Tips on Taking Meals to Others

Many of my friends are having babies and one of the most helpful things anyone can do for a new Mama is to provide dinner for her family. Although this is an extremely helpful task, it INTIMIDATES me like no other. I want the family to have enough food, I want them to like it -- and oh by the way -- I want to time everything so it is still warm when I get there. This isn't an easy task for me, but as I've taken meals, I have learned a few things to make it a little simpler.

1. Most of my friends are using Meal Train to organize meals for the family. This isn't just a baby-meal web site, so it can be used for any large group organizing meals for one specific family. It is a life-saver for everyone involved!

2. Cook enough for both your family and the family your feeding, thus creating less work in the long run for you. I usually also put something in the crock pot to make it even easier (see menu below).

3. Use disposable containers for the new Mama, this way she isn't concerned with returning your personal dishes.

4. Pay significant attention to their allergy requests. Funny story: the last family I cooked for said no nuts and no apples. I had this in my head the entire time I was planning, but when I began making the NUTella brownies I panicked. I simply called the mom and they were okay. Just remember that allergies include all ingredients not just the actual food.

5. Take paper plates and napkins, and plastic silverware to the new family so after-dinner clean-up is easy.

6. Bag it up neatly, put your pantless, shoeless children (no joke last Wednesday) in the car and deliver the meal. I leave the girls in the car to hint that I'm not staying long and definitely not impose on the new, tired mama.

Last week I took:
Pulled BBQ chicken (dump raw chicken and BBQ sauce in crock pot and cook)
Buns to make sandwiches
Macaroni and Cheese
Salad
Nutella Brownies

Do you have any tips or great recipes that you deliver for friends?