Please remember that bringing a meal is an expression of your love and support of another mom, not a competition for best kitchen skills. :)
Tips for Planning the Meal
- Double the meal you are already making for your family
- Do this on a regular basis and freeze the second portion. You will have a freezer full of meals for your family and to give to others. This eliminates the rush when a meal needs to be brought during a busy week.
- Have easy sides on hand:
- Frozen garlic bread or rolls
- Canned vegetables
- Frozen cookies or cookie dough
- Frozen sides (e.g. green beans w/ soy sauce, sesame seeds, garlic -- just add water and heat)
- DGL’s are the first contact for a mom in need. DGL’s should keep track of the following:
- Dates meals are needed
- Meal schedule (can set up according to your preference - email, takethemameal.com, etc.) Please copy Megan on all schedules so she can fill in any gaps with other moms as necessary
- Food allergies
- Size of family
- Any additional needs
Tips for Dropping Off the Meal
- Take food in disposable containers
- Examples: Ziplocs, foil pans or Gladware. They come in all shapes and sizes and are inexpensive enough that no one minds giving them away. Best of all, the recipient won’t have to worry about returning dishes.
- Bring a complete meal - {& bring extra if you can}
- Think about a meal you’d feed to your family...Entree, side and veggie. And no nursing mom I know (or their kids or husband for that matter) turns down dessert! :) Remember to include kids in your portions. I remember being so grateful that we had enough food not only for dinner, but for lunch the next day as well. It was one less thing to worry about, and as a nursing mom I was starving those first few weeks. Having extras was appreciated!
- Arrive on time
- As in, don’t bring dinner by at 8pm. I don’t know about you, but I like to eat a little earlier than that. If you find that your weeknights are just too busy to make an extra dinner, try taking a meal over on the weekend. Or, do your prep the night before and just assemble and deliver the next day. Sometimes it’s simplest to bring the meal by in the mornings before their kids (and yours!) hit the wall & nap-time. Just make sure to communicate with the mom for what works best for both of you.
- Leave on time
- There’s a lot to chat about, I know. After all, your friends just had a new baby, and you’re eager to hear all the details. But, keep in mind that they might be slightly exhausted (and hungry!). Now is not the time for a two hour visit. Ooh and aah over the baby, chat a little, and then politely excuse yourself and leave the family to enjoy the delicious meal you’ve just prepared! (If you have your kids with you, you may consider leaving them in the car and just running the meal in quickly.)
These tips were compiled by Megan K. Thanks, Megan!
