After her father-in-law died about a year and a half ago, a woman noticed her mother-in-law had stopped eating. So she started cooking meals for her three times a week, spending around $80 a week on extra groceries.
At a church potluck, one of her mother-in-law’s neighbors told her how much she loved the food and mentioned that her mother-in-law charges $10 a plate. Now the woman wants to stop cooking altogether, but her husband says the meals may be the only thing keeping his lonely mom connected to anyone.
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Losing Her Father-in-Law
Her father-in-law passed away about 18 months ago. His death hit the whole family hard.
Her mother-in-law now lives alone in a senior apartment building. Adjusting to life without her husband has been difficult.
After the funeral, the woman noticed she wasn’t eating much. She worried about how her mother-in-law was taking care of herself.
Meals Three Times a Week
To help, she started cooking meals for her mother-in-law three times a week. She made casseroles, soups, and other homemade dishes.
She packed everything into containers and dropped them off on her way home from work. It became part of her weekly routine.
Cooking regularly for another household takes time and effort. She was planning, shopping, cooking, and delivering meals on top of her own responsibilities.
About $80 a Week in Groceries
She estimates she spends a little over $80 a week on extra groceries for those meals. Over a month, that comes to more than $300.
Across a year, it adds up to thousands of dollars. That’s a significant expense for any household.
She never thought twice about it. Her mother-in-law was grieving, and helping her felt like the right thing to do.
Compliments at a Church Potluck
Last Sunday, she was at a church potluck when one of her mother-in-law’s neighbors came up to her. The neighbor said her cooking was incredible.
She also said she looked forward to it every week. The woman thanked her and asked if she’d tried some.
That’s when the conversation took a surprising turn. The neighbor’s answer caught her completely off guard.
$10 a Plate
The neighbor said her mother-in-law charges $10 a plate. She added that it was worth every penny and that the woman could probably charge more.
The woman didn’t say anything. She just stood there smiling, trying to process what she’d heard.
She’d been cooking those meals for free. She had no idea they were being sold.
Months of Selling Her Cooking
When she got home, she told her husband. He called his mother to ask about it.
His mom admitted she’d been dividing the meals into portions and selling plates to four or five neighbors. It had been going on for months.
At $10 a plate, that could mean $40 to $50 or more each time she sold meals. Over several months, that could add up to hundreds of dollars.
Fixed Income and Loneliness
Her mother-in-law explained that people kept asking for food. She said she’s on a fixed income and didn’t think it was a big deal.
Her husband believes his mom is lonely. Having neighbors stop by for food may be one of the main ways she connects with people each week.
The woman understands that. She knows those meals helped her mother-in-law start eating again after losing her husband.
Keep Cooking or Stop Entirely
Still, she feels hurt. She’s been spending her own money and time, only to learn someone else has been profiting from it.
She wants to stop cooking for her mother-in-law completely. But she’s torn, knowing those meals may still bring her mother-in-law comfort and connection, and she’s left wondering whether stepping away would be fair or whether it would take away something her mother-in-law truly needs.
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