Little Pea turns 4 this May and still those 6 weeks' worth of ladies stepping forward to show their love through casseroles and a friendly visit remains one of the most generous things I've ever experienced in my life. Set the standard for what makes a meal for your meal train: Our playgroup established right off the bat that our Mommy Meals required 3 main parts. Whether homemade or bought, the best meals to bring are those that don’t require much, if any, assembly (think: Beef Taco Casserole instead of traditional tacos). Every new mama is different, so let her set the expectation for your stay. They always call and ask for the recipe. When a loved one is going through a challenging time—maybe they’ve had a baby or experienced a loss in the family—it’s common to bring them a meal. ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, or fudgesicles, hard boiled eggs: great go-to snacks for the whole family the next day, Aluminum casserole pans, bought in bulk at Costco: I use them for baking the casseroles and as a delivery system for meals with lots of pieces, Disposable storage containers in various sizes, A roll of masking tape: for marking food with baking instructions, storage tips, and the date so the recipient can figure out the expiration date. This helps to avoid repeition of the dinner deliveries. Meal Train Side dishes: Alternatives to a bag of salad mix. Cook in crockpot all day or in the oven at 400 for an hour. When my father died 20 years ago, one of our family friends that did not cook brought a large set of disposable plates, napkins, cutlery and cups. There is a mixture of beef, chicken, and vegetarian meals. Thanks so much for this! You want to deliver a meal that mostly just needs final assembly on a plate. We have little ones and dads who need to be cared for all day long, not just dinner time. Do you have a favorite meal you like to bring to new moms? Right now with COVID-19 restrictions in many states, it is worth checking in with the parents to see if they are accepting visitors. Another popular dish that apparently gets prepared a lot is lasagna. Pasta Bake with Spinach and Sausage – YUM! It makes the baby pretty gassy and more prone to spit up. This doesn’t have to be complicated! I'm a mom to two sweet peanuts and author of two bestselling cookbooks for kids. I took it upon myself to bring them a meal a week. Include the extras! With just a tiny bit of extra effort, this dish gives you the chance to show you really cared enough about the details of the meal to make it tasty. They want to see touch your brand new bab(ies). Plus, during the hot summer months I don't have to be in the kitchen. Create a customized online sign up sheet that makes it easy for friends and family to take meals to those in need. Certain individuals pick a day to be responsible for making or buying the family a meal. With Take Them a Meal and Meal Train, you can typically see what other types of meals have already been taken to the family. Bring a complete meal! There was an error submitting your subscription. Same idea~ but different occasion~ Make ahead breakfast burritos are magic on busy mornings, The only homemade chicken soup you need this flu season, All the meal train ideas you need to bring the best dinner ever. Don’t let a busy schedule or a lack of confidence in your cooking ability deter you from participating in a loved one’s meal train. Leading up to delivery, I ask for an email list of the people they are willing to have on the Meal Train. See more ideas about meal train recipes, take a meal, food. There was lots of yummy homemade dishes and sides. […], [...] tion of help. I was so tired and fatigued most days we ate fast food. If you're looking for even more ideas and recipes, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter! You can provide meals or gift cards to your loved one’s favorite restaurants and drop them at the door or send them by mail. Required fields are marked *. This post from Peanut Blossom is chock full of wonderful meal ideas, organization and tips for making and bringing meal. If it’s not, either bring something different for the kids (quesadillas, traditional or peanut butter and jelly are always a hit), or adjust your plan altogether. Your email address will not be published. A meal train is a list of scheduled days different people bring a meal (typically dinner) to a family facing a hard time. I’m so glad you’re finding this useful, Sarah!! Meal Scheduling Recipes Send Them A Meal Our Blog Help Contact Us. Your email address will not be published. Meal Scheduling Recipes Send Them A Meal Our Blog Help Contact Us. It’s a great way to show your love and support. One way to make sure it doesn’t add any pressure is to figure out the details before the baby is born. I'm hoping to start a group to do this for moms in my church group. I feel like that is a meal that is often forgotten in meal giving, and they freeze wonderfully to boot! Meal trains–when somebody organizes a month or two worth of meals to be delivered to a family–isn’t anything new. At any given meal, my husband eats twice the amount that I eat. Take Them a Meal offers an option called meal scheduling. This one also holds up well in the fridge. I’ll […], […] Need some more ideas? Provide Meals – Take the pressure off primary caregivers and organize a Meal Train® with other loved ones. This is the service that was best for the meal-only needs of my friend and it’s the easiest calendar to read. Enter the dates meals would be helpful. Baked potato bar: includes cheese, crisped bacon, green onions, pulled pork or chicken topping, chopped veggies, etc. Required fields are marked *. While every single crumb of food was appreciated beyond words, I also learned a thing or two on how to make sure the meals I delivered to others were the best they could be. There are times in our lives when friends and family ask, “What can I do to help out?” The answer is usually to help them with a meal. This is great! If you are a friend or family member of parents with a new baby, … When in a time of need, any meal that you don't have to plan/prepare yourself is appreciated! Just a suggestion. Does your playgroup or church have a mommy meals or meal train program? If you know baby typically nurses between 5:00 and 5:30, don’t schedule that as your delivery time. There are so many easy things they can make with the left over chicken the next day that doesn't feel like you're having the same meal again ... sandwiches, tacos etc. I also got tired of caserolly things last time I had a baby, and cut up fresh fruit and veggies was a welcome change! I'm so jealous you received six weeks of meals. Consider your portions. Think of the whole family! AND to try new recipes! I just had my second baby, and a friend of mine made freezer meals for me: 2 soups, meatballs, a casserole, and frozen cookie dough. 5. You see, these meal trains are never the please place your meal in the cooler on the front porch variety. But her favorite dinner was from a friend who didn't cook and brought chicken tenders, potato wedges, salad, rolls and chocolate pie from a local deli/grocery store that she loved!!! It seemed that she was doing it to be recognized for doing it - the occasions that she brought the meals were not dire enough to warrant the mel delivery... kind of made me wonder "how sick IS my mom really?" I’m organizing a meal train for a friend right now. My favorite that I received following surgery was a bag of sandwich making ingredients: cold meats, cheese slices, sandwich spread, mustard, home made breads, lettuce. Side dishes are a perfect opportunity to make your meal train delivery shine. But look closely at the list of meal train dinner ideas and you'll find some great unique recipes for mixing in if you find your recipient's calendar has too many noodles. Mamas – when deciding on a drop off time, don’t forget to keep your nursing schedule in mind. One date with multiple people signing up. When many friends give a meal, this is a Meal Train. We recently received 2 weeks of meals while my dad was in hospice care, and after 4 nights in a row of pasta and salad, we almost kissed the person who brought meatloaf and baked regular and sweet potatoes and green beans! Using their website, one has the option of creating an online signup sheet that friends and family would have access to. I always give another suggestion to the moms taking meals...breakfast foods! Each week i would bring the meal at the same time and i would never stay. Restaurant meals or gift cards are also appreciated! It has great ideas for meals (recipes included) and great tips to make sure that meal delivery […], […] between people. Some of these I learned the hard way, and my perspective on taking meals to new moms naturally changed quite a bit after I had my daughter. A recently postpartum mama is probably not ready to entertain, and may not want a bunch of people holding her brand new baby. I love to bundle it up as a special breakfast treat or a unique side dish with the dinner we bring. We also assumed that weekends would be spent with visiting family or just giving the family some space and privacy. So, keep up the food trains, people! Then, I got sick. What’s a Meal Train? Uber comforting and such a cinch to make! Meal Train Desserts: beyond chocolate chip cookies & brownies. THANK YOU for sharing! If there are young kiddos, make sure your meal is kid-friendly. Make sure to send a thank-you note after enjoying each meal. Now I take a breakfadt (breakfast burritos, fruit, and muffins)in the morning so people can get some thing to eat on a hard day. While anything is appreciated, a few simple extras like a salad (can be a bagged salad kit), corresponding side(s), dessert, and drinks to accompany your meal really makes for a stress-free dinner experience. We call our group Loves and Fishes. Have a great suggestion for me to add to the list of meal ideas? If not, just drop off your meal at the doorstep and text them to let them know! We also assumed that weekends would be spent with visiting family [...], […] This is a go-to recipe for bringing food to friends who have just had a baby. I never appreciated it. Change things up so that the recipients aren’t receiving the same type of meal over and over again. Three meal days a week. Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Cheesy Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole, Dark Chocolate Bark with Strawberries and Pretzels, Ep. Thank you!! They had been subsisting on chicken nuggets and cereal for the whole weekend while I wasn't feeling well and the idea that they were actually getting a healthy, warm meal brought tears to my eyes... it still does. Whatever they’re going through, by setting up or contributing to a meal train, you can … Essentially, a meal train is an organized way for friends and family to deliver a meal to a family in need of help. Your thoughtfulness means the world to people who are having a hard time. But, everyone wants to help. I think this blog is excellent. Recently, a good friend gave birth to … I love these suggestions! Just long enough to keep mama and her family fed during that newborn haze, but not too long that the meal slots go unfilled. ) Another great meal was honey baked ham and rolls and sides. When it comes right down to it, remember this: the gesture of taking the time out of your day to bring a tired new mama and her family dinner (takeout or homemade) is one of the most practical ways that you can show your love, and is more appreciated than you know. That's the part that always stresses me out. The menu included main dishes, a veggie and a dessert. I have to tell you, I have a friend who would bring meals over at the drop of a hat. Especially good for my teenage kids that were home! These are excellent tips! If the meal was prepared in a crock pot i would get their crock pot and i always used a crock pot liner. Cherry Dump Cake – this THREE INGREDIENT dump cake comes together with very little effort. Oh and I'll be trying some of those recipes for myself! Requests like, "Not too spicy, no seafood, please avoid ranch flavoring" were common among the new moms receiving our meal train dinners. Look at the meal train calendar. Favorite Meals – are there any particular meals the new parent would love? Absolutely no assembly or serving required and the disposable dishes and forks went right into the trash after dinner. It really is so amazing to be on the receiving end. I absolutely love this post from Peanut Blossom about 30 Days of Mommy Meals. This post is dedicated to each of my dear friends in playgroup. She also brought a jar of homemade strawberry freezer jam which was the trigger for my passion for making it myself every year since. You’ll need to ask a few questions so that you can customize the meal train to her family’s needs – we recommend asking about the following: After the initial 5-10 minute meal train set up, you’ll need to spread the word either via email or sharing on social media (with mama’s permission, of course). Jul 13, 2020 - Dinner delivery to someone who needs a bit of cheer, its not just food - its love and care. […] la encontré AQUÍ y para [email protected] que quieran más recetas y consejos para mamás con recién nacidos, AQUÍ encontrarán una publicación muy interesante para organizarse con la comida esos primeros […], […] The Peanut Blossom:  30 Days of Mommy Meals […], […] such great ideas to take to people even if not going through hard times…new babies, elderly, busy, lots of reasons to bless families with a planned meal. One extra note: Loved when someone would write who prepared the meal on the tape. (You want proof? Meal Train® Plus: Organized support including multiple meals per day, groceries, tasks and more. (: I loved this - when I was pregnant and when I've been able to help out friends in need. My mom was generous enough to spend a couple of days (prior to baby’s arrival, of course!) P.S. ), but we figured we'd stick with Meal Train for this tutorial. Find a friend's meal schedule by searching below. It was not pretty. Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole – if you’re looking for a meal that puts a different spin on casserole, this is it. Make sure that you are mindful of who will be enjoying your meal, and plan accordingly. Extra thoughtful touch: If you know the family is going through an especially trying time, you might even consider delivering a pretty package of disposable plates and utensils to give them a night off from dishes. Its purpose is to simplify meal coordination so that meals can be taken to friends without the hassle. Unless you are famous for your cookies or brownies, I really recommend surprising the family with something more unique for your meal train dessert. The 15 recipes to take to someone in need that I’m highlighting today all travel well, are easy to assemble by either you or the recipient, and are hearty and comforting yet healthy (for the most part!) Take Them a Meal – FREE. […], […] hard to know exactly what to make and what will be crowd pleasers, but I think I found it. When I was in bed after having my last it was really a blessing to get two meals sent in especially as we had just received an eviction notice and I was under a lot of stress trying to recover and worrying at the same time. Label containers with meal names and reheating instructions. Beef Stroganoff – This one comes together in just 30 minutes, and is serious comfort food. This is lovely! The family may need a break so keep that in mind when creating. If was an absolute God-send. I wrote about your blog on my blog...here's the short link: http://wp.me/2TdTz. I realized how wonderful a wide variety of dinners can be after a few too many nights of pasta-themed dishes. A hot meal to someone in need of help, whether due to a new baby, an illness, a family emergency, whatever the case may be, can make the most difference to a family in transition. Scheduling a meal train for four weeks (3 meals per week), is perfect. I don't know how the meal will last in the freezer or how long they need to thaw it out and reheat it. This is by far the BEST post I've read on meals for families. Seems everyone has their own special name! Apr 16, 2019 - It is customary in my church community to organize a calendar of meals for various occasions. This is such a great idea! (Want more meal train ideas? She also included paper towels and toilet paper. I felt bad having anything go to waist since our friends had lovingly made it all. I'm with you Christie! If a recipe yields 4 servings, I know that it’ll feed each of us for dinner, and then me for lunch the following day. Favorite Restaurants & Orders – for those that don't have have time to cook, picking up a meal from a restaurant is a great idea! So many wonderful ideas! If the meal train covers only certain days of the week (i.e., Monday, Wednesday, Friday), consider making enough food for leftovers to be enjoyed the following day. It was the best gift during those early weeks with Skyler. I enjoyed seeing the many different meals.My church does meals for shutins after a baby,surgery or bad health problems. Bonus points for a dessert that can be frozen and enjoyed in the future if they have too much on hand now. There’s definitely something to be said for freezer meals and the mental load they take off of a new mom. The link on pinterest was not accurate so I went and found the right one–go read more here. . A couple of my favorites to bring are french dips, bag a chips, watermelon wedges. Meal Train Website Options There are a few websites out there designed to take make creating and joining a meal train easy. So many people brought extras like you mentioned - cut up fruit, a box of clementines, banana bread, etc. do you need help accessing a meal schedule? I recently shared a few ideas about cooking for others (aka home-cooked meals and meal train ideas) and so many of you were looking for more ideas, had ideas to share, and were interested in seeing a guide about it and how I usually go about it! Create a meal sign up calendar that makes it easy for friends and family to take meals to those in need. This allowed for the recipient to be completely covered and always knowing what to expect from her meal delivery. . A meal train (aka delivering homemade dinners) is a great way to lend a hand to a friend or family member in need. It was another 6 weeks from then and for our last meal our family and their family ate our "last supper" together (the only time). The goal is to have easy meals on hand that just need heating up with minimal prep work. And to think, we lived off of Lean Pockets the first couple of weeks. When a friend needs comfort or their burden lessened a bit – take them a meal. These meals look amazing!!! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. I made an actual "menu" of meals that i felt i could do well and would transport/reheat easily (always in disposible pans). A meal train is a way to organize who can bring the family dinners and when. Even gave me a few more good ideas to add tho my list! I hope I can help others who may be in this situation and don't really want to bother others to ask for the help they need. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. You nailed it! These extras are totally optional but for a friend who needs just a little extra special something, consider adding: Knowing I'd be making a steady stream of these Mommy Meals for my playgroup meal train, I got into the habit of keeping these disposable kitchen supplies on hand at all times: The most important tip is to deliver your meal train dinner in 100% disposable containers. While the recipient can absolutely set up their own meal train, we think a friend or family member setting it up for them is the most helpful route to take. Take Them a Meal is the site I typically go to for setting up a very basic meal calendar for a friend because it’s bare-bones and easy to use. Veggie tray with simple sour cream dip mixed with seasoning: this is great because it can be used for snacks the nextday as well, frozen steamer bags of veggies: this lets the family store it for later if they already have too much salad they are trying to eat up, any fresh fruit: already washed and prepped for eating (I remember nearly crying with joy over a bag of clean, cut strawberries). IMPORTANT: We are recommending all Meal Trains utilize Restaurant or "Contact-Free" delivery when providing support during COVID-19. ), so if my husband was at work, assembling a meal during that time was just not going to happen. Potluck: A shared group meal. Nothing on this meal train list requires more than a simple reheating, popping in the oven to bake, or a simple boiling of water for noodles. What a great gift! our dear friends daughter was in a horrific accident that left her bed ridden unable to walk with more broken bones than whole. I always try and deliver meals with a side dish or something to compliment the meal, so I’ve included a few ideas under each link, too. Leave me a note in the comments and add to this resource! mealtrain.com is a free meal calendar tool that makes planning meals among a … Be mindful of drop off time. If you don’t want anyone knocking or coming in the house, leave a cooler on the porch (instructions should be on the meal train website) for friends and family to pop their meal into. Risotto is another great one because you can vary it based on wheat you have on hand. It also allows them to be home for an extended period of time. My go to meal for a family in need is breakfast burritos. After a couple of months my friend said i could stop. You know who you all are. They want to ask you 432904532466 questions. Check out the amazing thing they did for me when Little Pea was born. Maybe I missed it but what are the directions for freezing/reheating the meals? Check out this post and this one. It also allows you to be a little more creative if you see they've had too much of a certain meat or cuisine. I will definitely be doing this for others! I also try to take foods that can be frozen so the family can use them when it's convenient. You then email that sign up out to all the people that would like to help the family. Add the uncooked chicken. Second, and the real problem; I was in no shape to have visitors. When my father died after a difficult accident a family brought us a great breakfast the morning of the funeral. When you set up the calendar, you can mention any food allergies or notes from the family (like, maybe grandma will be there visiting one week, so an extra meal will need to be planned, and so on). I just found this through Pintrest. Since most of our clients haven't heard of Meal Train before, we put together this Meal Train 101 guide to serve as a how-to. When Little Pea was born I was blessed with the World's Greatest Playgroup who stepped forward to bring meals for new moms in our group for SIX WHOLE WEEKS. I am sharing all the details on meal trains, how to coordinate them, and the proper meal train etiquette. . Bring a pint of vanilla ice cream to pair with this one! My favorite to take to others is Chicken and Wild Rice - http://goodcheapeats.com/2010/02/chicken-and-wild-rice-bake/ It's cheap, good, and is mostly made ahead, which is more important to me now that I have two little ones hanging on my legs at dinner time. If you’re not familar, meal trains are calendars that coordinate meals for our loved ones, usually when they’re going through a life change. What is A Meal Train. The main benefit of this site is it requires no registration. Make boil in the bag rice as a side. To those of you generous individuals who always take on the task of organizing meal deliveries, Meal Train is a helpful website that makes the entire process much easier. Don’t expect to stay long. Getting a healthy, homemade dinner on the table shouldn’t be so hard and I LOVE helping to solve this problem with easy recipes, meal prep tips, nutrition science, and healthy lifestyle tips. Made it easy for me to make thank you cards! It’s never just a meal. Plus, she always brought stuff in her dishes so I had to worry about washing/returning. This helped reduce waste and extended the duration of help. I use a chicken recipe. This is the area I had the most to learn about the whole concept of mommy meals. If you do make a salad, try to do a creative one with homemade dressing. Organize meals for a friend after a birth, surgery or illness. Don’t count on getting your containers back. The single most memorable thing one of my friends brought on top of her meal was homemade strawberry scones, raw and ready to be baked or stuck in the freezer for the future. I was more than pleased to participate in our group meal train and provide dinners for new moms home with their sweet babies but being on the receiving end of the dinner deliveries was humbling and heartwarming in a way I'm unable to adequately describe. For scheduling rides, child care, and other services, the organizer pays a $10 fee. The same can be said for dinner brought through a meal train; not having to think about cooking, or break the bank ordering out for those first weeks and months is something that every new mama deserves! Which meal train web site to use: Step 1 in setting up a meal train schedule for your playgroup or ladies club is to figure out how to organize the deliveries. It's our go to anytime a friend has a baby, a loved one gets sick, or just needs extra meals just because!! Make yourself available via text or phone call to answer any questions that friends and family may have about meal drop off. Go on. They had enough on their plates that they did not feel that they needed to make "small talk". It was the most amazing thing i have ever done and to this day they still thank me. It was wonderful! Also BBQ chicken and tinfoil potatoes and carrots with a Ceasar salad kit. Be considerate of the big picture when selecting your meal train contribution. I’m Cassy Joy Garcia, a certified holistic nutritionist, author, and professional home cook. Pack your meal in containers that are recyclable, or that you don’t mind giving away. One mom said their family ate spaghetti for 6 straight nights. Another friend delivered dinner the moment she heard I was in the hospital. Home › Motherhood › A Guide to All Things Meal Trains (For the Cook + the Postpartum Mama). Great post! See more ideas about dinner delivery, food, meal train recipes. I also sometimes include stuff for breakfast the next morning, or you can do a breakfast for dinner by making mini pancake muffins (pioneer woman), fruit, and all the fixins especially if they have little ones. Enter your email address below to download the printable shopping lists for each week of the Cook Once, Eat All Week book! That way we could use them on the nights we really needed them! For families with new babies, schedule the meal train to start about 2 weeks after baby comes. 4. Love it! Enter your email address below... SEARCH . I wanted to see how to get involved to help somehow. I do have to say that while leftovers were wonderful for lunch or dinner the next day, one friend who had signed up for the middle of the week brought us ready made plates of food. ), and then don't need to worry . My kids are teenagers and pretty self-sufficient. Preferred type of meal – would it be more helpful for them to have breakfasts or lunches on hand? You can find our full affiliate disclaimer here. Meal Train | Meal Calendar for New Parents, Surgery ... mealtrain.com Meal Train. I always look to these moments as an opportunity to sow a seed for someone in need. Love these ideas. Start a Meal Train ® Organize a Free Meal Calendar Now. Setting up a meal train ensures that your loved one is fed and helped out during their difficult time. If you are not familiar with mealtrain.com it is a web site that allows you to create an online meal sign up for a family or person in need. How to Create a Meal Train (From mealtrain.com) Identify a friend who could use a little support and enter their name, email address, and where to drop off meals. Decide the frequency of your meal train deliveries: We used a Monday, Wednesday, Friday delivery system because most meals are plentiful enough to allow for a night of leftovers. Go in with the expectation of a quick drop-off, and if mama invites you into chat and meet the baby, count that as a bonus! While the recipient can absolutely set up their own meal train, we think a friend or family member setting it up for them is the most helpful route to take. (Someone was very kindly coordinating meals for us but not using one of those sites where you can see what others have brought! Healing Chicken Soup – Perfect for recovery from birth or surgery, this soup is loaded with nutrient-dense foods like ginger, turmeric, and kale and is so satisfying! Especially if things are crazy in my own home. Don’t be afraid to bring the flavor! It makes the thought of taking someone else a dinner at a hectic time of day much more doable. If the meals before and after your meal are cheesy pasta dishes, steer clear of pasta. Whether you’re the giver or the receiver, we hope this meal train guide serves as a resource that you’ll come back to time and time again! Your email address will not be published. Keep these things in mind when organizing your meal train: The best meal train recipes travel easily, reheat well, last multiple days and are crowd-pleasing. Best days/times for meal drop off – make sure you are working around the family's schedule for drop-offs. Notice they've had a lot of Mexican food? 3. Thanks so much for your advice and help on this post. This takes the worrying out of what they will eat during their difficult time. I don't have a care group I join but I work full time and would love to see how to send meals to someone who may need a meal.