Shall I make dinner for my next door neighbour?

[Kindly9090]

This seems a bit silly.. But I've been living in my home for nearly a year. I'm a single working parent to a toddler.
My next door neighbours are lovely, they have both changed jobs recently and taken substantial pay cuts from what I've been told. One of them goes away 3 weeks at a time and comes back at the weekend and the other works very long hours in the NHS.. I saw her coming home late last night and stopped for a chat outside the front door.. I said if she ever wanted any company to pop in whilst her wife was away, she said by the time she gets in she has to walk to dog, put a wash on, make dinner and do all the usual things and she often passes out on the sofa by 9pm..
Both of my neighbours have been so lovely since we moved in and I felt like I wanted to do something to help, would it be silly to cook her a lasagne and give it to her tomorrow night so she doesn't have to cook.. I felt bad for her but I know its a perfectly normal scenario for most people who work!
How would you feel if your neighbour made you dinner and popped it round? We bubbled up over lock down and they watched little one for me whilst I had to run a couple of urgent errands so we are friendly.
Am I being silly or over caring??

@toffeebutterpopcorn got me crying over here...

I do this for my lovely neighbour. His wife is away much of the time and he works long hours. He is always so happy to receive a meal from me. Even if he doesn't eat it that night it's there for another day.
I also take just a pudding around sometimes. No fuss, just s friendly gesture.
Do it, OP. You've got my vote.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

They had a charlie bingham lasagne in the bin. I think it's safe to say it'll be fine as long as OP doesn't add anything outrageous to hers.

My husband loves lasagne. But I can't eat it. Maybe it was her wife's. Or they had it and found it disgusting. I really wouldn't cook something for someone without asking first.

Well then her wife can have it and they can just think how lovely it was of OP to do it.

I don't think thinking the charlie bingham one wasn't very nice means they won't like OPs. I don't like ready meal lasagne, mine is fucking amazing though.

Sure, she can give it. But as seen here, some will bin it. I'd go with offering to walk the dog instead for this reason. Some people are really particular when it comes to food (or have to be).

@Kindly9090

I think it's really nice of you. I'd make one in a small 'for two' dish and put a note with it. 'I hope you enjoy it, I like making it, but there's only so much DD & I can eat! Let me know if you'd like me to walk Rover anytime. It's no hassle, dd & I would enjoy it'.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

It's kind but if someone made me lasagne I wouldn't be able to eat it and it would go in the bin. I'm lactose intolerant and adversely conditioned to the taste of dairy and vegetarian. I'd ask first.

If she eats Charlie Bigham's excellent lasagne, they won't be dairy/gluten intolerant, or vegan. Agree that best idea is to drop in a portion and say it was spare.

My neighbours baked me sourdough bread when I had covid, it was brilliant.

I think it’s a lovely idea OP. I know my neighbours well and we have dinner in each other’s houses and hang out together.

I am amazed at some of the responses on here. I’d find it difficult to be horrified at what is clearly an act of kindness. I’m tempted to make my neighbour a lasagne now, but I know she’d prefer a g&t 😂

I did and got dish back with a critique of my cooking - I didn’t bother again! I said what it was and asked if they wanted some. I don’t think it was a bad example of the dish!

I did something similar but for a friend during the first lockdown. We were in a group chat and discussing dinner. I said I was making Keema and friend said that sounded lovely but when she got off work at midnight - police officer - she would only have the energy for toast. So portioned her up some and left it on my doorstep for her to collect on the way past to get home.
I ended up doing it several times and it was nice for both of us.

I think its a lovely idea.

now she is still trying to make me be friends with her and this is going to get really awkward".

They bubbled and the neighbours have looked after OP's child on occasion so it sound like they already are friends

[quote TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN]@Kindly9090

I think it's really nice of you. I'd make one in a small 'for two' dish and put a note with it. 'I hope you enjoy it, I like making it, but there's only so much DD & I can eat! Let me know if you'd like me to walk Rover anytime. It's no hassle, dd & I would enjoy it'.[/quote]
I think this is perfect

I'm not trying to make her come in by the way. I was just being neighbourly 😁.
I think ill do one lasagna and portion it up in to two, she can share it with her wife if she doesn't want to eat it straight away tomorrow.

I would be so grateful, I am a Garfield when it comes to lasagne. So kind. Gestures make such a difference. I was teary at M+S the other week and so ended up pouring my heart out to the staff greeter rather than just saying the standard 'fine thank you' when asked how I was.
I thanked her for listening then did my shop. As I was leaving, she gave me a bunch of tulips. It was such a nice thing, it kept me going that day.

Oo I'd love it if my neighbour made me a lasagne

@DinoHat

I did and got dish back with a critique of my cooking - I didn’t bother again! I said what it was and asked if they wanted some. I don’t think it was a bad example of the dish!

Sorry but this made me laugh. What the actual fuck! What did they say about it?!

YANBU at all and it is a lovely kind gesture. She might not want it but that doesn't mean that she wouldn't appreciate you thinking of her.
Keeping it casual as suggested above is just right. It makes me sad that people think this is weird and would be horrified.
On the other hand, you and everyone else calling it Charlie Bingham instead of Bigham are being unreasonable

That’s such a kind thought, I’m sure it will be appreciated. Though if they’re eating Charlie Bigham’s meals, they’re probably not too strapped for cash.

@Butteredtoast55

YANBU at all and it is a lovely kind gesture. She might not want it but that doesn't mean that she wouldn't appreciate you thinking of her. Keeping it casual as suggested above is just right. It makes me sad that people think this is weird and would be horrified. On the other hand, you and everyone else calling it Charlie Bingham instead of Bigham are being unreasonable

I have an excuse! I type Bingham (the area) several times a month (pre-covid anyway) so it autocorrects

I would really like you as my neighbour, op. I wish it was possible to choose neighbours!

This reminds me of when I was growing up .
Neighbours did this all the time, always an exchange of dishes.
Really nice thought don't over think it just do it

Absolutely! In my street it's very acceptable to cook for others. My elderly neighbour over the way often gets a Sunday dinner from us. The guys next door were up to their eyeballs in diy they had Sunday dinner too. My other neighbour had made the street curry a few times! (Once whilst we were doing diy and it was amazing!) There have been other times too. It's also one of my favourite things to do for people who have just had babies and is always received with real gratitude (especially if you also hold the baby so they can eat it! 🤣) Go for it!

That's a lovely thing to do.

I've done it a lot when people had new babies too. You are not putting her on the spot, you are just offering her a meal to do what she wants in the privacy of her own home.

I have an excuse! I type Bingham (the area) several times a month (pre-covid anyway) so it autocorrects

Then you are excused!

@Butteredtoast55

I have an excuse! I type Bingham (the area) several times a month (pre-covid anyway) so it autocorrects

Then you are excused!

Well I should certainly hope so, madam!

It is a lovely idea! She must be exhausted after a shift especially in the middle of a pandemic. A local restaurant made free meals for the NHS so they could just est and go to bed.

I used to buy my lovely elderly neighbour cream cakes and tempura prawns sometimes because I loved her.