Welcome
Tips to help you when making a meal:
I think that any women will agree that in those first few days after bringing home a new baby, having an illness/surgery or the death of a loved one, cooking is the last thing on your mind. Here are a few tips to help when taking a meal.
1) Bring disposable dishes - and make it easy to clean up. Trust me, the last thing a new mom wants to do is clean a bunch of dishes, or worry about returning a dish. Making the meal in disposable containers makes life easier for everyone, including you! How many of you have brought a meal somewhere in a non-disposable container, and never got it back? I sure have!
Whenever I know I’m going to be making someone a meal, I head over to the Dollar Tree, or even our local grocery store, and pick up one of the inexpensive, aluminum dishes available. These are perfect for taking to people, and easy to throw away. If you feel so inclined, include some paper plates and plastic utensils.
2) Ask About Allergies/Sensitivites - This is something I highly encourage you to ask anytime you make a meal for someone else. You never know when someone might suffer from an allergy or sensitivity to a food. It doesn’t hurt to ask, especially before you go buy all the ingredients.
Along the same things, be careful about what you put in the meals, especially if you know the mother is breastfeeding. While you don’t have to super strict about this, especially if the mom didn’t mention anything about it, it is good to be aware of these foods. Perhaps making your five-alarm spicy chicken covered in cheese wouldn’t be the best idea.
3) Oh, and Preferences - When you are asking about allergies, it doesn’t hurt to ask about preferences. While I’m guessing most new moms will just be grateful to have anyone bring a meal over, some people (or their children. Or husband.) may be very picky.
4) Use Kid-Friendly, Fool Proof Recipes - Making dinner for someone really isn’t the time to be experimenting. I say, stick to the recipes you know are good, and that people usually like. Personally, I would avoid using odd ingredients that may or may not be popular among the general population, especially if the person has kids. This doesn’t mean you can’t make something super delicious but isn’t your typical lasagna or enchiladas, but I’d say it is good to err on the side of caution. But, if you know the family you are bringing food to is adventerous in their taste, then go for it!
5) Freezer Meals - It is so nice to be able to pull a delicious meal from the freezer and have it ready to go in minutes. So if you have time, you could offer to bring over a freezer meal oinstead for your friend to store in the freezer. That way, they can eat it when they really find themselves in a tight spot, or just don’t feel like cooking.
1) Bring disposable dishes - and make it easy to clean up. Trust me, the last thing a new mom wants to do is clean a bunch of dishes, or worry about returning a dish. Making the meal in disposable containers makes life easier for everyone, including you! How many of you have brought a meal somewhere in a non-disposable container, and never got it back? I sure have!
Whenever I know I’m going to be making someone a meal, I head over to the Dollar Tree, or even our local grocery store, and pick up one of the inexpensive, aluminum dishes available. These are perfect for taking to people, and easy to throw away. If you feel so inclined, include some paper plates and plastic utensils.
2) Ask About Allergies/Sensitivites - This is something I highly encourage you to ask anytime you make a meal for someone else. You never know when someone might suffer from an allergy or sensitivity to a food. It doesn’t hurt to ask, especially before you go buy all the ingredients.
Along the same things, be careful about what you put in the meals, especially if you know the mother is breastfeeding. While you don’t have to super strict about this, especially if the mom didn’t mention anything about it, it is good to be aware of these foods. Perhaps making your five-alarm spicy chicken covered in cheese wouldn’t be the best idea.
3) Oh, and Preferences - When you are asking about allergies, it doesn’t hurt to ask about preferences. While I’m guessing most new moms will just be grateful to have anyone bring a meal over, some people (or their children. Or husband.) may be very picky.
4) Use Kid-Friendly, Fool Proof Recipes - Making dinner for someone really isn’t the time to be experimenting. I say, stick to the recipes you know are good, and that people usually like. Personally, I would avoid using odd ingredients that may or may not be popular among the general population, especially if the person has kids. This doesn’t mean you can’t make something super delicious but isn’t your typical lasagna or enchiladas, but I’d say it is good to err on the side of caution. But, if you know the family you are bringing food to is adventerous in their taste, then go for it!
5) Freezer Meals - It is so nice to be able to pull a delicious meal from the freezer and have it ready to go in minutes. So if you have time, you could offer to bring over a freezer meal oinstead for your friend to store in the freezer. That way, they can eat it when they really find themselves in a tight spot, or just don’t feel like cooking.