Greetings, fellow vegans! I'm hoping you can help me figure this out. My best friend and I are both vegan and love it. I used to do most of the cooking and meal prep/nutrition balancing for both of us, but for complicated reasons, that's not happening now and she's not up for doing it either. I've seen a noticeable dip in her well-being since this shift and I'm struggling with what to do for her. Or better yet, what to empower her to do for herself.
She's 60 and has arthritis as well as other health issues. She's currently running on cold cereal with Ripple milk, toast, PB&J, frozen Gardein meat-substitute products, Complete Cookies or Clif Bars, lunchbox fruit cups, hummus or Tofurkey sandwiches, protein smoothies, or eating out at the few vegan restaurants nearby. There is basically a lot of added sugar, no fresh produce in the house, and nothing cooked fresh in months.
My question for you: What is the simplest way to prepare food or have it delivered to someone who can't/won't cook? Please help me think outside the box here.
(1) The best option is zero prep. We both fantasize about something like NutriSystem or Jenny Craig food delivery, except vegan. Is there such a thing? I saw that Kaiser has a meal delivery option, but it's only vegetarian, not vegan, so it's based on eggs and dairy most of the time. Is there ANYTHING out there that's similar but vegan?? Please? We live in California in Silicon Valley. Weight loss would be a pleasant side effect, but she's not seeking "diet food" with that goal. It's just about finding more balanced food than what she's eating now and not having to do anything to it besides heat it up. If Amy's frozen meals came in more than 2-3 decent vegan flavors, she'd have that twice a day every day and be happy.
(2) The next best option is VERY minimal prep. For various reasons, the limitations are:
- No standing and minimal hand strength required (so only use pre-chopped veggies, for example)
- Little to no energy/effort required (or else she'll just eat cereal instead)
- No full-size oven or stove required (must be microwavable or crock pot/pressure cooker or toaster oven)
- Make quantities one person can eat or be freezable
Do you have any other ideas? I want to empower her to eat better, but without being able to prep or cook most recipes, it's been very tricky. There's also a lot of food apathy (and perhaps generalized depression) to overcome at this point. I'm a big believer in the power of nutrition to improve quality of life, so I'm really trying to brainstorm how to let that work for her in spite of the limitations. I'm coming up empty, so I'm crossing my fingers that your collective experience will have fresh ideas to offer her. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help!!
She's 60 and has arthritis as well as other health issues. She's currently running on cold cereal with Ripple milk, toast, PB&J, frozen Gardein meat-substitute products, Complete Cookies or Clif Bars, lunchbox fruit cups, hummus or Tofurkey sandwiches, protein smoothies, or eating out at the few vegan restaurants nearby. There is basically a lot of added sugar, no fresh produce in the house, and nothing cooked fresh in months.
My question for you: What is the simplest way to prepare food or have it delivered to someone who can't/won't cook? Please help me think outside the box here.
(1) The best option is zero prep. We both fantasize about something like NutriSystem or Jenny Craig food delivery, except vegan. Is there such a thing? I saw that Kaiser has a meal delivery option, but it's only vegetarian, not vegan, so it's based on eggs and dairy most of the time. Is there ANYTHING out there that's similar but vegan?? Please? We live in California in Silicon Valley. Weight loss would be a pleasant side effect, but she's not seeking "diet food" with that goal. It's just about finding more balanced food than what she's eating now and not having to do anything to it besides heat it up. If Amy's frozen meals came in more than 2-3 decent vegan flavors, she'd have that twice a day every day and be happy.
(2) The next best option is VERY minimal prep. For various reasons, the limitations are:
- No standing and minimal hand strength required (so only use pre-chopped veggies, for example)
- Little to no energy/effort required (or else she'll just eat cereal instead)
- No full-size oven or stove required (must be microwavable or crock pot/pressure cooker or toaster oven)
- Make quantities one person can eat or be freezable
Do you have any other ideas? I want to empower her to eat better, but without being able to prep or cook most recipes, it's been very tricky. There's also a lot of food apathy (and perhaps generalized depression) to overcome at this point. I'm a big believer in the power of nutrition to improve quality of life, so I'm really trying to brainstorm how to let that work for her in spite of the limitations. I'm coming up empty, so I'm crossing my fingers that your collective experience will have fresh ideas to offer her. Thank you all SO MUCH for your help!!
