the steady diet of canned soup and Lean Cuisine. Sat Dec 15 22:50:16 -0800 2007 3211796 11375 perk 3 3211979 You're very welcome. There are a couple of things I could have added: 1) The corned beef from Family Chef is exceptionall. Meat is fork tender, no gristle and fat, with great sauces on the meat and scalloped potatoes. 2) If the occasion arises, the assorted canapes from Impromptu Gourmet are simply terrific. All put together by hand, and, as I wrote and told them, worthy of the finest restaurants. Sun Dec 16 02:00:33 -0800 2007 3211857 55316 mpalmer6c 4 3230954 Just wanted to thank you again. I was able to put together a lovely meal with several courses that will give her lots of leftovers. I even added a holiday CD, so it will be festive. (clever of Impromptu Gourmet to do that...and the food looks great) Found a wine store that will deliver champagne and wine to her area. Threw in some of her favorite candy from another source. So, she'll have a lot of deliveries and a week's worth of good food. Thanks again.....have a wonderful holiday. Sat Dec 22 11:29:38 -0800 2007 3211979 11375 perk 5 3230994 perk You might want to look into a steadier, more local source for food delivery for your Mom. I arranged with a local restaurant/Deli, to deliver food to my mom on a 2x -3x a week basis. I had a simple fax installed at her house and they put her on an automatic fax list. She recieved the daily specials by fax and I had them mail her their regular menu. She would call in her order by 10am and they would deliver to her by 12 noon. I also had her fax me her order so I could keep track of her choices and also know what was going on the bill. Although I would have thought the owner would have preferred the security of a credit card, he preferred to bill me an itemized list every 6-8 weeks so I paid him by check. My Mom's energy and strength improved a great deal, and she had the affordable 'luxury' of having her own personal "chef" without the hassle and expense. The restaurant catered to an older clientele, so they were already reducing the salt content without reducing the flavor, which was a very good thing, She even started doing a little entertaining! I was so thrilled! As an added bonus, the Delivery person befriended her and started doing some handyman odd jobs for her after he finished his work in exchange for some help improving his English.. If you find this might work for you, it's well worth the initial hassle of setting it up. I was surprised at how affordable it was. I wish her good health in the coming New Year :-} Sat Dec 22 11:53:49 -0800 2007 3230954 20921 Tay 6 3231018 Thanks, Tay. That's a great idea. I know someone mentioned having a personal chef come in, and I had thought of that....but my mother is a very nervous person and would be paranoid about someone being in the house for a few hours. It's just the way she is--and I've given up arguing with her about it. There are bigger battles--like nutrition! I'm not sure she would trust the fax....we never did get her to keep the vcr plugged in, and the phone answering machine was a major triumph. But I could get her some menus, and she could call in orders. Maybe she'll fall in love with a delivery guy and get married. KIDDING (I think). Thanks again...and good health to you and yours in the coming year. Sat Dec 22 12:07:10 -0800 2007 3230994 11375 perk 3 3212255 Most older people have lost the sense of smell and taste and their palate is not as discerning Also their eyesight is going, so simple to prepare things are what they make for themselves. It depends on your mom's age as to what she will want to prepare and also what she would like to eat. Sometimes simple but nutritous is better. Sun Dec 16 07:54:04 -0800 2007 3211857 12123 Cathy 1 4756793 Here is the best food I have found on the internet that is already prepared and cooked for you: www.bbq2you.com or www.hitchingpostproducts.com Tue Jun 09 10:57:19 -0700 2009 3210721 165570 MollySands 2 4769478 Molly It looks very tasty. Cost and selection-wise I don't think it would work for every day 'Mom meals' but it would make a great gift for a special occasion. Thanks for sharing. :-) Sat Jun 13 09:10:33 -0700 2009 4756793 20921 Tay