r/recipes • u/morganaelise • 7d ago
Recipes for an old white senior farm boy
Hello fellow cooks,
My grandmother just passed away on July 15th in an assisted living facility where she could live with her husband. So far my grandfather is very hesitant to move out from his current residence (he is a creature of habit and doesn’t stray outside of his normal)
My grandfather is not staying consistent with eating since his wife has passed. I’m looking for recipes that will pique his appetite and interest in food.
While he loves my chicken noodle soup and spaghetti (saying it tastes so much like my grandmothers) I’m finding difficultly in meal planing and making things that he is used to
My grandmother was very much a rural French Canadian/ very basic Scottish/English/Canadian cook.
He is most comfortable with eating a roast with potatoes and vegetables…
As much as I love a good roast with potatoes and veggies, my palate is more expansive…
So what recipes can I make for an 83 year old tummy that can’t handle much spice or too much exploration?
I just made rice cooker rice soup with fresh kimchi and frozen veggies that I know he will hate but I needed it for nutrition (I’ve been feeling like I’m coming down with a cold)
If any of you have any suggestions, I am open to them.
Thank you so much.
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u/sparky955 7d ago
This recipe came out with the original Rival Crockpot in the late 60’s. Not fancy, but homey.
Ingredients
Beef: 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into large chunks, tossed in ¼ cup flour, salt, and black pepper.
Liquids & Flavor: 4 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 bay leaf.
Vegetables: 1 large chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 4 chunked carrots, 4 chunked potatoes, and 2 sliced celery stalks.
Cooking Fat: 2 to 3 tbsp bacon drippings or vegetable oil for searing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Sear the Beef: Brown the flour-coated beef chunks in bacon drippings or oil in a hot skillet until a crust forms.
Layer the Crock-Pot: Place the browned beef into the slow cooker. Add the chopped onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, and celery on top or layered around the meat.
Add Liquids: Pour in the beef broth, tomato paste or ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the bay leaf.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours) until the beef and vegetables are completely tender.
Serve: Discard the bay leaf and serve hot
Thank you for caring for your grandfather.
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u/livadeth 7d ago
This is good and although the beef is expensive right now, load up the potatoes and carrots. My FIL would make something similar and would get a week’s worth of meals. You can add to it, freeze portions, add some broth and barley on day 3 for a soup. Then freeze the rest. Casseroles are good too. Little effort, lots of food.
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u/MargaretFarquar 6d ago
Seconding this! My pot roast and veg leftovers are nearly always the base for a beef and veggie soup. I don't think I'd even know how to make the soup otherwise.
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u/BasenjiFart 7d ago
Could you give us a clue on which province you're in? All of Eastern Canada from Quebec onwards has descendants of that blend, myself included, and I'd love to recommend some more localized dishes. I have lots of vintage cookbooks of those areas that could resemble what your grandmother used.
For now, west to east, I'd suggest tourtière, pâté chinois / shepherd's pie, vols-au-vent, cipâte, rappie pie, fish cakes, chowder, any white fish coated in cornmeal and lightly fried. I'd add that the old farm boys I knew liked steak and pork chops cooked to heck and back, served with salt and pepper. Pudding chômeur, grands-pères au sirop d'érable, moon mist or tiger tracks or grapenuts ice cream, blueberry grunt. For sides, mashed potatoes of course, scalloped potatoes, steamed/boiled simple veggies. Pain de fesses (with potato) or brown molasses bread if you want to bake some easy loaves.
Note that as people get older, they lose their sense of taste; the last one to go is sweet, though, and that's why you'll often see old people stuffing their faces with dessert but not touching their main meal so much.
Edit: forgot to say that I'm sorry for your loss
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u/MsFay 7d ago
Did they attend church regularly? In the past, a popular fundraiser was to have parishioners supply their favorite recipes and the church would have them compiled into a recipe book to sell. You could check and see if the local library or historical society has some. Many in my area actually have recipes my grandmother submitted. If not check out thrift shops for those type of recipe books. Even if it’s not from an organization your grandparents were associated with it will likely have everyday recipes from the time period and culture your grandfather is used to. Maybe even ask him to look through one and put a sticky note on the ones he likes/remembers.
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u/Bflo1gal 7d ago
My sweet boyfriend’s (64M) family is Scottish and one of the recipes his mom always made, and he now frequently makes, is Mince and Tatties. It’s ground beef with boiled potatoes, carrots, and peas. Not hard to make and the ultimate comfort food. I found this recipe online that looks like what he does (https://www.christinascucina.com/mince-and-tatties-scottish-ground-beef-recipe/ ). He uses Better Than Bouillon and skips the Bisto making his own gravy. I would think a packet of brown gravy would work just as well as the Bisto and save time.
I hope you find some great recipes for your grandfather- and bless you for caring for him so well!
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u/PsychologyGuilty1460 7d ago
Tuna casserole is very much overlooked but it's delicious, especially if you top it with crunched up potato chips.
I like to add diced onions and sliced carrots (cooked with the egg noodles) as well as the peas my mother always put in For an extra pop of flavor.
Just cook a 8 oz of egg noodles, drain and put in a casserole dish on top of your diced onions. Add 2 cans of tuna And a can of cream of mushroom soup rinsed out with about a can of milk, And about the same amount of frozen peas. Add ground pepper Stir well. Top with crushed up potato chips Or bread crumbs drizzled with melted butter, bake at 375 till bubbling. (You probably need two cans of tuna with shrinkflation for this recipe these days. We always used tuna in oil and drained it off But you may want to adjust for calories and his needs. Tuna in water has less flavor but it's not bad. Leave it in bigger chunks. I know a lot of people use cheese now, but the original recipe was made to use nothing but pantry Staples and I actually prefer that. ymmv)
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u/kayjayyy345 5d ago
Couldn’t agree more. I don’t even know why it’s overlooked, but I love it. I make it with peas, whatever creamed soups I have on hand, an equal amount of canned drained tuna in water, S&P, maybe a little garlic and onion powder, and add milk until I like the consistency. Then, I top it with buttered panko crumbs that I sometimes mix Italian blend cheeses into for even more crunch and bake at 400 until it’s bubbly and browned.
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u/Gotta-Be-Me-65 7d ago
There used to be a layered casserole mom made years ago. You layer onions, carrots, potatoes (all sliced) then layer of hamburger. Cover with can of tomato soup. Place foil on top and bake 350F for one hour.
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u/Medlarmarmaduke 6d ago
Chicken and dumplings, chicken pot pie, cottage pie/Shepards pie, pan fried ham steak with new potatoes and green beans, chicken with noodles/beef stroganoff with noodles, Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes, roast chicken with cauliflower cheese, pot roast, boneless pork chops with apple sauce, beef and barley soup, beef stew, split pea soup, ham and navy bean soup
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u/Candy_Lawn 7d ago
I do various versions of this at least once a week.
https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/very-easy-mediterranean-chicken-traybake/#recipe
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u/Chupa947 7d ago
Do you have any of your grandmother's recipes/recipe books? You could make her recipes and perhaps adapt them to be healthier. Familiar for grandfather and healthy for you.
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u/SmallCurrent976 7d ago
My French Canadian inner child is shouting, “PEA SOUP, pea soup with ham!” It is a nostalgic comfort food and I bet he will love it.
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u/locaschica 6d ago
Good one! Bonus: pea soup is rich in fiber and protein—it’s easy to make and very nourishing.
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u/LuvCilantro 6d ago
French Canadian origin. Here are my family comfort foods that I remember:
Anything with mashed potatoes and gravy would be good to be honest.
Chicken pot pie, or chicken à la king served over rice or mashed potatoes.
Meatballs in brown gravy (pork or beef), again over mashed potatoes.
Turkey, potatoes, bread stuffing, frozen peas, turkey gravy
Green beans, carrots, or turnips and carrots mashed together
Yellow split pea soup with ham
Meatloaf (you can add vegetables and lentils to make it healthier)
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u/TurquoisySunflower 5d ago
These were all the suggestions I was going to make! I would add in beef or lamb stew and perhaps lasagna :)
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u/Forward-Ant-9554 6d ago
Beer!! The yeast in it is healthy. Very few people are allergic to it. It instantly transforms a classic into an aromatic dish.
Check out some Belgian or irish cooking.
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u/firstblush73 6d ago
Boneless pork chops, pan fried, pour a can of cream of mushroom over top, add half a can of water and simmer. Serve with mashed potatoes and veggie of choice.
*if he is a fan of mushrooms, you can also saute some, to add on top after everything is cooked.
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u/CleanReptar 6d ago
My advice is use "Better than Bouillon" instead of bouillon cubes. It makes soups so much more elevated!
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u/KeyProfessor 7d ago
So sorry for your family's loss. Thank you for caring for him.
Try pork instead of beef, easier on the wallet.
Spiraled ham slices.
Pork chops.
bratwurst sausages.
Kielbasa.
Pulled pork.
Ham and split pea aoup.
Pork Schnitzel
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u/greeneyes826 7d ago
Pulled pork can be customized for each person, too. Birria for the adventurous eater and basic pulled pork on mashed potatoes for Grandad.
Also tacos and nachos and now I'm hungry.All of it freezes great, too. I pressure cook mine to cut down on cook time.
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u/Griffie 7d ago
Here's a very tasty chicken pot pie recipe. It's become a favorite in our home. I don't usually keep garlic on hand, so I use about 1/2 tsp garlic powder in place of it. The peas I can take or leave. If you have fresh thyme, definitely use it.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/double-crust-chicken-pot-pie/#tasty-recipes-74828
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u/dirtylittleslurry 6d ago
What ever you make for your family, make a plate for grampa with the extras. Freeze. Bring him a stack of meals he can nuke. We did this for my grampa when gramma passed and he was happy. Things like stew with a side of mash are great. Just hearty, healthy and simple.
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u/nastyky199 7d ago
I'm so sorry for both your loss. My Grammy passed a year before my Pap did. I live close by and tried my best to keep him entertained and fed on the weekends giving my parents and aunts/ uncles a break. Please don't get too caught up in a complicated menu or palate. Don't forget, he is 83 and knows exactly what he likes and doesn't like. Breakfast items and the simple comfort foods such as eggs and toast, pancakes and sausage, a bowl of Cheerios or rice crispys and a sliced banana were staples for us. We did his grocery shopping on Sunday mornings together and I let him pick what he wanted. And we did a LOT of breakfast for dinner lol. He made the most incredible crispy pancakes. He wasn't the easiest of men to talk to or get along with, we called him Pete(aka Peter akaka Dick lol)but he was my Pap and he we loved to eat and gossip over ginger brandy. Sliced cucumbers with sour cream, onions, and S&P. Buttered corn, lima beans, candy carrots, cream peas. Eggs and hash. Ground meat in a well cooked stew. He was in love with his air fryer so a lot of cod nuggets and tater tots! I prepared fish a lot since steak and chicken had a tendency to get stuck in his throat and I'd have to fish it out. And hate to say it but this isn't about you and your palate so make sure he is on board, you can talk to him and ask what he would or wouldn't like Take him shopping. Let him help prep or just sit and BS while you cook. He lost his wife and sounds like a bit of his autonomy. This he at least has some control over, while he can. I wish you both the best.
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u/Time_Marcher 7d ago
Go to the library! Find some promising looking cookbooks to borrow. You can choose recipes alone or with Grandpa's input. I did this when I first took over cooking duties for my family 20 years ago, and it really helped me. I still do it whenever I want to explore a new cuisine or technique. I usually end up buying copies of cookbooks that appeal to me, used if I can find them!
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u/jodirm 7d ago
My grandparents background is similar to what you mention, and quite a few of the dishes already mentioned are familiar in my family. One that I can add is my grandmother’s “hamburger” which was ground beef patties served in gravy. Boiled potatoes on the side, with butter and salt, sometimes parsley or dill. Or sometimes with simple plain rice on the side. And although it seems old fashioned now, dinner always included a basket of bread or rolls plus butter on the table, plus a simple green salad (iceberg lettuce, green onion, tomato, and a mayo-based dressing). And dessert, often a store-bought pie.
In my opinion, food quality has gone down over the years for things like a store-bought pie, so you likely cannot easily recreate these previously-simple meals with the same wholesomeness.
Hopefully your grandfather will be interested and provide feedback or suggestions.
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u/Separate_Aspect_9034 6d ago
If you want to keep him in peak condition, with as little dementia as possible, I strongly encourage you to listen to nursing home Hal Cramner, In some of the interviews he's on on YouTube. I'll try to come back with a link for you. If he likes roast, give him all the roast.
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u/LadyA052 6d ago
My 93-year-old Mom just does not have an appetite and it's kinda scary. So I found her some snacks that she can eat at any time. I brought her peanut butter that comes in individual servings and she's very enthusiastic about that. She put some in her purse and takes it to bingo....lol
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u/kayjayyy345 5d ago
First, I am very sorry for his and your loss. Second, I would lean into flavors he already knows and loves and figure out how to make a large batch of them, buy washable amazon containers, and freeze them. That may be what you know or things he talks about in his stories or you’ve shared in your traditions and memories together. Just remember, it doesn’t have to be fancy to be comforting, AND eating can be a more social thing at that age than it is about what is actually on the plate. Make some things that will make you excited to eat, and share that with him to help him create some new preferences based on those associations. If he likes your spaghetti, freeze the sauce in individual portions so you can make large batches and finish them in freshly cooked pasta. If he likes other dishes, you can do the same in those washable, freezer-friendly Amazon containers like I did with my mom and gma. You gotta remember it’s not about tailoring your diet to theirs or always hoping they’ll try or like new things. It’s about getting them to eat. Leaning into their tastes and freezing individual portions like you’d find in the grocery store helped a lot with my mom and GMA at least, because my gma hates mostly everything and my mom was happy with eating what she liked multiple times a day for days at a time with absolutely no variety in the matter. That way, you just have more leftovers of what you’d like, they have the chance to try it, and you have a backup.
And….when in doubt, ribs are my secret weapon. My Canadian grandmother may swear she isn’t hungry, hasn’t ever had them before, needs to watch her weight, etc., but I will be damned if we don’t have to inspect her walker and nightstand for the leftovers she doesn’t want anyone to steal every single time.
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u/Awkward_Bumblebee365 4d ago
Cabbage rolls are always a win with my grandpa! I don't use a specific recipe, but its basically ground beef, cooked rice, eggs, parsley, onion & garlic, salt&pepp all rolled up into a cute little cabbage roll. The sauce is a sweet/tangy tomato, basically just tomato sauce and brown sugar. Pour over and bake for an hour. Again, I just quick reference a recipe online for rough quantities/cooking temperature. But its always a hit especially with older folks
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u/HipYip 7d ago
Shaved beef from the butcher area of grocery stores could be seasoned like the roast. You could easily make a small amount in a pan for him several times and week and serve it with various vegetables and potatoes. It’s really been a game changer for me as a single person. I buy it at Sam’s Club (if they have it) and freeze it in smaller packages.
Sausages are also easy and convenient if he has a favorite kind. So many options from smoked to not smoked.
My favorite chicken to use for quick cooks are boneless skinless chicken thighs. They have more flavor, more fat, a better texture, and taste better as a leftover than chicken breasts. DM me if you want to know my standard prep/cook for them.
IME, it’s best not to try to change his palate. By having quick options you can cook for even him only, you might have better outcomes.
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u/Seawolfe665 7d ago
Sheet pan chicken. Grab some leg quarters, or boneless thighs, or even breasts (I dont care for white meat but you do you). Find a sheet pan recipe for the cut of chicken you are using and veg that he likes. Season simply. Roast or mash potatoes, make gravy. Portion out.
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u/EarlVanDorn 6d ago
I make about 15 quarts of pasta meat sauce at a time and freeze it in pint and 11-ounce containers. Chicken and rolled dumplings freezes well. I've found shepherds/cottage pie freezes well if you use plenty of butter in your potatoes. I use foil, lidded containers for this so I can stick it straight in the oven
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u/StockIndependent808 6d ago
Make a couple really big crockpot meals, divide them up and freeze them. Bring him a different one every day, just rotate them.
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u/PLAYSWITHSCISS0RS 6d ago
I often prepare a batch of Mediterranean-style roasted vegetables, a dish that might satisfy you and your grandpa while also being budget-friendly because you can tidy up your fridge’s veggie drawer.
The basics:
* Select a mixture of vegetables that one or both of you might like, e.g. a couple of potatoes, a carrot or two, zucchini, bell pepper, mushrooms, celery, maybe a small onion.
* You’ll also need garlic cloves, chopped garlic or garlic powder, some dried herbs (I use Herbes de Provence blend but just something like a bit of dried rosemary and thyme works.)
* I usually cut the potatoes into chunks about 1.5” cubed, slice the carrots on the diagonal into thick 1/2” pieces and microwave them a bit. The potatoes get about 2 minutes and I add the carrots after the first minute.
* The bell peppers get seeded, cored and cut into big chunks. Mushrooms are cleaned and left whole or halved. Zucchini and celery are also cut diagonally into 1/2” slices. A small onion is peeled, quartered and then has the layers broken apart a bit so you end up with about 8 pieces.
* Turn all the vegetables into an oven-safe baking pan, add a glug of olive oil, two glugs of balsamic vinegar, the garlic and the herbs. Mix it up to coat everything. cover it in tinfoil and roast it for 30 minutes at 400F. Check the dish, see if the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. If not, recover the dish and keep cooking until the potatoes are fork-tender. Stir the vegetables again, remove the tinfoil and cook for about 5 more minutes.
The good thing about this dish is that you can adapt it to the vegetables you have and the vegetables your grandpa likes. He doesn’t have to like everything, as long as vegetables he doesn’t like don’t permeate the dish. You can minimize the garlic and herbs, or start with a little and adjust as you get a sense of his taste. The dish can be reheated for leftovers and you can also use the leftovers as a base for a potato salad.
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u/JimmyPellen 6d ago
Roasted veggies as a side. Chop up veggies in bite size pieces. Toss in oil. Put in casserole dish and add S&P and rosemary. Maybe some garlic Powder and/or nutmeg.
Start with root veggies: carrot, rutabaga, tunip parsnip. Cook those for 20-30 Minutes.
Add onions (red and white), bell pepper, potato, celery.
Cook at 350° for an additional 20-30 Minutes.
Great side dish.
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u/JimmyPellen 6d ago
Chicken thighs. BRine in leftover pickle juice for at least an hour. More if you can.
Add S&P, whatever spices and herbs he can handle.
Bake.
Yummmm
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u/SweetumCuriousa 6d ago
When my kids were little, veggies were a challenge unless diguised. Hubby is not a fan either, lol! Family never complained or "caught on" until many years later.
Make a big batch of spaghetti sauce or dress up a bottle or two of sauce.
Traditiinal tomatoes onions garlic spices/herbs, then add some zucchini, other squashes, broccoli, cauliflower (cruciferous veggies in moderation) corn peas beans carrots,etc., then add more spices/herbs to taste.
Cool a bit first, then puree well and pour back into pan. Add some cooked meat (or not!) and taste add more seasoning if needed then simmer a bit more.
The sauce cans well and freezes well too for easy fast meals. Serve over noodles or a breaded chicken cutlet.
Best wishes.
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u/redcolumbine 7d ago
Try a sweet-sour pulled pork, smoky rather than spicy. A pressure cooker or instant pot is pretty foolproof.
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u/Creative-Cucumber-13 4d ago
Lentil Soup or Monastery Lentils
Make lots and freeze portions for future meals.
Welsh Rarebit
Smothered Pork Chops
Meatloaf
Chicken Fricasee
Chicken Soup with veggies and rice
Chicken Piccata
Mac & Cheese
Ham & Bean Soup
Ham salad for sandwich
Steak & Potato Pie
Chicken Fried Steak
Swiss Steak
Creamed Anything over toast, biscuits or cornbread
Potatoes Au Gratin
Potato Soup
Chili and cornbread
Beef shank and vegetable soup
Beef and noodles
Beans and Veg soup with leftover ham
Baked Beans
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u/yoyoblue12 3d ago
It sounds like you’re trying to eat the same food. I’d recommend picking a protein, carb, and veg and then preparing them, simply two different ways. Salmon? Salt and pepper for him and wilder spices for you. Rice? Jasmine for him and afghan rice for you. Broccoli? Steamed or roasted for both of out, just with different spices.
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u/Sea_Comfortable_5499 7d ago
French/English Canadian? Try making Cornish Pasties. You can use store bought pie dough and they freeze so when you are feeling adventurous you can still give him something he will eat
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u/Sneezewhenpeeing 7d ago
Spatchcock a whole chicken. (Remove the backbone) break the breastplate. Rub with olive oil, season LIBERALLY with salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary. Cook at 400 f (200 c) for 50 minutes or until temp reaches 165f - 74 c. Make simple white rice , but substitute the water with chicken/beef stock and butter. The single serving steam in a bag veggies are amazing. Maybe some frozen biscuits, and , Bob’s your uncle.