Idea for dinner to drop off for grieving family

[Rainallnight]

A friend who lives round the corner has just lost her MIL/DH’s mum, and it’s been a very stressful time for them.

I’d like to drop off a dinner that they can either have on the day or bung in the freezer.

I’m a competent cook but lack imagination!

Can anyone suggest something that would suit these circumstances?

Thanks

Lasagna
Caserole
Shepherds Pie
Bolognaise sauce

Anything in an oven tray they don't have to wash and give back! Don't give them hassle of remembering who the dish belongs to.

Soup, pasta dishes, ready meals for the supermarket would all be easy.

Perhaps a chilli and a packet of nachos and jar of salsa so they could have it as main meal or snack on the nachos.

Lasagne is always a winner. Like another poster mentioned, try to do it in a disposable aluminium tray because they may forget to give it back.

I don’t think you can go wrong with something like lasagne or cottage pie.
it may not be relevant, but when I had my first baby my neighbour showed up with a Waitrose bag full of Charlie Bighams ready meals and a few other bits and it was honestly the best thing ever!

A chicken casserole, some new potatoes and broccoli. Some meatballs in sauce and a packet of fresh pasta? Homemade soup with nice bread. Even some good bacon with rolls and some salad. It's such a kind thing to do OP. I'm sure they will appreciate it.

Lovely, thoughtful idea and agree with putting in a foil container so they can eat when they want and not feel rushed to eat and return a Pyrex dish within a few days.

Remember to add cooking instructions

Thanks very much everyone. With something like a chicken casserole I’m assuming you’d cook it all the way as per the recipe so they’re just heating it up?

Assuming there are no specific dietaru requirements, something like lasagne, shepherd's pie, chicken and bean stew, minestrone soup - anything that is a whole meal with protein carbs and fibre is great.

We had some kind friends who dropped off food for the freezer and also sachets of microwave rice or whatever which was also helpful.

Tasty, comforting and easy is enough. You dont need to dazzle anyone, don't let concerns about doing the perfect dish make you delay doing it. What a lovely thing to do.

Yes ideally.
Write heating instructions on the lid.
Also helpful to know roughly how many portions

Please not a lasagna. We got at least a dozen.

I think a lasagne is always a good shout. I bloody love a lasagne, but rarely get around to making one myself.

lasagne or macaroni cheese

Maybe not a lasagne then.

What about a pie? Chicken leek and bacon. Let the filling cool and add uncooked puff pastry, to cook themselves.

Fish pie

Lasagna

When my MIL passed away a friend sent though brownies which was lovely. Nice sweet comfort food. My husband didn’t eat much soon after it was like the grieve took his appetite.

What a lovely idea.

In my experience soup and sandwiches go down well - anything that you don't need to formally sit down with a plate and cutlery is best, particularly in the earliest days. Something they can grab and sip from a cup or pick up and nibble on. And with minimal washing up.

Take plenty of tea/coffee and biscuits as well. Again, easy to eat.

If you are doing trays of dinners, definitely foil trays where they don't have to wash up/pass back.

Yes my lovely friend sent a tray of brownies when my dad died and wrote on the card that it was the nearest thing to a hug they could put in the post - it actually was a comfort eating them (they were really good) and feeling like a friend was giving me a hug.

I do think something that you heat up is good at this time of year.

You can never have too much lasagna.

A dear friend of mine had an op to remove a benign brain tumour a few years ago. Cue lots of neighbours and friends arriving at their front door all clutching lasagne. All received gratefully with a smile.

I turned up with a chicken traybake and they fell on it. “First dish we’ve eaten that’s NOT lasagna for a week!”

Maybe think outside the box? 🤣

Everyone brought me cottage pie.
I think a casserole is great, maybe with potatoes in then they don't have to cook extra veg. Or a couple of Cook meals?
Someone brought me a tureen of soup which was great as I didn't have to think about lunches for a couple of days
No-one brought lasagne, maybe cottage pie is the new lasagne? I did get a pasta meatball bake (but a veggie & a meat version) which was great.

Whatever you do make it in one portion foil trays. And some pre prepared fruit.

Aluminium disposable tray, cooking instructions, brief note of ingredients, prepare it meticulously as if you’re being inspected by the council food hygiene unit - esp the cooling bit! How about a beef mince moussaka as a variation on the lasagne theme?