Need Ideas -- Dad wants to eat earlier

[armel]

Since y'all have had such good suggestions for me, I thought I would post this dilemma.

My parents visit me each February and stay for the month. Last night Mom told me that Dad said he would like to eat earlier than we ate last year. As he got an upset stomach from eating so late.

Well, I have a commute to and from work that can vary from 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes each way. and I work from 8am until 5pm. So I leave my house a little before 7am and don't usually get home before 6:00pm. So the earliest we ate was 7pm. Which he considers too late since he goes to bed right after that.

Any suggestions? He really would like to eat more at 6pm. And I haven't a clue what to do. I've never considered things like crock pot meals since they seem to talk about cooking for 8 hours and this would end up being 11 or so hours.

[I told Mom that Dad could eat earlier than us . . . he could eat leftovers from the day before, and her and I would get the freshly made food after I get home. :p ]

[Kathy B]

Could your mom start the crockpot later if you prepare the contents so that it only gets the 8 hours? Or if you prep a casserole, can she slide it in the oven to have it ready at 6PM? If you could cook things ahead and have them ready for your mom to bake or reheat or whatever, dinner could be ready when you walk in the door. (Nice for you, too!)

ETA: The Smoked Cheese with Pasta Bake (http://food.cookinglight.com/cooking/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1571425)from Jan '07 was very good and can be made the day before to bake the next day.

[cookieee]

Why not have mom and dad cook dinner so you can sit down to eat as soon as you get home from work

[armel]

Why not have mom and dad cook dinner so you can sit down to eat as soon as you get home from work

love it. :D

if only . . . I think the Kathy B's suggestion might be more in line with what Mom would vote for.

[helene]

I don't know your parents but I find it weard that you work all day and that once your home you have to cook supper. :confused: What do they do at home? Do they eat out every night of the week? My parents always cook supper when they come to help out. They do exactly like if they were in their house. Especially when you have visitors coming for more than one night.

[sharhamm]

When folks come and stay for a month they need to pitch in and help. If Dad wants to eat earlier suggest to him that HE could start dinner for you
as you have a long commute and prefer to eat later. They are longterm guests and they should follow the routine of the family they are visiting. If not, maybe you could suggest they could eat out and take advantage of some of the "early bird" specials for seniors and them come back and join the family for dessert.
Changing your routine for the whole month is a ridiculous thing for anyone to ask, even if it is Mom and Dad.

[stefania4]

I agree that with a month-long visit there needs to be some solution other than putting so much pressure on you, and that they should be able to take some responsibility for dinner.

I also know that with some people it's easier to just go along than to have to hear them complain about it for 30 straight days, in person. I understand about the crockpot thing; I leave the house at 6:30AM and having dinner ready at 2PM really doesn't help me any.

How about...

a) Appetizers and light meals? Could they eat veggies & dip, or maybe a light soup, earlier and eat a small portion of the dinner entree with the rest of the household?
b) Casseroles, lasagne, etc. that your Mom could heat up for their dinner, then you/someone else in your household could heat up for everyone else's dinner?
c) An "you're on your own during the week and we'll eat together on the weekends" policy?

[ADM]

My parents visit me each February and stay for the month. Last night Mom told me that Dad said he would like to eat earlier than we ate last year. As he got an upset stomach from eating so late. . .So the earliest we ate was 7pm. Which he considers too late since he goes to bed right after that.

You haven't mentioned either the age or the health of your parents, which could possibly make a difference in solving the problem. Do they live in a different time zone? Your father says he gets an upset stomach from eating at 7pm (which seems to be his bedtime). That suggests he might possibly have a medical problem. Is that his normal bedtime at home? If his health is fine, tell him that waiting an hour for a meal should not be a really big problem.

If you leave for work at 6am and get home at 6pm, or even later, his 7pm bedtime doesn't leave much *family togetherness time*, does it?

Maybe suggesting to him that he needs to have an "immediate medical checkup" might help shock him into reality. :rolleyes:

No solutions, but Good Luck. :)

[lindrusso]

Your father says he gets an upset stomach from eating at 7pm (which seems to be his bedtime). That suggests he might possibly have a medical problem.

Not necessarily. I have problems if I eat right before bed. I wouldn't describe it as an upset stomach, but it definitely keeps me awake and I just don't sleep well at all - vivid dreams and such.

Lying down on a full stomach might also make one more susceptible to heart burn and that sort of thing.

I do agree, though, that it's a bit much to complain about that sort of thing and not pitch in to help if they are able.

Hope you find a solution that works. :)

[ADM]

Not necessarily. I have problems if I eat right before bed. I wouldn't describe it as an upset stomach, but it definitely keeps me awake and I just don't sleep well at all - vivid dreams and such.
Lying down on a full stomach might also make one more susceptible to heart burn and that sort of thing.

I know exactly, and don't dispute, what you are saying. But then I don't think you go to bed immediately after eating a 7pm evening meal, and most people don't. Eating an hour later than normal should not cause anyone an upset stomach, IMHO, but what do I know? I was only suggesting that the *urgent* need to eat and immediately go to bed, at 7pm, might suggest a problem.

At any rate, her father has gotten her full attention and has her worrying about him a lot, hasn't he? :( That's manipulation and stress she doesn't need!

[jillybean03]

I definitely agree that Mom and Dad need to help you come up with the solution..... Based on your work/commute hours it is nearly impossible to do what Mom is asking without her participating.

Perhaps you can find some "quick" recipes that can be prepped ahead (marinated) over night, and she can help prep the sides while you pull together the main... chicken breast with balsamic pan sauce comes to mind, along with a few others from the same issue....

Or, as you/others have suggested, casseroles that she can pop in or slow cooker stuff that she can get started for you.

Chili is great re-heated (though maybe not great if Dad get's upset stomach just from eating late)... Beef Stew, Pot Roast.... Lots of stuff that actually tastes better the next day....

Good Luck.

[wallycat]

I also wish I had better suggestions.
It sounds like they don't see you all day and within an hour of your getting home, they're in bed. This is off topic, but maybe suggesting that staying a month for that sort of visit should be re-addressed :eek: :o :( .

I can relate to wanting to eat early though---I am RAVENOUS and when I work/ed full time, I had things I could prep in less than 1/2 hour.
DH is more than happy to start or make the meal, but I am a creature of habit.

I need to get my exercise in, shower and have eaten.

A rice cooker has come in handy so I can step away or exercise while rice is being made. Something they could turn on right as you are leaving work.
Frozen veggies that simply require microwaving.
Fish cooks up fast, thin pork chops pan sauteed, pounded chicken breasts...these all cook up relatively fast.

You can make sauces for each the night before or use ready made stuff, like tomato sauce, canned mushroom/veggie broth and use cornstarch for thickening. Most of these types of meals are healthy, easy and though not gourmet, they are fast and good.

I like casseroles/soups and lasagna type ideas too.
Do your folks eat pizza?? If you had, say a flour or whole wheat flour tortilla, you could top with sauce and your own toppings and add shredded cheese --in the oven these would cook up very quickly. You could even order a pizza once/week or once every two weeks.

You could make up a big salad on the weekend and simply add the dressings as you go through it.

SOmetimes maybe just a simple sandwich with or without soup (even some healthy canned soups).

Scrambled eggs and a side of refried beans and a veggie are one of my all-time favorites for a quick and nutritious meal. Or scrambled eggs and sides you like. You could even make a veggie crustless quiche the night before and simply reheat with a salad.

THings like shrimp and scallops also cook up quickly and elevate the meal to slightly more gourmet feeling. You could use the rice idea or even place them over mashed sweet potatoes (which can be cooked the night before and then reheated).

[Missi]

I wouldn't give up the crockpot idea. Do you have one that has an insert that comes out? You could stir something together either in the morning or the night before and refrigerate, then have your mom put it on later in the morning after you leave. I have also used a timer (one of the lamp timers just pugged into the crockpot) to have the crockpot turn on after I have left the house. (We haven't gotten sick yet from the short time the food has sat out ;) )

I think it is nice you are trying to accomodate your father's needs. I know I would be the same way with my dad.:)

[armel]

really mom and dad aren't that bad. :D when they come out and visit, they work really hard around my house helping out on projects while i am at work. painting my house, doing yard work, repairing and renovating stuff, digging out and planting, plus home maintenance. It is a huge help when they come out, because i never find time to work on all those projects . . . plus work, plus take care of the dog, etc. So i really appreciate all they do when they are here. They like to help me out like that.

Mom is 65 and Dad is 62. Dad has always gone to bed really early. Mom will stay up until midnight. Dad then gets up really early. 4 or 5am.

I am hoping that last year, his stomach was only upset because he was recovering from colon surgery.

I know Mom will help out, but I don't want to put the whole burden of getting dinner on her, since she does so much around the house on projects. Last year she was digging up bushes, and mortar. So I hate to ask her to please make dinner for me too. I like the ideas of things that I can have ready and just have her maybe put in the oven, etc for me. Or get the water boiling, so when I get home I can just throw in the pasta, etc.

And Dad isn't picky. He would be happy just eating a bowl of cereal. I just would feel bad if he had spent all day doing yard work, and had to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner. Plus, he sleeps on a blow up mattress, so I feel bad about that. [Mom snores so they sleep in separate rooms -- Mom gets the guest bedroom and Dad insists on sleeping on the blow up mattress instead of my bed.]

I think i can do salads and soup. that is a good idea. Maybe even a night of finger foods. And pizza. and some make ahead stuff that mom just starts for me. some pasta and salad. and then on the weekends have the items that take more time to cook.

oh, and just so you don't think i do nothing but work them, i always tell them that they don't need to do anything except golf and go to the casinos to gamble. but they insist they want to help.

[ADM]

armel -

I don't know where your parents live, but if they live on the east coast your Father wanting to eat earlier is understandable. Eating at 7pm in California, is like eating at 10pm Eastern time. And, can be compared to jet lag. :)

[badunnin]

armel -

I don't know where your parents live, but if they live on the east coast your Father wanting to eat earlier is understandable. Eating at 7pm in California, is like eating at 10pm Eastern time. And, can be compared to jet lag. :)

The jetlag excuse works for 3-4 days, then he will acclimate.

[stacy7272]

really mom and dad aren't that bad. :D when they come out and visit, they work really hard around my house helping out on projects while i am at work. painting my house, doing yard work, repairing and renovating stuff, digging out and planting, plus home maintenance. It is a huge help when they come out, because i never find time to work on all those projects . . . plus work, plus take care of the dog, etc. So i really appreciate all they do when they are here. They like to help me out like that.

Mom is 65 and Dad is 62. Dad has always gone to bed really early. Mom will stay up until midnight. Dad then gets up really early. 4 or 5am.

I am hoping that last year, his stomach was only upset because he was recovering from colon surgery.

I know Mom will help out, but I don't want to put the whole burden of getting dinner on her, since she does so much around the house on projects. Last year she was digging up bushes, and mortar. So I hate to ask her to please make dinner for me too. I like the ideas of things that I can have ready and just have her maybe put in the oven, etc for me. Or get the water boiling, so when I get home I can just throw in the pasta, etc.

And Dad isn't picky. He would be happy just eating a bowl of cereal. I just would feel bad if he had spent all day doing yard work, and had to eat a bowl of cereal for dinner. Plus, he sleeps on a blow up mattress, so I feel bad about that. [Mom snores so they sleep in separate rooms -- Mom gets the guest bedroom and Dad insists on sleeping on the blow up mattress instead of my bed.]

I think i can do salads and soup. that is a good idea. Maybe even a night of finger foods. And pizza. and some make ahead stuff that mom just starts for me. some pasta and salad. and then on the weekends have the items that take more time to cook.

oh, and just so you don't think i do nothing but work them, i always tell them that they don't need to do anything except golf and go to the casinos to gamble. but they insist they want to help.
Wow - you're actually making me want to come out there and cook dinner for them!:D

[armel]

my parents are from IL. so it is a 2 hour time zone difference. but I agree, after a few days, you adjust to the new time zone.

stacy7272 -- i've got another blow up mattress . . . or 3 sofas. Come on over.:D

[cminmd]

I don't think this is too hard of a problem to work out. Most of my weekday meals are made in less than an hour. One thing I do is make up huge batches of brown rice on the weekend then food save bags of rice in the correct number of servings. It takes no time at all to reheat in a pot by boiling a tiny bit of water, then tossing the cold rice in. Stir until water is mixed in then cover and turn off the heat. By the time you get the stir fry or main dish into a platter the rice is warm.
You could also precook a bunch of chicken breasts and leave them sliced in the frig so you can quickly add chicken to salad, pasta or rice dishes.
I would also try going to one of those "Let's Dish" meal assembly places and you could get a freezer full of entres that you could pull out in the am that your mom could pop in the oven. They even print out lables that have all the cooking instructions on the top. All you would have to do is call home when you leave work to tell her when to start the oven.

Consider prebagged salads and frig breads. Costco has a great Parisian Salad mix that just needs some tomatos or cukes and is fantastic. Mix of greens, feta, crasins, almonds and dressing included.

If you lived in MD I would volunteer for bringing dinner on Tuesdays, your parents sound adorable!

[stefania4]

I think i can do salads and soup. that is a good idea. Maybe even a night of finger foods. And pizza. and some make ahead stuff that mom just starts for me. some pasta and salad. and then on the weekends have the items that take more time to cook.

How sweet of your parents to do all that for you! Do they have any interest in coming to Atlanta? :D

This is only 2 dinners, but they're standbys in our house. CL's Smoky Black Bean Soup freezes really well. I usually serve it with Jiffy corn bread, but you could just pick up some corn muffins from the supermarket or Panera. Martha Stewart's Everyday Food has a great pulled pork recipe that freezes beautifully, and we use that for sandwiches with a side salad.