Meal for Friends

Most of us have received a meal at some point in our lives after some major event in our life...birth of a baby, loss of a loved one, or extended illness. 

 We've probably all taken a meal or two as well!

Recently I had the honor of taking a meal and it reminded me of a combination of meals delivered to me by loving, caring friends.  I thought I'd share with you some of the ideas and tips I've learned over the years.

One thing that I LOVED when a friend brought me a meal was a large container of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese already made.  The children could have it for dinner if they didn't like the delivered meal.  It also was an easy option for the children's lunch the next day...just heat it up and lunch is ready!

Another idea I really liked was fresh fruit already washed & prepared to eat.  When Jack was born, Haden was only 18 months old.  One friend sent a huge plastic container with grapes already sliced in two...an incredible time saver for a new mom.

Also, never send anything that has to be returned.  You can buy aluminum entree pans in bulk at Sam's for only a few dollars.  Also, many items can be easily packaged in gallon-size Ziploc bags.  There are always the Glad or Ziploc plastic containers.  Be sure to tell the recipient of your meal to just throw away or keep the containers.  (It used to drive me crazy when my friends would return those plastic Glad containers!)  Another idea for taking food is use old plates or dishes from the thrift store.  There are plenty of cute ideas out there for decorating them so people know to pass them on.  (Simply putting a note in the bag to let your recipient know to reuse the dishes will also do!)

A nice touch is to also send something for their breakfast.  Somethings I've taken with a meal are assorted bagels & cream cheeses, breakfast casseroles, and cinnamon rolls.  (For more on how I prepare the cinnamon rolls for delivery, click here.)

Oh! I almost forgot!  Sometimes you have a friend that needs meals for an extended period of time.  Dropping by a fresh salad and having their favorite pizza delivered is a nice idea.  Also, gift cards to restaurants that deliver (or that have a drive thru!!! :-) ) are also greatly appreciated.

It is always nice to put a little menu on the bag...it dresses the bag up just a bit and it also lets your friends know what's inside.  Click here for a blank menu page.

Hope you found some of these ideas helpful.

What are your best ideas?

Smiles!

Linking to:

Strut Your Stuff

Its a Hodge Podge Friday

Frugal Friday