By Christine Stewart
Helping with meals can be a wonderful way to show care and respect for someone who needs a hand. However, if you’re like many caregivers, you might find it difficult to juggle daily meal tasks along with everything else on your to-do list. Try these time and energy-saving tips to help make mealtimes more relaxed.
• Use a slow cooker or microwave. A slow cooker can be used for a wide variety of meals, including using up leftovers.
• Make larger portions of each meal and freeze what is not eaten. Casseroles, soups, stews, vegetable pies and meatloaves all store well. Freeze leftovers in single-portion containers or freezer bags, with a label showing the contents and date.
• Take advantage of healthy options in the frozen food or pre-made dinner sections of your grocery store. Add steamed or raw vegetables or a whole-grain bun for extra nutrition.
• Consider using a pre-made meal delivery service (e.g., Meals on Wheels) once or twice a week. The frozen-meal option gives you more flexibility, but if your independence or mobility are limited then a hot meal delivered by a friendly volunteer could be a good choice. Many grocery stores also offer delivery services or online shopping.
