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He either doesn't like what is served or says he can't eat the food. He is in assisted living facility with a mechanical soft diet. However, what they prepare is not always soft or easy to eat as he has no teeth (can't wear dentures anymore) and has severe arthritis. Need suggestions on foods to keep in his room that he can eat off the shelf without the need to heat or cook as he only has a microwave that he can't operate. We take him strawberries twice a week to snack on but he needs more options.

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Boost or Ensure don't have to be refrigerated unless not all of it has been consumed and the person wants the rest later. But other than that your dad can keep that in his room.
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Good suggestions about what food to provide him. You might also consider whether he is eating alone or with other people, especially people he knows and loves. Some folks eat better if it can become a social occasion and the eating is almost habitual or of secondary importance.
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Can you buy him a Nutribullet and get him to make shakes?
The Nutribullet comes with "cups" that all you do is throw in some liquid, be it water, milk, almond, coconut milk, maybe some protein powder, fruits or veggies, oatmeal with hot water, cinnamon. You can make them hot or cold....blend all the ingredients in the cup for 10-20 seconds and VIOLA! a nutritious meal.

You don't need special recipies. just throw in what you like. I find the Nutribullet a quick way to get a nutritious meal on the go, or at ANY age. I have a vanilla Protein powder and add it to just about everything! It can be mixed with veggies, chocolate, fruits...I keep a lot of frozen fruit and veggies in the freezer. V8 (unsalted) is a good base with other veggies. I always have almond and coconut milk. Oatmeal with apples and cinnamon for HOT breakfast. All blended, so I don't have to cook. Good way to stay regular ;)

As I said just throw all into the cup, hit ON, and eat with a spoon or drink. The cup rinses with water. Easy Peasy.
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Fortisips and Complan are great.. don't need refrigerating. (Mum loves vanilla Fortisips, like milkshake)
Complan do fruit drinks, soups etc. All totally balanced meal replacements.

He can just grab what he likes.
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Shelf food for elderly who can't eat well? Here's some ideas: Diced peaches with easy pop-off lids, puddings, viennna sausages, jello in little containers, cheeses, Keebler buttery -type crackers, smooth peanut butter, (no teeth no problem - crackers get soft in mouth my mom eats them w/out her teeth easily). instant oatmeal already in bowl. My 89-yr old elderly mom eats peanut butter and Keebler club crackers, adding peanut butter. They love these and will easily snack on club crackers. You may have to repackage some items for easy opening. Cracker sleeves hard to tear open sometimes. You can also get Jif natural lower-sodium peanut butter and other lower sodium stuff, as I know shelf foods are loaded with salt, usually. By the way, my mom has dementia, but still does okay with her club crackers and peanut butter unassisted. Also can keep small canned juices with pop-lids for him. Really, tho if you are paying that facility to care for your dad, they should be willing to provide some of this!!
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If you do Ensure, I would get the one that has the higher protein level (Ensure+, I believe it is).
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There are medications that can help boost appetites. Ask his doctor if he is a candidate for one of these. They are often prescribed for cancer patients who aren't eating enough. Another thing you might ask his doctor is to have a speech pathologist come to see if swallowing is an issue. It may not be his lack of teeth, but a feeling of choking that is keeping him from eating enough. My mother lacked teeth for 20 years before she died and was overweight for most of that time. Gummed down everything in sight. LOL
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Worked in dietary in hospital and in an assisted living facility. I know mechanical soft or pureed food can be unappetizing. Mech. soft often too hard for them to eat. (Turkey sandwiches, etc. too hard). They need stuff like chicken salad, spaghetti, etc. Often these places (and restaurants) cook chicken in convection oven uncovered on trays. This dries it out makes it tough. If you are paying for him to be there, make them give him diced peaches, well-cut up meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, tender veggies, etc. Sometimes in nursing home they barely help people with cutting up food or feeding them if they have a hard time. A lot of money is paid to these homes. They can do better!!! My mom is mech. soft; lives with me. I try to make her food appetizing yet very tender; as dentures and swallowing make eating a chore for elderly.
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My favorite soft snack food is smooth almond butter with a little coconut oil and cocoa powder mixed in. The coconut oil makes it firm up in the frig but it softens quickly and doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth. Good off a spoon like fudge and also good on crackers or soft bread. Watermelon is another good one, helps with hydration and is easy to squish and swallow. Egg salad, tuna salad, chicken salad are all good, even without bread. Plain yogurt (regular, not non-fat) with cinnamon swirled into it, or add your own fruit without sugar. I would go easy on the sugar, because it can make you feel full fast and then hungry when your blood sugar crashes. When my MIL was in the hospital with her last illness, I got organic carrots and a juicer, and we took her a jar of fresh carrot juice every day. Chicken and fish are a lot easier to eat than beef, even chopped. Try things yourself and see what you can eat without chewing it.
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I used to make Mom peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into quarters and covered on a plate. I'd leave them in her fridge to eat whenever she wanted. Peanut butter and jelly doesn't have to be refrigerated, so you could bring some sandwiches over whenever you visit. You could also put them in storage containers that might be easy for him to open.
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