For the last year I have been taking care of family. My mother was a caregiver to her disabled brother and sister, and now I care for all three.

One thing I do on Friday weekly is make ahead meals for the weekend so when I work, I know whoever comes to help doesn't have to figure out meal time, since dietary needs are complicated in our home.

I may have gone overboard this weekend.

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Turkey chili,
Broccoli and Cheddar soup with carrot, chicken and rice,
Gluten Free Goulash.
Corned beef slow cooked- and all the fixings to make Rubens.
And....
I used the bone broth I cooked the corn beef in to make beef stew.


IDK that the four of us can eat all this but at least most of it can be frozen for another time if needed.

Anyone out there have a weekend ritual? Go over board sometimes?

Beef stew turned out to be Awesome. I think this is how I am making it from now on... not by cooking corned beef first but using the bone broth!

(Apologies to any Vegans) We are Omnivores in my house.

Thursday Soleil (136586881) wrote:For the last year I have been taking care of family. My mother was a caregiver to her disabled brother and sister, and now I care for all three.

One thing I do on Friday weekly is make ahead meals for the weekend so when I work, I know whoever comes to help doesn't have to figure out meal time, since dietary needs are complicated in our home.

I may have gone overboard this weekend.

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Turkey chili,
Broccoli and Cheddar soup with carrot, chicken and rice,
Gluten Free Goulash.
Corned beef slow cooked- and all the fixings to make Rubens.
And....
I used the bone broth I cooked the corn beef in to make beef stew.


IDK that the four of us can eat all this but at least most of it can be frozen for another time if needed.

Anyone out there have a weekend ritual? Go over board sometimes?

Your food sounds delicious, that's very kind hearted of you!

Love me some goulash! I know what I am making for dinner one day this week now. That all sounds yummy! I was once a care giver to my mother for some time and I learned you can never over do it when looking out for others. What usually would be over doing it makes things easier when caring for others. If that makes sense. After re-reading it I sound like a crazy person but I am sure you will get it. Awesome of you to do what you are doing by the way.

Thanks everyone. If anyone has gluten-free low sodium make ahead ideas... let me know. I am all about not eating the same thing over and over.

Tonight I made them GF pasta with mild Italian sausage. They gobbled it up so I guess it was ok.

I should have prefaced this entire post with the fact that previously I only ever cooked for myself, and to survive. I am no top chef. I have however learned a lot in the last couple years.

Thursday Soleil (136586881) wrote:Thanks everyone. If anyone has gluten-free low sodium make ahead ideas... let me know. I am all about not eating the same thing over and over.

Tonight I made them GF pasta with mild Italian sausage. They gobbled it up so I guess it was ok.

I should have prefaced this entire post with the fact that previously I only ever cooked for myself, and to survive. I am no top chef. I have however learned a lot in the last couple years.

You sure seem like you are a pro, TS!! I have the greatest respect for you!! I was sole caregiver to both of my parents (for almost a decade, in my home) while I was also raising my family and trying to keep up with my type A personality hubby. We literally went from a family of 5 to a family of 8 in under a month.

Being an only child, I had very little experience in the kitchen and was not (and still am not) a fancy cook. But I learned FAST! Thankfully, no food allergies to contend with but my parents were definitely meat and potatoes people so all my meals tended to look like Thanksgiving..with multiple sides to please the kids and hubby too. It was exhausting.

Hang in there!! You are earning your Angel Wings!

Smitten Kitten (136864592) wrote:

Thursday Soleil (136586881) wrote:Thanks everyone. If anyone has gluten-free low sodium make ahead ideas... let me know. I am all about not eating the same thing over and over.

Tonight I made them GF pasta with mild Italian sausage. They gobbled it up so I guess it was ok.

I should have prefaced this entire post with the fact that previously I only ever cooked for myself, and to survive. I am no top chef. I have however learned a lot in the last couple years.

You sure seem like you are a pro, TS!! I have the greatest respect for you!! I was sole caregiver to both of my parents (for almost a decade, in my home) while I was also raising my family and trying to keep up with my type A personality hubby. We literally went from a family of 5 to a family of 8 in under a month.

Being an only child, I had very little experience in the kitchen and was not (and still am not) a fancy cook. But I learned FAST! Thankfully, no food allergies to contend with but my parents were definitely meat and potatoes people so all my meals tended to look like Thanksgiving..with multiple sides to please the kids and hubby too. It was exhausting.

Hang in there!! You are earning your Angel Wings!

Ok so this weekend I am going to make ahead...

Crock Pot crack chicken. ( Its so good)
Turkey Tacos

You are making me hungry

It all sounds amazing

Thursday Soleil (136586881) wrote:For the last year I have been taking care of family. My mother was a caregiver to her disabled brother and sister, and now I care for all three.

One thing I do on Friday weekly is make ahead meals for the weekend so when I work, I know whoever comes to help doesn't have to figure out meal time, since dietary needs are complicated in our home.

I may have gone overboard this weekend.

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Turkey chili,
Broccoli and Cheddar soup with carrot, chicken and rice,
Gluten Free Goulash.
Corned beef slow cooked- and all the fixings to make Rubens.
And....
I used the bone broth I cooked the corn beef in to make beef stew.


IDK that the four of us can eat all this but at least most of it can be frozen for another time if needed.

Anyone out there have a weekend ritual? Go over board sometimes?

God bless you for being a caretaker. I am the caretaker for my dad. We have both had health issues in the last year. It's not been easy at all. I don't cook meals ahead because my dad barely eats and I've had to be on a special diet for 2 weeks (I did cook ahead for some of it).

JulieHootieScraps (108384802) wrote:

Thursday Soleil (136586881) wrote:For the last year I have been taking care of family. My mother was a caregiver to her disabled brother and sister, and now I care for all three.

One thing I do on Friday weekly is make ahead meals for the weekend so when I work, I know whoever comes to help doesn't have to figure out meal time, since dietary needs are complicated in our home.

I may have gone overboard this weekend.

Gluten Free Banana Pecan Bread
Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
Turkey chili,
Broccoli and Cheddar soup with carrot, chicken and rice,
Gluten Free Goulash.
Corned beef slow cooked- and all the fixings to make Rubens.
And....
I used the bone broth I cooked the corn beef in to make beef stew.


IDK that the four of us can eat all this but at least most of it can be frozen for another time if needed.

Anyone out there have a weekend ritual? Go over board sometimes?

God bless you for being a caretaker. I am the caretaker for my dad. We have both had health issues in the last year. It's not been easy at all. I don't cook meals ahead because my dad barely eats and I've had to be on a special diet for 2 weeks (I did cook ahead for some of it).

It isn't easy. And ty!

this in so many ways.. (s) to you


Those freezer meals (as I call it) come in handy when you're busy

I hope you also catch some down time, taking care of others is taxing.

What you made sounds scrumptious.

Isla (2518852) wrote:I hope you also catch some down time, taking care of others is taxing.

What you made sounds scrumptious.

I broiled up some steaks, mashed potato and green beans. Probably have steak tomorrow too because there is left overs. ( maybe I'll bring home salad and we can do steak salads.

Never hurts to sacrifice a veggie or two now and again

I think I am roasting a whole chicken this weekend and seeing what I can do with it. Its just I feel lazy and that can feed us ( unless we get extremely tired of the bird) All weekend

I'm thinking Chicken Tikka Masala for one day IDK...

I give respect to chefs of the world when I cant even find motivation to come up with a weekend of meals