SHRADDHA karma - Offering to the departed souls what humans eat

After hearing the news of the death of his father, King Dasaratha, Sri Rama faints away.  After recollecting himself, he tells Lakshmana to prepare food for offering to the departed soul of King Dasaratha.

आनयेङ्गुदिपिण्याकं चीरमाहर चोत्तरम् |
जलक्रियार्थं तातस्य गमिष्यामि महात्मनः ||   (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  20 Sloka)

"Bring the crushed pulp of Ingudi Tree and bring a piece of bark for being wrapped about my loins and another for being used as my loins and another for being used as an upper garment, so that we may proceed to offer libations of water for our magnanimous father."

 ऐङ्गुदम् बदरीमिश्रम् पिण्याकम् दर्भसंस्तरे |
न्यस्य रामस्स दुःखार्तो रुदन्वचनमब्रवीत् ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  29 Sloka)

Rama placed the pulp of the Ingudi tree mixed with the pulp of plums on a mat of Kusa grass and overcome with sadness, weeping, spoke the following words:

इदम्भुङ्क्ष्व महाराज प्रीतो यदशना वयम् |
यदन्नः पुरुषो भवति तदन्ना स्तस्य देवताः ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 103 Sarga  30 Sloka)

"O, Great King! Be pleased to partake of this, which we eat for, that which man eats, is also consumed by his gods."

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Preceded by Dasaratha's wives and others, Sage Vasishta advances to the hermitage of Sri Rama. Kausalya, on the way, shows to her co-wives the balls of Ingudi fruit-pulp offered to the spirit of Dasaratha by Sri Rama on blades of Darbha grass along the bank of Mandakini River.   Kausalya remembers sruti’s saying:

 श्रुतिस्तु खल्वियं सत्य लौकिकी प्रतिभाति मा |
यदन्नः पुरुषो भवति तदन्नास्तस्य देवताः ||  (Ayodhya Kanda 104 Sarga  15 Sloka)

"It indeed occurs to me that the saying among men that the food eaten by man is also consumed by his Gods is true."

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It is clear that we can offer whatever we eat, to the departed souls, but may not resort to expending too much in the name of  SHRADDHA karma.

Now a days, due to ignorance of the majority of the people, they are expending too much of amount on SHRADDHA karma being done every year in the name of their departed parents/elders. 

The Brahmanas are also demanding too many things in the name of SHRADDHA karma, which is frightening common people.

We can follow the Sage Valmiki’s advice.  Sage Valmiki is giving a clear message to human beings in the AYODHYA KANDA of RAMAYANA.  Human beings may offer LIBATIONS with water and whatever they eat to the departed souls of their parents.  It is as simple as that.