How best to transport a Christmas dinner?

[MrsCakeTheMedium]

I'm taking Christmas dinner to an older lady who will be on her own on Christmas Day. She lives a short drive away. I'm trying to work out the practicalities of how best to transport it, as in what to put it in. Plate it up? Put the different bits in different containers? Put all of it in one thing? It doesn't need to stay ready-to-heat hot, I'm anticipating she will want to warm it up. Any great tips? Thanks in advance.

How dextrous is she? Does she have a microwave?

No dexterity difficulties. Yes, she does have a microwave.

I’d put it in different containers, easier to heat it up then

How would you divide it? Meat and gravy in one, veg in another, potatoes in a third?

@MrsCakeTheMedium

How would you divide it? Meat and gravy in one, veg in another, potatoes in a third?

Yes that sounds perfect. Maybe an extra pot of gravy in case the microwave dries it out a bit.

I'd put the dry things like meat, roast potatoes, stuffing, veg etc in a plastic tub so she'll be able to decant it onto a plate and then gravy in a separate sealed cup - something like a reusable coffee cup or plastic clippy tub. Less likely to leak everywhere and she can warm different things separately if she wants to.

I'd use foil containers like you get from the take away. Then they can be reheated in the oven or the food can be plated up and microwaved.

Meat and gravy in one, or gravy in a screw top jar like a jam jar.
'Dry' in another, so stuffing, roast potatoes, yorkshires.

Then the softer veg, sprouts, carrots etc.

You can stack the foil containers and put in a carrier bag so you can hand over without contact.

BTW you are a kind person to do that.

Are you doing pudding? Put that in another container.

I do this for my mum. Turkey, pigs, potatoes etc go in a Tupperware box lined with tin foil. I’ve made sure she’s got her own gravy (we’re not really that keen on home made) but if I hadn’t, she’d have granules in a sandwich bag so she could have hot fresh gravy. If you’re doing home made, put it in a cup with tin foil and an elastic band over the top, so it will fit in your cup holder (or take someone with you who can hold it). She likes different veg to us so have bought that for her and will phone her 25 mins beforehand so she knows to start cooking it.

Then in another box, I put extra turkey slices for sandwiches for tea and some cold meat for Boxing Day.

I cook my mum a Sunday dinner every week, plate it up minus the gravy, cover in cling film and she microwaves as is....she then does a bit of fresh gray

Oh thank you so much for that advice, I feel much better now! I was a bit stressed about how to get it to her and it still be nice and not all dried up or mixed up. She is widowed and her only child passed away a couple of years ago. I want to make sure she at least has a decent Christmas dinner on Christmas Day that hasn't been ruined by careless transportation and it also means she will see someone (even if it's only me) on Christmas Day, even if only for a two minute socially distanced drop off and exchange of Merry Christmas wishes. I think that will help make the day bearable, at least over not seeing a soul and eating a ready meal from the freezer for Christmas dinner. And it's no extra work, it's just sticking a few extra roast potatoes in the oven.

Can you tuck in a cracker and a xmas serviette? maybe a couple of chocs and a mini baileys for afters if you can

Bless you for doing such a nice thing

@shitinmyhandsandclap that's a great idea. My own mum is going to my sister for Christmas dinner (bubble) but I could easily do that on a normal Sunday for
both her and the other lady. That
Is definitely a great idea for the new year (assuming I won't have to sell a kidney to afford a joint of meat after January 1st.) I don't know why I've never thought of it until Christmas dinner!

A cracker and serviette is another great idea, will definitely do that. She's already got a pudding but I will put in a couple of mince pies too and maybe a couple of After Eights or something.

Thank you so much, I was stressed about this before I asked here and now I'm excited about it being lovely for her.

OP

I get meals on wheels, they are cooked en route and always come in foil. I tend to put the plate upside down on the foil and turn them both over.

As well as the dinner on Friday I'm having a 'tea' delivered, a salmon sandwich and cake, would your lady appreciate that?

If there was more time I'd suggest you got a 'Thali tray' you can get them with a number of different compartments and use a disposable one.

Awww, you're lovely. I'm now trying to find someone who needs a christmas dinner taking round for a bit of lovely warm feeling inside!

We do for FIL just plate everything up apart from the gravy which goes in a container, cover it in foil, DP puts it on a tray with a Christmas napkin and a cracker. Then places it on the car seat and drives carefully over bumps.

My friend brought meals on wheels round 10 years ago as I was very freshly battered after a tough birth less than a week earlier.
She bought it in in the pots that it was cooked in, but that was for 4 of us so not worth plating.

For one person, keeping the drier foods together, and wetter separate sounds sensible.

Good idea on the "tea", I can definitely add a few things for later in the day, maybe some cold ham and salady things. Just some of what we're having.