If you were going to make a meal to give to a family who were having a tough time/had a new baby.....

[LynetteScavo]

What would you cook?

I have friends who go to a church who do this....if someone has a new baby every day for a week someone will deliver them a meal.

I know a family who could probably do with a home made meal...money isn't an issue, they could easily afford ready meals and takeaways, but I think sometimes a home made meal is nice.

But how does this work? If I make chicken casserole, for example, do I just hand that over, with no mash or veg?

Or is there something else I should cook? Or is being given a random meal, just silly?

(Contrary to popular belief I am not American, or the real LS and don't live on a road where all the neighbors know exactly what do do in situations like this.)

What a lovely thing to do. I've never done it before but would think something that could be cooked in the oven and feasibly eaten on its own would be good. So maybe Shepards pie with veg in the mince, stew with meat, veg and dumplings, or maybe a macaroni cheese with bacon and cauliflower or tomato on top?

I
was going to say sheps pie

This happens a lot where I live, new babies or if someone is ill.

I usually make something that can shoved in the oven like a lasagne or shepherds pie or some chicken soup with a really nice bread.

How about a lasagne?

Lasagne.

With garlic bread.

Stew and dumplings!

This is such a lovely idea.

I'm good at stew, but no idea about dumplings!

Dumplings are.

Half quantatity of suet to self raising flour, salt and loads herbs.

Water to mix roll into balls put on top stew last 45 mins

I think it's a lovely idea.

Chilli. Or a pasta bake with meatballs.
Something that will refrigerate or freeze easily if they want to use if on a different day.

The time I did this I sent rice also, and the grated cheese in a bag so the meal could just be chucked in the oven or the microwave and nothing else was needed.

our church does this too. I've made all sorts of stews and casseroles. Can be useful if you make it in a container that can be frozen if they don't need it that night - say a foil tray if a shep pie or lasagne, or takeaway containers for casseroles. Also useful to write on the container when you made it, so they can decide to leave it a day and then reheat, or use straight away. Is useful to give the accompaniments too, so rice/pasta is easy to include, and perhaps a bag of salad or tin of peas if carbs/veg needed. Means the recipient doesn't even have to think.

Lovely lady!

Agree, take all the effort our, so include ready-cooked rice and naan with a curry, bag of salad and garlic bread etc.

When someone did this for me, the nicest touch was insisting I keep the dish; somehow the removal of that whole wash-keep-return-don't-break responsibility was an incredibly sweet touch.

Include paper napkins and drinks too?

I usually do my Newborn Stew - basically a sort of coq au vin with chicken thighs, bacon, button mushrooms, celery, onions and carrots, plus red wine, garlic, thyme, bay etc. All the recipient needs to do is spuds or bread to go with it. Not had any complaints yet.

Recently i did a couple of meals for a family where someone had been given a terminal diagnosis. I did bolognese (they just have to boil pasta), chicken and leek (either with shop bought puff pastry or just rice) and ratouille (had this in freezer anyway but figured its a nice side or even can have with pasta).

So, no, I don't think you have to provide everything but it is good if the sides are easy and, I suppose, obvious.

Good luck and well done you.

Not a meal but I always send flapjack. It is great for feeding guests, other children, to have in your hand when breast feeding giving to exausted husbands and so on.

I also try to send something like minestrone soup that can be heated 2x.

There is a website called mealtrain where people wanting to help can book a slot on line which makes organising this sort of thing easier.

I always do something that can be frozen in containers e.g. foil trays that don't have to be returned. Things like soup and homemade bread, cannelloni/lasagne, enchiladas then i can add fresh stuff like salads, salsas but they are not essential if I run out of time!