# I really need help with regard to ready meals!!



## Fonteyn22 (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## AndBreathe (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 1, 2022)

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.)


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## GlennHarris (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## AndBreathe (Aug 1, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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!


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 1, 2022)

AndBreathe said:


> 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.
> 
> ...



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.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 1, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.


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## Lucyr (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 1, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.


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## travellor (Aug 1, 2022)

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.


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## Inka (Aug 1, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.


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## Lucyr (Aug 1, 2022)

Inka said:


> 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


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## Inka (Aug 1, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> 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.


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## Lucyr (Aug 1, 2022)

Inka said:


> 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.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

Inka said:


> 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.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

travellor said:


> 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.


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## Inka (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.



That ‘something else’ might be a drug that lowers blood sugar and which will affect his dietary choices, so it’s important to find out what it is. Does he have this new medication? If so, get him to tell you what it is.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 2, 2022)

Also people have to remember if the gentleman weighs 18stone then he didn't get that way by eating small portions. So this needs to be taken into consideration.

Perhaps find a local cook who can batch make meals to go in the freezer so larger portion but with plenty of veg and meat so he is full and doesn't have to snack.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 2, 2022)

It sounds as if he is one of the many who think that just being given metformin will do the trick in managing blood glucose levels without making the needed dietary changes if he has been taking then a long time.
The risk is that by cutting the amount he eats at meals will then mean snacking on high carb foods. It does need a whole package approach.
The shakes based diet may help to give him a kick start so he should speak to his GP as they may be supportive of that approach.


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## travellor (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.


They aren't in the freezer, they're in the chiller section.
They can be frozen though.
They are actually aimed at kids, but are a very good meal compared to other adult ones.


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## travellor (Aug 2, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Also people have to remember if the gentleman weighs 18stone then he didn't get that way by eating small portions. So this needs to be taken into consideration.
> 
> Perhaps find a local cook who can batch make meals to go in the freezer so larger portion but with plenty of veg and meat so he is full and doesn't have to snack.



That is true. But he is bed ridden, dependent on carers.
He may not want to face the fact he will be needing less calories, but it has to happen at some stage.
A smaller meal bulked up with a portion of veg may be a start.


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## Windy (Aug 2, 2022)

or soups, either tinned or those tubs of soup. Easy enough to heat up and fairly filling and lower calorie. As long as it's not something like potato soup, shouldn't be too carbohydratey. Soup plus a bowl of frozen berries and some yogurt would be a nice lunch.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

Actually, he says he isn't hungry at all, so now might be exactly the time to do a low calorie diet.  However, I am not sure how it works for people who cannot move much, so professional advice would be necessary.


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## Dominic DUK (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> 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.
> 
> ...


Hello @Fonteyn22 thank you so much for reaching out. It is lovely to see how caring you are towards your friend! Overall, we would not suggest people with Diabetes to eat instant meals, as many of them are high in carb, sugar and fat content. However we do have a list of meal plans which you can view here https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/meal-plans


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## AndBreathe (Aug 2, 2022)

Dominic DUK said:


> Hello @Fonteyn22 thank you so much for reaching out. It is lovely to see how caring you are towards your friend! Overall, we would not suggest people with Diabetes to eat instant meals, as many of them are high in carb, sugar and fat content. However we do have a list of meal plans which you can view here https://bit.ly/3ONpInO



@Dominic UK , it is a very great shame that you only cite calories for your the low cal, and for the low carb, not nutritional information at all.  Of course "2 slices of rye bread" can vary in size/thickness and therefore nutritional values, but indicative values woul;d be helpful - especially as you offer up the breakdown for the much less carb leaning Baked Eggs.


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## Robin (Aug 2, 2022)

Dominic DUK said:


> Hello @Fonteyn22 thank you so much for reaching out. It is lovely to see how caring you are towards your friend! Overall, we would not suggest people with Diabetes to eat instant meals, as many of them are high in carb, sugar and fat content. However we do have a list of meal plans which you can view here https://bit.ly/3ONpInO


The whole point of this thread is that the OP is asking on behalf of someone who CANNOT cook from scratch and is reliant on carers heating an instant meal. My mother relied on Wiltshire Farm foods when she was too frail to cook for herself (incapable of lifting a saucepan, but able to lift a tray into the microwave). I found them to be as healthy and nutritious as things you’d cook yourself.
The other thing we made use of was the local meals on wheels service, which produced and delivered a home cooked meal twice a week. Unfortunately this service is now rarer than hens teeth, with a lot of the service now delivering frozen ready meals. It depends on your local area, we are lucky still to have it twice a week in our small town.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

@Dominic DUK Thanks for the link, but I had already looked through the meal plans on the website.  They are a great source of information, but like all meal plans they require a great deal of advance planning.   Another friend of mine (who has type 2 diabetes) told me he tried to follow one of them and decided it was a bit too complicated, especially for one person.  I can't comment specifically on them myself, as I didn't go into them in great detail.  However, generally I find that for people living alone, any diet plan, whether you want to lose weight or control your diabetes,  seems to include rather a lot of ingredients that are mentioned in a certain proportion (e.g. half an avocado), and are not mentioned for the rest of the week.  Are people supposed to throw the other half away??  There is always the temptation for someone to eat more than they should in order to avoid waste.  At least, that is what I have found.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> @Dominic DUK Thanks for the link, but I had already looked through the meal plans on the website.  They are a great source of information, but like all meal plans they require a great deal of advance planning.   Another friend of mine (who has type 2 diabetes) told me he tried to follow one of them and decided it was a bit too complicated, especially for one person.  I can't comment specifically on them myself, as I didn't go into them in great detail.  However, generally I find that for people living alone, any diet plan, whether you want to lose weight or control your diabetes,  seems to include rather a lot of ingredients that are mentioned in a certain proportion (e.g. half an avocado), and are not mentioned for the rest of the week.  Are people supposed to throw the other half away??  There is always the temptation for someone to eat more than they should in order to avoid waste.  At least, that is what I have found.


One good investment if you live on your own is a reasonably sized freezer then you can even double up on the recipes and portion them out and freeze for 'homemade ready meals'
Even for 2 of us I do that and there is always something in the freezer.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> One good investment if you live on your own is a reasonably sized freezer then you can even double up on the recipes and portion them out and freeze for 'homemade ready meals'
> Even for 2 of us I do that and there is always something in the freezer.


 Oh, I always do that, but I live with someone.  I frequently cook double the amount and freeze the other portion.  Bit difficult to freeze half an avocado though.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> Oh, I always do that, but I live with someone.  I frequently cook double the amount and freeze the other portion.  Bit difficult to freeze half an avocado though.


It is usually OK if you wrap in cling film and put in the fridge or make into guacamole and squirt lemon juice on the surface and keep in the fridge for a day. I have actually frozen guacamole.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

Leadinglights said:


> It is usually OK if you wrap in cling film and put in the fridge or make into guacamole and squirt lemon juice on the surface and keep in the fridge for a day. I have actually frozen guacamole.


That is good to know, although as I am part of a couple I never have spare halves of avocado lying around.  I simply used that as an example of many of the problems with following meal plans if you are single.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 2, 2022)

Dominic DUK said:


> Hello @Fonteyn22 thank you so much for reaching out. It is lovely to see how caring you are towards your friend! Overall, we would not suggest people with Diabetes to eat instant meals, as many of them are high in carb, sugar and fat content. However we do have a list of meal plans which you can view here https://bit.ly/3ONpInO


Perhaps you need to go and have a look at more ready meals as that's quite a sweeping statement. There is so much verity these days there's more than enough choice to pick and choose for each and everyone's dietary needs including people with diabetes.


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## travellor (Aug 2, 2022)

This seems quite reasonable?

Even a basic Young's fish pie from Iceland isn't unreasonable unless you are a strict low carb diet, and this is potato topped.
Just over 12g of carbs per 100g.


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## nonethewiser (Aug 2, 2022)

Nowt wrong with ready meals for those that cant cook, some quality ones nowadays, M&S Morrisons Best for example.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 2, 2022)

nonethewiser said:


> Nowt wrong with ready meals for those that cant cook, some quality ones nowadays, M&S Morrisons Best for example.


I found this one in Tesco - coq au vin - microwave in 13 minutes.


			https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/308835939
		


It says it is for two but served with a big green salad - the calories and carb content would be fine for someone with diabetes and on meds.
And this one - Beef bourgignon - slightly higher cals and carbs but still ok.


			https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/308825618
		

Tinned food can sometimes be okay.  At a pinch I sometimes go with 

Tesco curries - check the carb content- different ones are better than others.
Again if you serve it with salad it is filling and okay now and then.



			https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/307743987
		


Eggs are great if the carers are ok with that.  I buy white ones and then hard boil them and keep them in the fridge for a quick salad or just as a snack.
Nothing wrong with just eating a whole avocado as a meal with a pinch of salt - I do that on days when I am in a rush.

Cheese is good too. with a tomato and some salad.  Washed and bagged salads are very useful as a quick meal.  Sometimes I have a bag of salad with some salt and eat them like crisps.

Sorry I can't be much more help at the moment.


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

These are all really helpful suggestions, thanks everyone I do appreciate it.  My friend has updated me on the initial food I got him.  He said the Greek yoghurt upset his stomach.  Not sure why that would be, never heard of yoghurt doing that before.


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## travellor (Aug 2, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> These are all really helpful suggestions, thanks everyone I do appreciate it.  My friend has updated me on the initial food I got him.  He said the Greek yoghurt upset his stomach.  Not sure why that would be, never heard of yoghurt doing that before.



What's he like with dairy products normally?


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 2, 2022)

Well, he always ate a lot of yoghurt before, but it was the stuff with loads of sugar in it.  The thing is, he doesn't like cheese all that much, and drinks hardly any milk or drinks with milk in it, so yoghurt is really the only dairy he eats.


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## AndBreathe (Aug 3, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> Well, he always ate a lot of yoghurt before, but it was the stuff with loads of sugar in it.  The thing is, he doesn't like cheese all that much, and drinks hardly any milk or drinks with milk in it, so yoghurt is really the only dairy he eats.



Don't forget about butter as dairy.

If yoghurt is upsetting his tummy, perhaps he might do better on something like the higher protein variants - many of which are more like Quark, which is a curd cheese, so might be friendlier if he has a lactose intolerance hanging around.  .  I'm thinking of something like the Nestle Kvark.  They have a few ingredients in them, but not too bad at all on sugars.  



			https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/301253516
		


It could also be he had a fair amount of yoghurt to eat.  For some, milky foods can be quite laxative.  It is one of the downsides of naso-gastric feeding, often used for those who need LOTS of nutrition, in excess of meals.

Changing the things we eat can be tricky, because where we would otherwise just get on and eat, we now look at everything in near micro detail.

Has there been any contact from his GP, or the surgery?  If not, it feels like time for him to become proactive in getting the support he needs.


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 3, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> Well, he always ate a lot of yoghurt before, but it was the stuff with loads of sugar in it.  The thing is, he doesn't like cheese all that much, and drinks hardly any milk or drinks with milk in it, so yoghurt is really the only dairy he eats.


He may have lactose intolerance.  I have it and I still eat dairy but I know what the consequences will be when I do and consider it worth it.  I do know that if I go for a long time without any dairy at all then the first time I go back to having some I get a stronger reaction to it than if I had been having a little each day.

Okay easy breakfasts for him that wouldn't involve cooking - could be a small pack of sliced ham and some strawberries or raspberries and a mug of decaff coffee (or whatever his favourite beverage is)  and three or four nuts or a teaspoon of peanut butter (unsweetened).

I like ham and lettuce rolls - you use the ham like a wrap and put lettuce and some tomato in it with some Hellmans Organic Mayonnaise and roll it up and eat it.

You can smoosh up corned beef with mayo and hot sauce if he likes it and roll it in lettuce leaves as another wrap style meal. Or use peanut butter for even less prepping as it comes straight out of the jar - make sure it is a peanut butter that is 100% peanuts and not one with added sugar or sweetener.

Long life Alpro unsweetened almond 'milk' has zero carbs in it and if he has a blender this works well as a base for a smoothie - I keep a large pack of frozen berries in the freezer and just put them straight from the freezer into the jug with some almond 'milk' and a teaspoon of erythritol (also from tesco) and blend it up and it makes a yummy milkshake /smoothy that feels like a real treat and is quite filling and is nutritionally dense. 
It is quicker than microwaving stuff and if you use a stick blender the washing up is fast too - just run the blender stick under the tap immediately after using it and done.  It makes a handful of berries feel like a BIG fruit hit. You can add a teaspoon of peanut butter to this for a change and to make it even  more filling.


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## RaybA (Aug 3, 2022)

Honestly the hospitals just want the beds, NHS is so overstretched. If your friend is having community caters 4 times a day then they should be preparing him food 3 times (I did community care for years) we were there for meals, washing, meds etc. however home care staff are over stretched too, if he can have pre-chopped salads ready, a selection of none processed meats etc they can Chuck a quick salad together in their allotted time, they can also as you say microwave something although this in itself can cause issues as a lot of ‘ready meals’ have hidden additives. Could someone (not suggesting you) bill cook things and freeze them, they can then be reheated in the microwave. 
I’m so sorry you’ve been given no information, maybe he should request a home visit from the doctor? 
I have only been diagnosed myself this morning and it’s a big learning curve. X


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## Fonteyn22 (Aug 3, 2022)

They are happy to give him simple meals, but I doubt they would cook anything from scratch.  They don't seem to know The microwave broke down, and he had to tell one of them how to heat soup on the hob.  She had never used one before, believe it or not.  That is why I bought yoghurt and fruit, as I thought this would be a simple and healthy breakfast for him.  I also bought some cooked meat and bagged salad, but those things only last a day or two once opened, and even if they are not, they tend to go off unless used by the appropriate date, even if kept in the fridge. 

I could even organise a once a week on line delivery for him.  But I can only do so much, and frankly I think I have already done more than should be expected of me.  The carers don't seem to know anything about diabetes.  They originally bought full fat milk and white sliced bread for him as staples when he came home from hospital.


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## travellor (Aug 3, 2022)

RaybA said:


> Honestly the hospitals just want the beds, NHS is so overstretched. If your friend is having community caters 4 times a day then they should be preparing him food 3 times (I did community care for years) we were there for meals, washing, meds etc. however home care staff are over stretched too, if he can have pre-chopped salads ready, a selection of none processed meats etc they can Chuck a quick salad together in their allotted time, they can also as you say microwave something although this in itself can cause issues as a lot of ‘ready meals’ have hidden additives. Could someone (not suggesting you) bill cook things and freeze them, they can then be reheated in the microwave.
> I’m so sorry you’ve been given no information, maybe he should request a home visit from the doctor?
> I have only been diagnosed myself this morning and it’s a big learning curve. X



" as a lot of ‘ready meals have hidden additives"

Not really.
Maybe in the past, but not for many years now.
Usually quite healthy.


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## Leadinglights (Aug 3, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> They are happy to give him simple meals, but I doubt they would cook anything from scratch.  They don't seem to know The microwave broke down, and he had to tell one of them how to heat soup on the hob.  She had never used one before, believe it or not.  That is why I bought yoghurt and fruit, as I thought this would be a simple and healthy breakfast for him.  I also bought some cooked meat and bagged salad, but those things only last a day or two once opened, and even if they are not, they tend to go off unless used by the appropriate date, even if kept in the fridge.
> 
> I could even organise a once a week on line delivery for him.  But I can only do so much, and frankly I think I have already done more than should be expected of me.  The carers don't seem to know anything about diabetes.  They originally bought full fat milk and white sliced bread for him as staples when he came home from hospital.


I think too much is being expected of you and he should be asking for a care assessment if he is unable to do the basic things. Does he have an alarm system to call for help if needed.
Even if only a temporary measure it sounds as if residential care may be needed if he is able to do so little for himself.


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## RaybA (Aug 3, 2022)

travellor said:


> " as a lot of ‘ready meals have hidden additives"
> 
> Not really.
> Maybe in the past, but not for many years now.
> Usually quite healthy.


My diabetic nurse said this morning a lot not all have hidden sugars, sweeteners etc so most are still not ideal for diabetics. They add things like this for flavour. But each to their own. You don’t know what’s in processed and pre-packaged things, so you need to be careful. Just because it says it’s ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean it is


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 3, 2022)

RaybA said:


> My diabetic nurse said this morning a lot not all have hidden sugars, sweeteners etc so most are still not ideal for diabetics. They add things like this for flavour. But each to their own. You don’t know what’s in processed and pre-packaged things, so you need to be careful. Just because it says it’s ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean it is


As all ingredients have to be declared these days and nutritional value displayed I can not see how it can be hidden.


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## Lucyr (Aug 3, 2022)

RaybA said:


> My diabetic nurse said this morning a lot not all have hidden sugars, sweeteners etc so most are still not ideal for diabetics. They add things like this for flavour. But each to their own. You don’t know what’s in processed and pre-packaged things, so you need to be careful. Just because it says it’s ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean it is


What do you mean by “you don’t know what’s in processed and pre packaged things”? It’s much easier to tell what’s in them, just read the packets for the ingredients and nutritional information. 

For example if I want to know what’s in a Tesco healthy branded cottage pie, I just read the label. If someone makes me a homemade cottage pie it’s much harder to know what ingredients and how many calories and carbs are in it. 

INGREDIENTS: Potato and Vegetable Mash (51%) [Potato
Carrot
Sweet Potato
Butternut Squash
Whole Milk]
Water
Beef (11%)
Tomato Purée
Onion
Mushroom
Peas
Carrot
Cornflour
Tomato
Yeast Extract
Garlic Purée
Salt
Wheat Flour [Wheat Flour
Calcium Carbonate
Iron
Niacin
Thiamin]
Beef Extract
Sage
Onion Powder
Malted Barley Extract
Whey Powder (Milk)
Black Pepper
Sugar
Thyme
Caramelised Sugar
Mushroom Concentrate
Red Wine Extract
Whey Concentrate (Milk)
Flavouring
Aniseed
Milk Proteins.


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## travellor (Aug 3, 2022)

RaybA said:


> My diabetic nurse said this morning a lot not all have hidden sugars, sweeteners etc so most are still not ideal for diabetics. They add things like this for flavour. But each to their own. You don’t know what’s in processed and pre-packaged things, so you need to be careful. Just because it says it’s ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean it is


Nope, the ingredients are stated.
Saying they add things they don't state is scaremongering.


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## travellor (Aug 3, 2022)

Lucyr said:


> What do you mean by “you don’t know what’s in processed and pre packaged things”? It’s much easier to tell what’s in them, just read the packets for the ingredients and nutritional information.
> 
> For example if I want to know what’s in a Tesco healthy branded cottage pie, I just read the label. If someone makes me a homemade cottage pie it’s much harder to know what ingredients and how many calories and carbs are in it.
> 
> ...



Exactly.
All declared.
I agree the flour has additives, but all flour does.
Unless you mill it yourself.
And it's in such small amounts overall, it's not worth worrying about.


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## Lucyr (Aug 3, 2022)

travellor said:


> Exactly.
> All declared.
> I agree the flour has additives, but all flour does.
> Unless you mill it yourself.
> And it's in such small amounts overall, it's not worth worrying about.


If someone made you a cottage pie to reheat, they’d either forget to tell you they used flour, or they’d just say flour anyway. They’d never list the ingredients of the flour so definitely get more info on packaged food


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 4, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> As all ingredients have to be declared these days and nutritional value displayed I can not see how it can be hidden.


Some things say they are suitable for diabetics and are 'sugar free' and then they have sweeteners added that allow the food to be called sugar free and suitable for diabetics and yet some of them raise blood sugar levels and are problematic for diabetics.  One such additive is maltitol and it appears in so-called no sugar sweets and desserts.

Another shocker is Franks Dialicious IceCream.
I found it here on Morrisons website but it is currently out of stock - it is called Frank's Diabetic Vanilla Ice Cream on the Morrisons site and if you read the ingredients it has decided to call itself this because it is made with fructose!!!
They justify this because they say it leads to a lower glucose rise than foods with sucrose and glucose in them!!
The ice cream still has 13.8g sugar in every 100g which is very high sugar - but according to them because it is fructose it means it is okay for diabetics. I am pretty sure that isn't true.

 
I also found loads of chocolate sweets and other things marketed on Amazon as things people can buy as suitable gifts for diabetics which are not at all.

We have to be so careful when reading labels.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 4, 2022)

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I also found loads of chocolate sweets and other things marketed on Amazon as things people can buy as suitable gifts for diabetics which are not at all.


I thought that was illegal now?


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## NotWorriedAtAll (Aug 4, 2022)

Pumper_Sue said:


> I thought that was illegal now?


I would have thought it would be.  But alas things being illegal doesn't stop people doing them.  It just means that maybe if someone bothers to put enough effort into it they might be able to be prosecuted - eventually - and by then they've already caused the harm.


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## Pumper_Sue (Aug 4, 2022)

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I would have thought it would be.  But alas things being illegal doesn't stop people doing them.  It just means that maybe if someone bothers to put enough effort into it they might be able to be prosecuted - eventually - and by then they've already caused the harm.


If you look at the ice cream it doesn't say diabetic ice cream any more, it's Morrisons who have put it in their blurb.


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## Annette&Bertie (Aug 12, 2022)

I read a post saying he was told anything 10g or less per 100g is ok.   Sorry but when I look at some foods, ready meals even the delicious M & S range that’s a heck o f a lot of carbs in a 400g or 600g meal.  That’s if you can find one at or less than 10g/100g.   Also they are always saying “low sugar” but fine by me but as a diabetic it’s less to do with sugar than it is to do with carbs, so you then have to constantly chase your tail to find the lowest carb foods.   Why do supermarkets have to make it so difficult for the millions of diabetics in the country.   I get so mad.  Meantime rant over.


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I read a post saying he was told anything 10g or less per 100g is ok.   Sorry but when I look at some foods, ready meals even the delicious M & S range that’s a heck o f a lot of carbs in a 400g or 600g meal.  That’s if you can find one at or less than 10g/100g.   Also they are always saying “low sugar” but fine by me but as a diabetic it’s less to do with sugar than it is to do with carbs, so you then have to constantly chase your tail to find the lowest carb foods.   Why do supermarkets have to make it so difficult for the millions of diabetics in the country.   I get so mad.  Meantime rant over.


It's because the majority don't low carb.
Most ready meals are acceptable to them.

And for those that do low carb three ready meals a day are on the 120g of carbs that fit the definition of low carb anyway.


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## LancashireLass (Aug 12, 2022)

Fonteyn22 said:


> Actually, he says he isn't hungry at all, so now might be exactly the time to do a low calorie diet.  However, I am not sure how it works for people who cannot move much, so professional advice would be necessary.


My Grandad has been very poorly over a period of months and one of the side effects of that is that he has no appetite, but of course his health was only getting worse because he wasn't eating (he is T2 but has a lot of other issues too).
He is prescribed a drink called Ensure, which is basically like a meal replacement so you get all the necessary nutrients, but it is prescribed by the doctor so he doesn't have to pay for them......I know that meal replacements can work out very expensive!
I haven't tried them myself so I can't comment on what they taste like, but they have certainly kept him going when he has been very poorly indeed (phonecalls to get the family to the hospital type of poorly) and he is back home again at the moment.


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## Lucyr (Aug 12, 2022)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I read a post saying he was told anything 10g or less per 100g is ok.   Sorry but when I look at some foods, ready meals even the delicious M & S range that’s a heck o f a lot of carbs in a 400g or 600g meal.  That’s if you can find one at or less than 10g/100g.   Also they are always saying “low sugar” but fine by me but as a diabetic it’s less to do with sugar than it is to do with carbs, so you then have to constantly chase your tail to find the lowest carb foods.   Why do supermarkets have to make it so difficult for the millions of diabetics in the country.   I get so mad.  Meantime rant over.


40g carb in a meal is low carb, and would easily fit into a low carb diet defined as under 130g carbs per day. Many ready meals are less than 40 carbs though


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## everydayupsanddowns (Aug 12, 2022)

LancashireLass said:


> He is prescribed a drink called Ensure, which is basically like a meal replacement so you get all the necessary nutrients, but it is prescribed by the doctor so he doesn't have to pay for them......I know that meal replacements can work out very expensive!



When my wife was battling cancer she was prescribed ‘Fortisip’ for the same reasons. Vanilla or Chocolate seemed to be the most acceptable flavours for her.


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## john e (Aug 12, 2022)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I read a post saying he was told anything 10g or less per 100g is ok.   Sorry but when I look at some foods, ready meals even the delicious M & S range that’s a heck o f a lot of carbs in a 400g or 600g meal.  That’s if you can find one at or less than 10g/100g.   Also they are always saying “low sugar” but fine by me but as a diabetic it’s less to do with sugar than it is to do with carbs, so you then have to constantly chase your tail to find the lowest carb foods.   Why do supermarkets have to make it so difficult for the millions of diabetics in the country.   I get so mad.  Meantime rant over.


Mainly they are in business to make money, I know it's a cynical thing to say, and the more carbs the fuller you will feel, and although there is a high percentage of DB's they cater for the majority


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

john e said:


> Mainly they are in business to make money, I know it's a cynical thing to say, and the more carbs the fuller you will feel, and although there is a high percentage of DB's they cater for the majority



Obviously they are in business to make money.
They wouldn't last long with a business model to make a loss.

However, from the facts on this thread, it's been proven that ready meals can be healthy, and low carb.
As to a high percentage of diabetics, nope, low carb is a very small percentage of the 10%.
But even then ready meals are falling into food acceptable to that group as well.


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## john e (Aug 12, 2022)

travellor said:


> Obviously they are in business to make money.
> They wouldn't last long with a business model to make a loss.


I meant that is their prime objective as opposed to the health of the nation


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

john e said:


> I meant that is their prime objective as opposed to the health of the nation



Well, obviously they have to make a profit.
But, as has been said throughout this thread, it does seem that many do indeed help the health of the nation .
Is that the prime objective?
Probably not, but it's certainly good marketing, and again, good profit.


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## john e (Aug 12, 2022)

travellor said:


> it does seem that many do indeed help the health of the nation .
> Is that the prime objective?


Just had a quick browse through Sainsbury's 'be good to yourself' range some are OK ish but the amount of salt and sugar in others isn't


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

john e said:


> Just had a quick browse through Sainsbury's 'be good to yourself' range some are OK ish but the amount of salt and sugar in others isn't



If you have found others that are bad, can you put a link up so they can be avoided?
Obviously avoiding things like "Hunters Chicken" and meals that are high sugar even when they are made from fresh ingredients?


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## Annette&Bertie (Aug 12, 2022)

Thanks Travellor, I thought we all had to do low carb because when higher carbs hit the pancreas they convert to sugar, so confused now!   I am on 2g SR Metformin and once weekly 3mg Trulicity the latter is a huge benefit.


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## Annette&Bertie (Aug 12, 2022)

I’m getting hungry reading tgese LoL


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## john e (Aug 12, 2022)

Be Good To Yourself Ready Meals | Sainsbury's click on search, type 'be good to yourself' click on the selected meal, read the product details​


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

Annette&Bertie said:


> Thanks Travellor, I thought we all had to do low carb because when higher carbs hit the pancreas they convert to sugar, so confused now!   I am on 2g SR Metformin and once weekly 3mg Trulicity the latter is a huge benefit.



I never did low carb, and all carbs are certainly different.
Drop a spoonful of sugar in water, and a spoonful of potato in.
That's the same way our digestive tract sees them.
One's an instant hit, one's going to take hours.


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## travellor (Aug 12, 2022)

john e said:


> Be Good To Yourself Ready Meals | Sainsbury's click on search, type 'be good to yourself' click on the selected meal, read the product details​



Looks like they are all around 10 to 12 g carbs per hundred.
And on a 350g to 400g meal, that's nailed it.


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## Annette&Bertie (Aug 14, 2022)

john e said:


> Be Good To Yourself Ready Meals | Sainsbury's click on search, type 'be good to yourself' click on the selected meal, read the product details​


I used to shop online at Sainsbury but I now only shop Tesco online.    I had a look at Sainsbury Be good to yourself, but all imo above 10g per 100, so I thought we had to be very careful about carb intake?


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## travellor (Aug 14, 2022)

Annette&Bertie said:


> I used to shop online at Sainsbury but I now only shop Tesco online.    I had a look at Sainsbury Be good to yourself, but all imo above 10g per 100, so I thought we had to be very careful about carb intake?



It's a personal choice.
No one diet suits everyone

I never counted carbs, I chose weight reduction through calorie control and exercise.

Carb counting wouldn't have worked for me, I eat out, I go out spontaneously and grab food were I can, and street food is definitely not low carbohydrate. 
So I wasn't going to let diabetes take control and stop me doing the things I enjoyed.

Admittedly I don't go for the donuts anymore!


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