Wiltshire Farm Foods

[Greta]

I hope I didn't appear to turn against you, Stephen. I just thought it was worth giving my negative experiences of WFF.

But I think your problem was with Ayjay saying 'anyone can cook'. Well, that might be true but I find it really difficult to find time for that even for myself alone, now I am no longer a carer. In my experience it needs quite a bit of planning ahead, working out what you need for the week, what you are going to cook when. It's doubly difficult when you're doing it for someone else too. Caring is so time-consuming that any time saving needs to be used. So I'm definitely with you there!

[Ayjay]

But I think your problem was with Ayjay saying 'anyone can cook'. Well, that might be true but I find it really difficult to find time for that even for myself alone, now I am no longer a carer. In my experience it needs quite a bit of planning ahead, working out what you need for the week, what you are going to cook when. It's doubly difficult when you're doing it for someone else too. Caring is so time-consuming that any time saving needs to be used. So I'm definitely with you there!

I certainly didn't wish to cause any resentment: "anyone can cook" followed on from my saying I didn't understand why it was hard to feed the person you care for - and I still don't.

Yes it does need planning - I write a menu for the week and then make a shopping list based on that menu, so nothing gets forgotten - the menu and shopping list are both on the same piece of paper (in case any substitutes are needed when shopping) - also, anything that I discover I'm running short of during the week also goes on that same piece of paper and gets added to next weeks list. I like to think I'm well organised - I don't have the time to not be.

I definitely found it much more difficult to motivate myself to cook for one when my wife was in hospital for three months last year.

[helena_1512]

I found your post interesting. I do not eat meat and my husband is not eating much at the moment. I am happy to microwave meat dishes but cooking them is impossible as I had to remove the oven due to husband leaving the ring on and letting things over cook to the extent black smoked came out everytime he turned it on. We have always dealt with our own food choices.

I will go and have a look now - he won't eat garlic so will have to check the ingredients but worth a go?

Stephen, please do not hate me, but you are maybe a tiny bit sensitive due to the immense amount of stress you are under? Sometimes thing come over harder than meant but I could not see anything negative aimed at you? Things do sound harder in writing than if for example, we were having a chat and a coffee and could pick up non verbal and verbal clues about how you were feeling?.

[Greta]

Absolutely, AyJay, and Helena too. Agree with both of you.

[Elaine]

Janey,
I believe these meals are frozen? Might be a silly suggestion because I don't know where you work, but would it be possible to take one of those 'cool boxes' to work, take delivery and then deliver to dad later? OR if you have a regular day off at home, as previously suggested, delivered to your home?
I assume Dad's accommodation or area doesn't allow such a cool box to be left outside to take the delivery? Even if tied down and locked?

[Nikiya]

I think WFF do a fortnightly delivery - or maybe that's just where I live - in which case you need to have space in the freezer, or possibly get another small one specially for them. Our guy turned up at 7.45 am once, which I thought was ridiculously early, but now it's more around 8.30 or so, depending on traffic. The meals are very varied, and there are loads of sub-categories I haven't even looked at.

OTOH, if money's no object, then I'd certainly take a look at Cook - they look really nice. Most supermarkets' ready meals seem to be pretty poor, but I do think a lot of M&S' ones are good, especially the range which I think they currently call Balanced for You or some such (I can never remember). Some will freeze okay, although you have to defrost them before cooking, which may cause problems if they're in foil and you use a microwave to defrost ... (Some of the foil ones you can decant into a similar-sized microwaveable container in order to microwave them)

[bowlingbun]

I can cook almost anything, having been a mum for over 40 years, often on a tight budget feeding 4 of us with an average height of about 6 feet.
BUT now husband has died, M, my son the learning difficulties only comes home every second or third weekend. My eldest son (over 6ft with a 54" chest) lives with me but isn't always here for meals.
Frankly, I can't be bothered to cook for myself on these occasions.
It's like having a day off from an otherwise inevitable chore.
Boiled egg, cheese on toast with beans, or steak and chips if I'm feeling energetic, will do me fine.
There are always cherry tomatoes to snack on, cucumber, and there's always a good selection of fruit in the bowl.

If I'm busy, I can satisfy my big strong son with a meal in under half an hour.
There's usually packet sliced meat in the fridge, as it has a longer shelf life, and some good cheese.
Uncle Ben's Savoury rice - cooked in under 3 minutes in the microwave, comes in very tasty flavours, the Mediterranean wholegrain is my current flavour.
I'm a great fan of the tiny potatoes you can cook in their skins. I know they are a bit more expensive but very tasty and cook very quickly, there's no waste, and my arthritic hands appreciate the fact that they don't need peeling.
Organic carrots just need a quick rinse under the tap, then slicing before cooking.
Most of the cabbage family don't need much doing to them. Cauliflower and broccoli are surely the ultimate convenience veg?
Meals don't have to involve slaving away over a hot stove and cooking for hours in the oven.

[Rosemary_1706]

I am wondering how Stephen and his mum are doing? Okay, I hope.