Ken had a heart attack - Meal ideas needed now!!!!

[onthespot]

You could hand him a blank weeks worth of menu and have him fill it in from a list of foods he can eat.

Sometimes things like a heart attack people feel a loss of control in their own lives and like to see other people jump through hoops and like to control them just by wrinkling up their noses and saying "I don't like that. I'm not gonna eat it!"

It gives them a sense of control back. I'm not saying Ken is like that. I am saying I HAVE seen it more often than not and don't fall into that trap.

It is not your job to "make him better." It is his job to figure out a new, better way to live so he can be around longer. You can help him with the details, but he has to make the choices and stick to them.

If he is not willing to make better choices and just wants to pout about food choices, salt, smoking, exercising, you could just cook him up a good ol' fried southern type breakfast, bring it to him in bed, with a dead rose and his phoney obituary and say "Bon Appetit, sucka!" and sign up for a hefty life insurance policy. THAT would be a rude awakening for him and maybe he would find that he could eat a salad every now and then, and figure out how to live healthier.

 

[debilorrah]

Let me rephrase the pork thing - he loves sausage and ham - he doesn't like pork chops and pork loin.

 

[ranchhand]

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That is a GREAT idea, gives him control of his own destiny! Very perceptive point! I am going to start that with my DH, BEFORE he has his heart attack- and it will be good for me too.

Thank you onthespot!

 

[FrenchHen]

Can you get Bob's Red Mill pancake mix there? It's 10 different whole grains.

I love to cut up two peaches (one per person), add a couple tablespoons maple syrup (the real stuff), and some cinnamon. Add a quarter cup chopped pecans if you like, and dump over Bob's waffles or pancakes.

The peaches cut the amount of syrup needed for lovely sweet breakfast food, which we often eat for dinner.

 

[redhen]

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We wouldn't want to lose you Joe

I know!!

 

[redhen]

Also, i agree with the above posters. Let him take some control of his destiny/health. Let him help you make up a menu. I think he'd appreciate that, maybe. And then..its not all on you. You arent being the bad guy then by making him eat healthy. He'll have some say in it also. Good luck!

 

[mamagardener]

If he doesn't like vegetables, maybe you can get a juicer, like the one Jack Lalane sells. Fresh fruit with some vegetables hidden inside. Look at Jack 90 something years old and still going strong.

Also Morningstar and Boca make some products that really taste like meat.

 

[redhen]

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I know! that guy is amazing! *off to go buy his juicer..*

 

[CoyoteMagic]

If you have a health food store nearby see if you can get some whey protein shake powder. I'm allergic to soy and so I don't use that kind but I have been told that the soy has a "funny" taste. I mix it in a blender with Fat free milk, 1/2 vanilla fat free yogurt, and a cup of frozen fruit (cherries, strawberries, or blue berries). Low cal and taste pretty good. I've also just mixed it with milk, yogurt and chocolate syrup and a couple ice cubes. Or milk and canned pineapple--my personal favorite

 

[joebryant]

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I know! that guy is amazing! *off to go buy his juicer..*

redhen, you won't be disappointed with his juicer. It's everything they claim on TV. Anne and I have bought several other kinds and thrown them away for numerous reasons. We love the Jack Lalane one so much that we've bought them as gifts for our son and his wife, my EDIT: Ooops.. OUR daughter and her husband, some family members and friends.