For sons and daughters abroad
Meals for Elderly Parents in Lebanon, Cooked to Their Doctor's Instructions
Your mother or father lives in Metn, Beirut or Jounieh; you live abroad. Chef Mirna Saad cooks a Lebanese tabkha every morning in Fanar, adapted to what their doctor said (low salt, no oil or a little olive oil, baked not fried, less rice, no added sugar, soft texture), and delivers it on the days you choose. You order and pay on WhatsApp and receive a photo of every delivery. From $60 a week.
- Weekly plan
- From $60 a week (3 deliveries)
- Tanjara
- Serves 4–5, from $20 (two days for a couple)
- Adapted
- Salt, oil, frying, rice, sugar, texture, spice
- You get
- A WhatsApp photo of every delivery
- Delivery
- Fanar, Metn, Beirut, Jounieh, Mon–Sat; fee by area
- Order
- The day before; pause any week
What You Tell Us
One WhatsApp message is enough. The more of this it contains, the faster we can confirm the first delivery:
- Who the meals are for and where they live (Fanar, Metn, Beirut or Jounieh)
- The doctor's or dietitian's list: salt, oil, sugar, portion size, texture
- Allergies and foods to avoid
- Teeth or swallowing issues, so we cook soft food
- The days of the week and the time window that suits them
- Whether a neighbour, helper or home nurse receives the delivery
We tell you exactly what went into each delivery when you ask.
How We Cook for an Older Parent
This is how the kitchen changes a dish when you send us the list. It describes the cooking, not what your parent should eat; ask their doctor or dietitian for that.
Low salt
No added salt in any dish. We season with lemon, garlic, sumac and fresh herbs so the food still tastes of something.
Light
No oil at all, or a little measured olive oil. Baked instead of fried. Chicken breast, fish and legume dishes rather than heavy meat.
Soft
Stews, molokhia, mehshi, shish barak and kibbeh b laban, with the rice cooked soft, the meat cut small and no hard crusts.
Less rice, no added sugar
When the list says so, we cut the rice or bread, add vegetables, and leave sugar out of anything that normally has it.
Mild
No hot spice. The warm Lebanese seasoning stays; anything that burns goes.
Familiar
The dishes they grew up with, cooked the way their own mother did. An older parent eats what they recognise.
A Typical Week for a Parent on a Low-Salt, Soft Plan
The same dishes as everyone else in Metn eats that day, cooked their way. Rotated so nothing repeats within the week.
Weekly Family Plan
The Weekly Family Plan, from $60 a week
Each delivery is one tanjara that serves 4 to 5 people, so one pot feeds both parents for about two days. You choose the days; the doctor's list applies to every delivery at no extra charge.
| Plan | Deliveries | Serves | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Day Plan | 3 tanjaras a week (for example Mon, Wed, Fri) | 4–5 people per delivery | from $60 / week |
| 5-Day Plan | 5 tanjaras a week (Mon to Fri) | 4–5 people per delivery | from $100 / week |
| 6-Day Plan | 6 tanjaras a week (Mon to Sat) | 4–5 people per delivery | from $120 / week |
| One-time tanjara | 1 tanjara on a date you choose | 4–5 people | from $20 |
"From" prices are per week before delivery, which depends on the area. Add fattoush or a baked tray at menu prices. You receive an itemised total on WhatsApp before the first delivery; payment is arranged with you individually on WhatsApp.
Always included
- Cooked that morning by Chef Mirna Saad in Fanar, since 2012
- Fixed days and a delivery time agreed with your parent
- A WhatsApp photo of every delivery, sent to you
- Pause, skip or change any week with one message
- Dishes rotated so nothing repeats within the week
- Cooked to the doctor's list at no extra charge
For one parent living alone, a tanjara keeps two or three days in the fridge, so the 3-Day Plan covers the week. Single portions are possible too; we confirm the best option for them with you on WhatsApp.
Plan it in one minute
Build your family’s plan
Choose the plan and a few details. We open WhatsApp with your message already written, and reply with the menu and an itemised total.
No payment here. Payment is arranged with you on WhatsApp before the first delivery.
Cooked to your needs
The same tabkha, cooked the way you need it
Every dish on the menu can be cooked differently for you or for one person in the family. Tell us on WhatsApp when you order, the day before, and we cook it that way:
- No added salt (seasoned with lemon, garlic, sumac and herbs)
- Cooked with no oil at all
- A little olive oil only, measured
- Baked, not fried (kibbeh, sambousek, pumpkin kibbeh)
- Less rice or bread, more vegetables
- No added sugar
- Extra chicken breast or lean meat, less rice
- Soft texture, easy to chew
- No hot spice
We tell you exactly what went into your order when you ask on WhatsApp. If you follow a plan from your doctor or dietitian, send us their list and we cook to it. This is home cooking, not medical advice.
When a Parent Comes Home from Hospital
After a hospital stay or surgery, the first weeks at home usually call for light, soft home cooking: low salt, nothing fried, small portions. We start the day after you message us. Please follow the discharge instructions from the hospital and ask the doctor what they may eat; we cook to what you send us.
Note: most hospitals in Lebanon do not allow outside food for inpatients, so this is for home, after discharge.
Who Can Receive the Delivery
A home nurse, a helper or a neighbour can receive the delivery. We coordinate the time with whoever opens the door and message you once it is handed over.
Where We Deliver
Our kitchen is in Fanar. We deliver on a fixed schedule, Monday to Saturday, 7 am to 5 pm, to:
Fanar, Ain Saade, Mansourieh, Beit Mery, Jdeideh, Sin el Fil, Dekwaneh, Antelias, Jal el Dib, Zalka and the rest of Metn are our home ground. Beirut and Jounieh are on set delivery days. If your parent lives further, ask us. We will tell you honestly whether we can reach them rather than promise and miss.
أكل لأهلكم كبار السن في لبنان
إمكن أو بيّكن بالمتن أو بيروت أو جونيه وقلّهم الدكتور يخففوا ملح أو دهون أو سكر، أو بدهم أكل طري؟ الشيف ميرنا سعد بتطبخ طبخة لبنانية كل صبح بالفنار على لائحة الدكتور، بتوصّلها بالأيام اللي بتختاروها، وبتبعتلكن صورة عن كل توصيلة. بتطلبوا وبتدفعوا من برّا عالواتساب. من ٦٠ دولار بالأسبوع. اقرأوا الصفحة بالعربي ←
Repas pour vos parents âgés au Liban
Votre mère ou votre père au Metn, à Beyrouth ou à Jounieh doit réduire le sel, les graisses ou le sucre, ou a besoin de plats tendres ? La Chef Mirna Saad cuisine chaque matin à Fanar selon la liste de leur médecin, livre les jours que vous choisissez et vous envoie une photo de chaque livraison. Commande et paiement depuis l'étranger sur WhatsApp. Dès 60 $ par semaine. Lire cette page en français →
Meals for Elderly Parents: FAQs
How do I order meals for my mother in Lebanon from abroad?
Send us one WhatsApp message from wherever you live: who the meals are for, their area in Metn, Beirut or Jounieh, which days of the week, and what the doctor asked for. We reply with a week's menu and an itemised total, arrange payment with you, then agree the delivery time with your mother directly, in Arabic if she prefers.
Can you follow her doctor's list?
Yes. Send us the list from her doctor or dietitian on WhatsApp (salt, oil, sugar, portion size, texture, foods to avoid) and we cook every delivery to it. When you ask, we tell you exactly what went into each dish. We follow the instructions you send; we do not give dietary advice, so please ask her doctor or dietitian what she may eat.
Can you make soft food for someone with teeth or swallowing problems?
Yes. Stews, molokhia, mehshi, shish barak and kibbeh b laban are naturally soft. We cook the rice soft, cut the meat small and leave out hard crusts and fried items. Tell us how soft it needs to be and we cook to that.
Can you cook with no salt or no oil?
Yes, every dish. We prepare it without added salt and season with lemon, garlic, sumac and herbs instead, and we cook with no oil at all or with a little measured olive oil, whichever you choose.
How do I know she ate?
We send you a WhatsApp message and a photo after every delivery. She can call or WhatsApp the same number in Arabic to change a time or ask for a dish, and we keep you in the loop on every change.
What if she lives alone and a tanjara is too much?
A tanjara serves 4 to 5 people, so for one person it keeps two or three days in the fridge and the 3-Day Plan covers the whole week. Single portions are possible too; tell us on WhatsApp and we confirm the best option for her.
How do I pay from abroad?
Payment is arranged with you individually on WhatsApp before the first delivery. A relative in Lebanon can also pay on delivery. There are no card payments on this website.
Can I pause the plan when I visit Lebanon?
Yes. Pause, skip or change any week with one message. Many families pause for the summer visit and restart the week they fly back.
This page describes how we cook, not what your parent should eat. It is not medical advice; ask their doctor or dietitian.
Start This Week
One Message Sets It Up
Send your parent's area, the days, and the doctor's list. We reply with a menu and an itemised total, usually within the hour, Monday to Saturday, 7 am to 5 pm Lebanon time. The button opens WhatsApp with this message ready to send:
“Hello Gourmet Saad! I live abroad and would like to set up meals for my elderly parent in Lebanon, cooked to their doctor's instructions (low salt / light / soft). Can you tell me how it works and the weekly total?”
All about meals for family in Lebanon →
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