We are in California and used Martha’s senior gourmet for a bit. It was pricey but good.
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I have used both Cook Unity and Factor. For variety of meal choices you can’t beat Cook Unity. I thought the meals were good, easy to prepare, and I liked that I could search by chef, calories, what meal of the day, etc.
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You would be amazed at the variety of things that can be frozen and reheated easily that really maintain the taste. My dad needed a lower salt diet and wow! the amount of sodium in processed frozen foods was outrageous to say the least so already prepared frozen meals was a no go. He also couldn’t chew very well which complicated the issue.
I made individual servings of vegetables and meats for him to store in his freezer. I used small silicone cups (like for desserts)which turned out to be a generous serving. I made pulled pork, roast, shredded chicken and ham. Veggies were sweet potatoes, lima beans, green beans (pretty endless actually)–whatever he liked (but watery veggies like squash didn’t work well). I’d freeze the servings and then take them out of the silicone cups and put like ones together in a bag. Everything was already cooked so it was only a matter of heating things up. With the consistency of the serving sizes it was truly simple–he could pick out two veggies and a meat put them on a plate and go from frozen to cooked within 3 minutes in the MW. I’d spend a day and make a month’s worth of meals for him–and he could choose whatever he wanted for dinner.
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We have heard good things about Hello Fresh – the menu is very diverse, delivery is reliable and you can suspend service periodically. a group of us established an account for a mutual friend who was a caregiver who was overwhelmed but still wanted to cook — just with less prep and shopping.
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I’m coming back again with the idea of doing Meals on Wheels, but for just one day a week. I know the son can cook. But the 94 year old mom might very well enjoy seeing a new visitor. I certainly know my parents do. It might be a nice way to switch things up.
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My friend just doesn’t think he has the bandwidth to make more interesting meals . As he has been doing it for a few years. I agree that homemade meals would be good if put together and frozen, but hewants to go into another direction for meals for his mom. Plus he is exhausted being her caregiver for several years and would like the ease of a prepared meal
FWIW Reddit users of Cook Unity like the service and say it’s worth it. It can have a sporadic miss but overall good quality.
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It sounds like your friend just needs a “decision” and “cooking from scratch” break. To supplement a couple meals a week with something new, exciting and tasty for both of them that is not processed or fast food. I would say identify what “more” he’d like to have - more Mexican food? More Asian food? Or identify what genre of food he doesn’t do well at cooking - and then look at some of the popular ones that are offering trial subscriptions without long term commitment.
I have never tried any of the meal services tho so can’t help out there!
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My spouse doesn’t cook, and started ordering pre-made meals for when I traveled for work. He also takes them for lunch (he was eating out too often). He has been using Modify Health for his meals. I haven’t tasted any, but he has re-ordered them several times, so they must be okay? He just has to microwave them.
I have done some of the meal plans in the past, which required cooking. I’ve done Blue Apron and Sunbasket. Both now have meals available that are prepared, that you just heat up. Look at Dish by Blue Apron, and for Sunbasket they are called Pre-Made Meals.
You could take advantage of introductory offers and try a few to see what he likes.
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Oh yes Sunbasket premade meals was used and liked by two different family members. It was relatively cheaper than the others we surveyed.
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It looks like Martha’s senior gourmet serves North Dallas
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My older sibling lives alone and has Parkinson’s. She has been using Cook Unity for about a month. She likes the concept but it’s been hit or miss on the meals themselves. She is going to give it another few weeks but is going to try Factor and see if she likes their food.
She has found the best food quality to be from a local couple who cook and deliver weekly. The issue for her is they have a limited menu and some weeks she doesn’t like the options. The nice thing with the local option was they were willing to limit the salt.
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I’m sure this varies wildly depending on where you live but on the Reddit forum of people who liked Cook Unity many had switched FROM Factor saying their meals were small and really overpriced.
For Dallas area the name “Punch Drunk Chef” keeps popping up for the best delivery meals . And also the prep kitchen (theprepkitchen.com). Note “the prep kitchen” is different than prepkitchen (two different sites).
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Gosh seems to me I remember Punch Drunk as a catering company in North Dallas when I lived there, 38 year ago!! I wonder if it’s the same.
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