Now that you are with your mom every week, you run out of things to do together. You’re looking for new activities. Have you considered stocking up the kitchen and cooking? It’s a great way to bond, and it fills her pantry and freezer with home-cooked items. This is also something that can be done with her in-home care aide.
What Supplies Do You Need?
Your mom’s kitchen is probably well-equipped after years of cooking meals for the family. There may be things she needs. Bring those from your home or purchase them for her kitchen.
Think about what you want to cook together. Do you plan to bake or make items that your mom will use to make future meals? For pantry staples like homemade chicken, beef, seafood, and vegetable stock, you need pots and strainers. You also need the bones and vegetables to make the stock.
If you want to bake, you’ll need a mixer, bowls, baking pans, and loaf pans. You’ll also need baking ingredients like flour, yeast, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and oils. You may also need to stock up on dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Follow Dietary Restrictions
Make sure that the items you make meet your mom’s dietary needs. If she’s on a low-salt diet, look for recipes that don’t contain salt or come up with ways to omit the salt. You need to avoid adding granulated sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, or honey to recipes for a diet with no added sugar. Try using mashed banana or applesauce instead.
Be prepared to have some recipes not work out with your changes. A lot of cooking comes down to trial and error. You have to trust the recipe creator had the measurements correct. Mistakes happen, so try to adjust things as you go if it seems off.
For example, you notice that the ratio of water to flour is off in the bread recipe you’re using. It’s come out thin and watery like pancake batter. You need to add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it’s a dough you can handle.
Leave Time For Your Own Activities
As you and your mom explore different recipes, don’t overlook family recipes that have been passed down from one generation to the next. Jot them in a journal or put them on a private website that you can share with others in the family. That way, everyone has them.
To free up some time to build a website or create a journal of recipes, don’t overlook the benefit of in-home care services. Your mom spends time with a professional caregiver, and you have free time for your activities. Call our in-home care agency to make the arrangements.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care Services in Cambridge MA, or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts, please call the caring staff at CARE Resolutions – (508) 906-5572.
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