I really need help with regard to ready meals!!

[Fonteyn22]

Hi there,
Several years ago an old friend of mine was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but has never taken it seriously. Recently he was rushed into hospital having lost the use of his legs, which apparently was because his blood sugar levels were sky high. He has now been sent home, but he is now bed ridden and has carers coming in 4 times a day.
I have been named next of kin as he has no-one else. Can someone recommend suitable ready meals for one that the carers can just pop in the microwave? Meals that will give him a good, balanced diet and give him the nutrients he needs? A further complication is that he is fat - at least 18 stone I should think. I am quite desperate, as the hospital have given no help or advice with regard to meal plans, and he has no food at all in the house. I have found one on line - Oakhouse foods, but it is not clear whether the meals are for one or two.

Any suggestions gratefully accepted.
Moderators, feel free to put in another forum if you feel it would be better elsewhere.

 

[Leadinglights]

Welcome to the forum, you are in a difficult position as many ready meals are not too good for diabetics. However some of the Slimming World meals or Weightwatchers are not too bad if you are selective and can be bulked out with microwaveable veg or pre-prepared salads. Cooked meats and salad are also easy.
It may depend on what medication he is on so you really need some advice from the dietician at the hospital.
When you are looking at the meals, look for the Total carbohydrate for the portion. Anything with potatoes, rice or pasta is likely to be high.
But as I said it may depend on the medication.
Keeping hydrated will be important but not with 'sugary' drinks.

I have just looked at the Oakhouse Foods site and although a few of the meals may be OK many look as if they are high carbohydrate, they don't give full nutritional information that I can see. I would say they are single portions especially the mini meals.

 

[AndBreathe]

I haven't tried them myself, but I have heard decent things about Wiltshire Farm Foods.

There is sheltered living complex not too far from where I live and their vans always seem to be there.

When my Mum wasn't well - the Big C, not diabetes, but fiercely fending for herself, I used to ensure there were always a few M&S ready meals in her freezer. They seem to do 2 sizes of meal for one, which was helpful to Mum as her appetite wasn't always the best and she hated wasting food.

You are a good person for looking out for your friend.

 

[Fonteyn22]

I have looked up Wiltshire Farm foods, I must say their meals look very tasty. I put "low sugar" in the search, but I haven't a clue what % of carbohydrate is considered high for diabetics. Is 17g carbs high, low, middle?
I am quite clued up about nutrition, as I try to eat healthily myself, but diabetes appears to be very complicated when it comes to nutrition (as so many of you undoubtedly know.)

 

[GlennHarris]

The advice I was given is, anything regardless of portion size. If it is 10g or above per 100g then it is high carbs.

I use that as my main guide for choosing the right sorts of food.

There are different diet types suitable for diabetes and it would depend on the person and their lifestyle as to which would work best.

It is easy to say salads and some chicken etc but if you can’t get out or up to answer a door then it is difficult to get fresh salad. Some frozen veg and chicken or any meat they would prefer and a bit of mayo or any homemade sauce that gives flavour but very little carbs.

The biggest issue with most microwave meals is the sauces and over processed content. That is before you take into account, pasta, rice, potatoes as being cheaper products to use but biggest culprits for carbs.

We can only say what works for us but they need the support from their Dr and medical advice. The only advice really is to seek proper medical advice.

 

[Fonteyn22]

Ha! Proper medical advice is right, but he has been sent home from the hospital with nothing. No notes from the dietician, no meal plan, no indication of how many calories a day he should be eating.
The carers come in 4 times a day, and are perfectly willing to pop something in the microwave, but I don't think they are capable of anything beyond that. In any case, it is not part of their remit to cook for him.

 

[AndBreathe]

Ha! Proper medical advice is right, but he has been sent home from the hospital with nothing. No notes from the dietician, no meal plan, no indication of how many calories a day he should be eating.
The carers come in 4 times a day, and are perfectly willing to pop something in the microwave, but I don't think they are capable of anything beyond that. In any case, it is not part of their remit to cook for him.

I think something you have to consider very carefully is what sort of medication your friend my be taking. If his blood sugars have been running high, it is likely he will have been prescribed something to help bring them down a bit. Depending on the meds and to an extent the dosages, changing his diet, hoping it to be for the better, could lead to unpleasant side effects or outcomes.

My suggestion, for the short term, would be that your friend's diet should be good and nutritious, and go easy on the sweet stuff, brad and potatoes, but nothing extreme until you begin to understand his condition a bit more.

Does or did he have a discharge letter? If so, does that help at all?

In the absence of that, in your shoes, I would be tempted to suggest your friend asks for a GPO house call to discuss
the way forward and what your/his expectations should be, in terms of any potential degree of recovery and his care needs.

I would ask you to think VERY carefully about what you take on board. You may have been nominated as he next of kin, but that doesn't mean you have to be his carer.

Please don't think I am trying to persuade you to be an uncaring friend and that you leave your friend in the lurch, but I am assuming he has capacity (to make decisions for himself), and therefore he should be owning things.
Walking blindly into a caring role could be very damaging to you. It is an exhausting and stressful role, and fair easier to get into than back out of!

 

[Fonteyn22]

I think something you have to consider very carefully is what sort of medication your friend my be taking. If his blood sugars have been running high, it is likely he will have been prescribed something to help bring them down a bit. Depending on the meds and to an extent the dosages, changing his diet, hoping it to be for the better, could lead to unpleasant side effects or outcomes.

My suggestion, for the short term, would be that your friend's diet should be good and nutritious, and go easy on the sweet stuff, brad and potatoes, but nothing extreme until you begin to understand his condition a bit more.

Does or did he have a discharge letter? If so, does that help at all?

In the absence of that, in your shoes, I would be tempted to suggest your friend asks for a GPO house call to discuss
the way forward and what your/his expectations should be, in terms of any potential degree of recovery and his care needs.

I would ask you to think VERY carefully about what you take on board. You may have been nominated as he next of kin, but that doesn't mean you have to be his carer.

Please don't think I am trying to persuade you to be an uncaring friend and that you leave your friend in the lurch, but I am assuming he has capacity (to make decisions for himself), and therefore he should be owning things.
Walking blindly into a caring role could be very damaging to you. It is an exhausting and stressful role, and fair easier to get into than back out of!

Thanks for that, very helpful advice. He has been put on new medication, he told me. He may have had a discharge letter, I don't know. At present, he doesn't seem capable of doing things for himself, so the carers have been bringing him food at his request. However, I do not think a scotch egg and sliced white bread toast are the sort of thing they should be bringing him.


I have made it very plain indeed that I am not stepping into the carer role, and fortunately I do not live in the UK for large parts of the year so they cannot thrust that upon me. However, in the very short term, he needs something healthy to eat.

 

[Fonteyn22]

Incidentally, as far as breakfast is concerned, would Greek yoghurt and a piece of fresh fruit be ok? He likes fruit and is missing it.

 

[Leadinglights]

I assume he has a fridge so could have some cooked meat, salad items, cheese, some high protein yoghurts and
tinned fish.
But it is really important that his medication is taken into account when considering what foods are going to be appropriate.
It seems irresponsible for him to be discharged with no better support. Carers are not necessarily medically trained to know what is suitable.

 

[Leadinglights]

Incidentally, as far as breakfast is concerned, would Greek yoghurt and a piece of fresh fruit be ok? He likes fruit and is missing it.

Berries are the lowest carb fruits and you can get frozen mixed berries if you can get fresh ones. Greek yoghurt would be suitable. That is what quite a lot of people have for breakfast.

 

[Lucyr]

Look at some of the Tesco healthy eating range. They do things like a cottage pie with mixed vegetable mash which is made mostly from recognisable ingredients. Make sure your friend gets an appointment with a diabetes dietician too who will be best placed to advise on what meals would be best to work with the medications.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I have looked up Wiltshire Farm foods, I must say their meals look very tasty. I put "low sugar" in the search, but I haven't a clue what % of carbohydrate is considered high for diabetics. Is 17g carbs high, low, middle?
I am quite clued up about nutrition, as I try to eat healthily myself, but diabetes appears to be very complicated when it comes to nutrition (as so many of you undoubtedly know.)

The hospital dietician where I am recommended WFF as carbs worked out by a qualified dietician. I have tried the meals as given a load when someone was clearing out their Mum's house as she needed to go into care. Have to say they were very nice.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Have a look at the Morrison's Little Kitchen range.
They are a smaller portion, carbs around 10g per 100g, and a good balance of veg in them as well.
I have eaten them myself, they can be bulked up with a bag of microwave veg.

 

[Inka]

Ha! Proper medical advice is right, but he has been sent home from the hospital with nothing. No notes from the dietician, no meal plan, no indication of how many calories a day he should be eating.
The carers come in 4 times a day, and are perfectly willing to pop something in the microwave, but I don't think they are capable of anything beyond that. In any case, it is not part of their remit to cook for him.

But does he have medication for the diabetes? That’s the important thing. If he has medication, what it is will be important and will affect his dietary choices and needs potentially.

There’s a range called Gym Kitchen or similar that makes filling, healthy but relatively low carb meals. They’re generally low GI too, which should help his blood sugar. They’re pricier than some but they have the veg included and a good amount of fibre. They’re also quick to microwave. I’m Type 1 and on insulin but I’ve found them quite blood sugar friendly as well as nutritious.

 

[Lucyr]

But does he have medication for the diabetes? That’s the important thing. If he has medication, what it is will be important and will affect his dietary choices and needs potentially.

There’s a range called Gym Kitchen or similar that makes filling, healthy but relatively low carb meals. They’re generally low GI too, which should help his blood sugar. They’re pricier than some but they have the veg included and a good amount of fibre. They’re also quick to microwave. I’m Type 1 and on insulin but I’ve found them quite blood sugar friendly as well as nutritious.

Oh I do like the gym kitchen frozen meals when they’re on offer in Tescos, decent ingredients

 

[Inka]

Oh I do like the gym kitchen frozen meals when they’re on offer in Tescos, decent ingredients

I didn’t know they did frozen meals. Good to know. I’ve had some chilled ones and I like the low GI and the proper amount of veg. They also seem lower in salt than many ready meals.

 

[Lucyr]

I didn’t know they did frozen meals. Good to know. I’ve had some chilled ones and I like the low GI and the proper amount of veg. They also seem lower in salt than many ready meals.

Tesco only stocks the frozen so I haven’t had the chilled ones. I have a few in the freezer as backup / worn out options.

 

[Fonteyn22]

But does he have medication for the diabetes? That’s the important thing. If he has medication, what it is will be important and will affect his dietary choices and needs potentially.

He does, he has been on Metformin for several years. However, when he was in hospital they added something else as well. I have no idea what it is. Also, according to him he left hospital without a discharge letter.

 

[Fonteyn22]

Have a look at the Morrison's Little Kitchen range.
They are a smaller portion, carbs around 10g per 100g, and a good balance of veg in them as well.
I have eaten them myself, they can be bulked up with a bag of microwave veg.

I was in Morrison yesterday, but I couldn't find any frozen ready meals for one. In fact, I thought the selection of frozen food was very poor. I like your tag line, by the way. Just looked up the Newcastle diet. If I can get hold of a dietician, that might suit my friend.