Saturday night meals on wheels - inspiration!
Discussion
About 2.5 years ago, a nice old couple few doors away were hit with sad news, the wife, well into her 80s was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her husband, then 89, now near 92, was and is a nice guy but from a time when he was very much looked after by his wife. So, whilst she was seeing out her days, we offered to cook for them each Saturday night, an excuse for us to cook for ourselves too, my daughter who was on,h 12 then was a keen cook, so we began doing ‘meals on wheels’ for them. They were excited by all the ‘new things’ we cooked, the old dear used to ask me to write it down, so she could tell them at church! Very much meant and two veg people, we seemed to ‘wow’ them with Beef Stroganoff, goulashes, pulled pork, sticky briskets, pies all with lots of fresh veg normally out the garden, nice, comfort healthy grub. Even occasional burger and chips, apparently they’d never had pizza until summer 2019, when we fired up the pizza oven!
Anyway, old dear passed after a year of fight just at the start of Covid. Amazing how she held on, very brave lady.
Leaving 90 year old on his tod. Due covid, we could not really invite him round to eat with us, but carried on with sat night meals on wheels. Literally not missed one in near 3 years, we were one on holiday and got a neighbour to do it! And we swapped a few to Sunday lunch, but it’s been a regular thing.
About a year back, got a call from our actual next door neighbour at 5am, her husband, 86 fell down stairs at 230am, still waiting for ambulance, so I got dressed snd took him to a and e in the boot of the estate car! Poor sod had bashed himself up properly.
When back home they were struggling a bit, she’s 89, so we added them to Saturday night meals on wheels, now for 3.
Then last week, we noted a van delivering frozen meals to another old dear two doors away, great friends with the others, all lived here 40 years, so I gingerly have asked if she wants ‘in’ which she’s delighted with, and then my wife said, we cannot ask her and not her mate up the road, mum of an old schoolmate of mine, so no we are up to 5 external meals on wheels! Plus, the 4 of us!
We don’t charge anything, would not dream of it, we get a few bottles of wine and even tins of coke from the tombola at the fete now and then, but their appreciate is enough, and they genuinely appreciate it. We even did Xmas dinner for two households, the old boy on his own even had guests, and we did it for them all!
But, we are strugggling for inspiration a bit now. Roast pork loins last week, sticky brisket before that, carbonara, we do Mexican, chilli con carne, stews, etc and try to use slow cooker to get the volume up and relative cost down! The foods great, and we balance it with lots of fresh veg etc. But need some more ideas now. We done a Caribbean chicken in coconut milk and peanut butter with pinappel and mango a few times and they love that.
They like most things but we stick with meat not fish mainly as I think fish is a bit more fickle taste wise. Occasional Chinese, last year for Chinese New Year, missed it this year, but whilst a few like a bit of spice, not too much. Also, not too much garlic.
So, inspiration please. We can and do cook most things and most styles. We can’t give up all day, but can give it a few hours on Saturday pm, and or the day before when slow cooking.
Anyway, old dear passed after a year of fight just at the start of Covid. Amazing how she held on, very brave lady.
Leaving 90 year old on his tod. Due covid, we could not really invite him round to eat with us, but carried on with sat night meals on wheels. Literally not missed one in near 3 years, we were one on holiday and got a neighbour to do it! And we swapped a few to Sunday lunch, but it’s been a regular thing.
About a year back, got a call from our actual next door neighbour at 5am, her husband, 86 fell down stairs at 230am, still waiting for ambulance, so I got dressed snd took him to a and e in the boot of the estate car! Poor sod had bashed himself up properly.
When back home they were struggling a bit, she’s 89, so we added them to Saturday night meals on wheels, now for 3.
Then last week, we noted a van delivering frozen meals to another old dear two doors away, great friends with the others, all lived here 40 years, so I gingerly have asked if she wants ‘in’ which she’s delighted with, and then my wife said, we cannot ask her and not her mate up the road, mum of an old schoolmate of mine, so no we are up to 5 external meals on wheels! Plus, the 4 of us!
We don’t charge anything, would not dream of it, we get a few bottles of wine and even tins of coke from the tombola at the fete now and then, but their appreciate is enough, and they genuinely appreciate it. We even did Xmas dinner for two households, the old boy on his own even had guests, and we did it for them all!
But, we are strugggling for inspiration a bit now. Roast pork loins last week, sticky brisket before that, carbonara, we do Mexican, chilli con carne, stews, etc and try to use slow cooker to get the volume up and relative cost down! The foods great, and we balance it with lots of fresh veg etc. But need some more ideas now. We done a Caribbean chicken in coconut milk and peanut butter with pinappel and mango a few times and they love that.
They like most things but we stick with meat not fish mainly as I think fish is a bit more fickle taste wise. Occasional Chinese, last year for Chinese New Year, missed it this year, but whilst a few like a bit of spice, not too much. Also, not too much garlic.
So, inspiration please. We can and do cook most things and most styles. We can’t give up all day, but can give it a few hours on Saturday pm, and or the day before when slow cooking.
Sounds like you are doing a great service for your neighbours
I've had great success with a twice-cooked pork belly. Its chinese style and takes about 30 mins of prep/cooking then i simmer for three to four hours. I've never used a slow cooker but i should think it would be ideal to plonk in there and leave it doing its thing. Can write the recipe down if you think it would work. It has spices, but isn't hot/chilli. It's reasonably cheap to make too, as pork belly isn't expensive (especially from Lidl
)
I've had great success with a twice-cooked pork belly. Its chinese style and takes about 30 mins of prep/cooking then i simmer for three to four hours. I've never used a slow cooker but i should think it would be ideal to plonk in there and leave it doing its thing. Can write the recipe down if you think it would work. It has spices, but isn't hot/chilli. It's reasonably cheap to make too, as pork belly isn't expensive (especially from Lidl
)Sounds like a great thing you are doing. You'll be feeding the whole town if you're not careful though 
Some suggestions that are hopefully fairly cheap to put together and easy to prep -
A slow-cooked beef shin / braising beef ragu. Can then use to make pasta / pasta bakes / lasagne
A Moroccan-style stew or tagine - lots of potential meat variety and well suited to slow cooking
A spanish style stew with pork shoulder, chorizo and paprika then with various beans / veg / potatoes added to slow cook (appreciate chorizo isn't cheap)
Some suggestions that are hopefully fairly cheap to put together and easy to prep -
A slow-cooked beef shin / braising beef ragu. Can then use to make pasta / pasta bakes / lasagne
A Moroccan-style stew or tagine - lots of potential meat variety and well suited to slow cooking
A spanish style stew with pork shoulder, chorizo and paprika then with various beans / veg / potatoes added to slow cook (appreciate chorizo isn't cheap)
What a local hero! One of my go to’s for a dish that doesn’t get served up in the uk too often is mongolian beef/chicken. Pretty simple and can be done/kept hot in the slow cooker if easier. Adjust chilli/garlic to suit:
https://thewoksoflife.com/mongolian-chicken/
https://thewoksoflife.com/mongolian-chicken/
Gin and Ultrasonic said:
Sounds like a great thing you are doing. You'll be feeding the whole town if you're not careful though
Some suggestions that are hopefully fairly cheap to put together and easy to prep -
A slow-cooked beef shin / braising beef ragu. Can then use to make pasta / pasta bakes / lasagne
A Moroccan-style stew or tagine - lots of potential meat variety and well suited to slow cooking
A spanish style stew with pork shoulder, chorizo and paprika then with various beans / veg / potatoes added to slow cook (appreciate chorizo isn't cheap)
Moroccan style stuff is worth a thought. We do a lamb ragu with pasta that always goes down well, it’s one of my favourites, we don’t eat a lot of lamb, but with Moroccan spices could be good, too. Some suggestions that are hopefully fairly cheap to put together and easy to prep -
A slow-cooked beef shin / braising beef ragu. Can then use to make pasta / pasta bakes / lasagne
A Moroccan-style stew or tagine - lots of potential meat variety and well suited to slow cooking
A spanish style stew with pork shoulder, chorizo and paprika then with various beans / veg / potatoes added to slow cook (appreciate chorizo isn't cheap)
poo at Paul's said:
Moroccan style stuff is worth a thought. We do a lamb ragu with pasta that always goes down well, it’s one of my favourites, we don’t eat a lot of lamb, but with Moroccan spices could be good, too.
If your slow cooking. Ask your butcher about mutton or some of the tougher cuts. Supermarket lamb will be much more expensive. Also buying larger joints and cutting to size yourself will be more cost effective. Like when a supermarket has a special on big roast joints or a whole salmons etc
Edited by sherman on Friday 4th February 18:20
poo at Paul's said:
So, inspiration please. We can and do cook most things and most styles. We can’t give up all day, but can give it a few hours on Saturday pm, and or the day before when slow cooking.
If you were cooking for me and asked me what I would like....Shepherd's Pie
Cottage Pie
Spaghetti Bolognese
Sausage and Mash
Liver and Bacon
Stew
That's for starters
Nothing complicated.
BTW where do you live, I am elderly and could pop round?
Apparently when you get older you lose your sense of taste (and some medicines also affect it) so some people like more flavours.
How about:
How about:
- Harissa braised lamb with beans
- Chicken casserole with white wine and olives
- Sweet potato peanut butter curry (veggie and very tasty)
- Baked orzo with courgettes and spinach (Orzo giardiniera - also veggie)
- Baked miso chicken is pretty awesome and packed with flavour while not being spicy
- Roast chicken legs and plums
Edited by vaud on Friday 4th February 19:22
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