I Hate to Cook
Yes, I hate to cook. When you are in the sandwich generation, taking care of your elderly parents and your own family, planning daily meals can be taxing. I have picky eaters in my home, my 94 years old mother, and my 3-year-old granddaughter. My granddaughter doesn’t like most vegetables and because my mother doesn’t have teeth, her vegetables have to be cooked almost pureed. My mother doesn’t want to eat leftovers, and I have found that I have wasted lots of food, which is equivalent to throwing money in the trash. As a sandwiched matriarch, I don’t have money to waste.
Home Delivery Meal Service
I started researching prepared delivery services, such as hello fresh, blue apron, and home chef. The prices of these services appear to be affordable averaging between $7.00 and $10.00 a meal depending on the meal plan you choose. The meals are packaged and ready to cook. Some require more prepping than others. However, you still have to cook them. When I researched fully cooked prepared meals, which usually came frozen, the sodium level in these meals was extremely high.
I am fortunate enough to have a friend, who is a part of the sandwich generation. She sacrificed her career to take care of her mother and her autistic son. Talking with her one day, I told her how I hated to cook. Her response was that she loves cooking, and since her mother passed, she has been cooking for her elderly aunt and uncle. She prepares their meals along with meals for her husband and son. I asked her if she considered cooking meals and selling them. My friend now cooks meals for my mother, and all I have to do is go pick them up. She even includes corn bread and a dessert with each meal. This arrangement has been a blessing to me. I don’t have to shop, prepare, and cook three meals a day anymore. The portion sizes are enough for two meals, and my mother doesn’t complain about eating leftovers.
Meal Planning
Depending on your situation; if you just don’t like to or don’t have time to prepare meals for your family, I strongly recommend a meal delivery service. The prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are good. With a meal deliver service, there is very little waste which ultimately saves money. Now, if you are wanting meal prep ideas for weight loss, I suggest you speak with a nutrition coach or registered dietitian. As some will turn to a personal trainer, most personal trainers are not authorized to prescribe meal plans. When consulting with a personal trainer, make sure they have the right credentials to prescribe meal plans.