What do you do to help when you have a friend that is in need... they just had a new baby... they had a family member pass away... they lost a job?
Food. I make food. I bring food. When my sister-in-law had TWIN babies, I made a bunch of casseroles and brought them to her to freeze. When a friend was struggling, I grabbed some carrots, potatoes and stew beef and went over and threw it in her crockpot.
Who doesn't appreciate a bit of comfort food in time of need? I know I do... and here are some great ideas culled from an informal social media survey I conducted:
American Chop Suey
Shepherd's Pie
Mac N Cheese
Lasagna
Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Divan
And, something I never even thought of (but my brilliant friends did)... BREAKFAST foods! Most people will bring yummy comfort dinners, but rarely is breakfast covered. Here are some ideas:
Quiche
Breakfast Casserole
Muffins
I also discovered something else in my research: Meal Train. It is a free website where you can organize your meals for your friends with other friends so that they are not inundated all at once with a bunch of food they can not possibly eat. I have not used this service, but 3 different friends mentioned it, so I will be checking it out.
A few tips to keep in mind as well:
Bring the food in disposable dishes so that they do not need to worry about what dishes to return.
Another friend suggested bringing disposable plates and plasticwear so nobody is worrying about doing dishes.
Make sure the food is freezable so that if they receive a large amount they can save some for later.
When children are involved, make it kid-friendly. A family in need does not want to be fighting with their picky eaters.
When in doubt (or for lack of cooking skills) buy a restaurant gift card or bring take-out. I am sure you know your friends' favorite restaurants and can grab a great meal they will enjoy.
