I'm planning a 60th wedding anniversary party for my parents this spring. My mother has dementia and dad has difficulty swallowing. What are some easy to eat foods that I can serve?

My first thought is "Is this 60th anniversary party a family affair only or is it open to more people than that? If so, is this what your PARENTS want and will be able to handle?"

In our family, we had community parties for my parents 40th, 50th, and 60th anniversaries and various community birthday parties up until Mom's 90th (Dad's last community party was his 80th). We always thought it was best to make the most of things while Mom and Dad were in good health. However, now that my mom has dementia, her last birthday party, her 96th, was an immediate family only celebration. That was enough for her to handle crowdwise.

Here's what your Dad may NOT HAVE TO EAT: Curly pasta. Peanutbutter, Pastries mixed with drinks, like milk or coffee/tea. Spinach ( it's too stringy). Steak unless you cut it up into small pieces. Sliced or quartered apples with skin still on them.

Here's what you might serve: Delicious MarylandCrab Cakes with tartar or white sauce......Mashed potatoes, peas&carrots,
jello with bananas in it. Thin-sliced salmon cooked in butter in a pocket of aluminum foil with dill. Almost all soft vegetables. Pudding with strawberries inside.

Kregnier~correction here---that should read your local agency on aging on the 3rd paragraph down..in my reply --sorry about that.:-(

Hap

Mom is down to yogurt and protein drinks. You can offer a variety of foods for the normal crowd, but also offer nice looking yogurt parfaits, with layers of pureed fruit so it looks festive. To intensify the tastes of the fruits, you can add some juice concentrate (found in frozen food dept) or search out the liquor mixers area, where you can find some tasty syrups. I found there for $3 an amazing coconut syrup "Simply Squeeze COCO RE'AL" Real Gourmet Cream of Coconut. Swirl with vanilla yogurt oomphed up with pineapple syrup. Perhaps they have mango or orange/banana/pineapple. I use the vanilla coffee creamers sometimes to add hit of vanilla. Of course this adds sugar, but it's a celebration, so...

Mom can't eat any texture at all, hardly even applesauce lumps. I use stick blender to get pureed fruits or soups (easiest way to do this, snap to clean up.), and sometimes use strainer to get out any stray textures (there goes the fiber!). I use a dissolving fiber product (generic Benefiber) in all drinks. It actually does dissolve.

Put little umbrellas in them.

Oh to make sure mom gets all her protein, I use a delicious bodybuilding drink with 30 GRAMS protein per 11 oz. drink, cost about $24 for 18 at Costco. One needs perhaps 45 grams day, and this is easily handled with yogurt and other milk. It is low sugar, non fat, and has added vitamins. Premiere Nutrition PROTEIN High Protein Chocolate Shake. I mix coffee with it, some milk, mint extract and make a mint mocha. Or orange extract, for Caffe Borge. It's wonderful.

kregnier,

Does your dad have a home health aide or social worker? i mean ANYONE you can contact that would know what he likes and what he is able to have?

Though you might not have POA, you might also want to get a hold of your dads primary doctor.. though i completely agree with Hap about the dietitian, i also think going the extra mile to "personalize" it will be good too..

good luck and happy planning!

Hi Kregnier~ This is a difficult one to reply to, but a suggestion is to speak with someone who is in food services or a dietician for ideas....

A variety of different types of food and beverages may be the way to go-as there will be something for everyone..

The Alzheimer's Association-or your local agency on agency, may have some input on this as well.

Congratulations on the wedding anniversary of your parents~

Hap