"What would you like to eat?"
"Oh, I don't know..."
I run into this discussion every week w/ my Dad.
My Dad rents 1/2 a house from my sis. He's 88 years old and my sis works a weird shift (1 pm to 9 pm). I go over there a few times every week and make dinner. It's a win-win-win for us all. I get to spend time w/ Dad, and Dad and Sis get home-cooked meals. (And when Dad and I shop, he usually covers the cost of something I've run out of in my house.)
Sis is pretty good about making menu requests, but Dad just doesn't care. I don't say that to be facetious. He'll eat pretty much anything I put in front of him (although, he tends to avoid steak as he's missing some teeth). I tend to stick to recipes that keep my time there around 90 minutes.
I guess I just wish I had less responsibility for the menu.
I'm saying this as I'm making out their shopping list as Dad and I are about to shop for the coming week (another thing Dad and I do together) before the storm hits.
Odds are that he'd be okay with anything I make. He'd eat it, probably enjoy it, and be thankful for it. (Probably that depression-era upbringing.)
So what am I so worried about?
Maybe I just feel like I'm stuck in a cooking rut when it comes to them. I'm the only one complaining. I just don't want to be in charge of what they eat all week.
It's my problem, right? Not theirs.
I guess I just love food so much, I hate to think anyone would be disappointed in my food.
Definitely my problem.
Thanks for letting me vent.
= new reply since forum marked as read
It's good for your soul
Lack of interest in food is a killer for the elderly! you are doing an incredibly wonderful job!
Here's a few tips...
get food ideas and Brain stimulation by talking about memories of good times, then shifting to food questions...
ie: when you lived on the big house on the hill, wasn't the porch nice...the big dining room table, bet you had some great meals there
typically as we age, more and more foods get moved to our less liked list, keep track of those meals that are well received and those that aren't
can you have him watch food network to come up with ideas for you?
Possibly a 2, 4 or 6 week rotating menu might work for you elderly people love to have structure
but throw in some surprises now and then.
Best of luck to you and your family, they are incredibly lucky to have you!
full disclosure: I'm 57 and have gone from 220 healthy weight to 160 in just over a year... I wish I had someone like you in my family
I had no idea that when I married and had kids, *I* would be responsible for what everyone ate for the next 25 years! I got so sick of it. Give me ideas! I'd scream. But no one cared. Sure, I experimented on them. I had lots of good food and some strange stuff at times. No one cared. Oh, they'd tell me how much they loved my cooking yada yada. I still hated it some of the time. I went on strike a few times. I ranted plenty of times. And then when we were empty nesters, I LOVED Blue Apron. Now, I've got a vegan back home and at least that's given me a fresh perspective on cooking. But I still can't figure out how this menu planning business became something tied around my neck. 
they will eat anything and preferably a lot of it.
Really, food for my bunch could come in 50lb bags.
I have been getting Plated boxes for just a hair under 2 years, usually one or two times a month. Really enjoyed trying some new things and the convenience of having almost all the ingredients delivered, but most of all, just not having to decide much and having those couple of meals "done."
Last week was their last week in business. I am so bummed. 
