Today’s question is from Katrina:
I attend a church that is blessed to welcome many, many new babies each year! We love to shower the new parents with meals for a couple
of weeks while they adjust. This is a wonderful thing, but if you are a faithful “meal taker” you can sometimes get bogged down in the costs associated with it.I currently stay at home with my own three children and love to take meals whenever they are needed, but am finding it hard to know how to fit it into our budget sometimes. I want to bless these families! Do you have any recipe ideas or suggestions for great, tasty, yet frugal meals that can be taken to families? -Katrina
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Pulled pork or beef is easy to make and inexpensive when roasts are on sale.
Throw the roast into the crock pot until you can pull it apart easily with 2 forks (usually 8 hours or so on low). After you’ve pulled it and removed any fat, put the meat back in the crock pot, mix in a bottle of barbecue sauce and let heat through for 30 minutes or so.
Bring a bag of rolls and a bagged salad (or a salad you make yourself to keep the cost lower) along with the pork, and you’re done! This has been a big favorite with adults and kids when I’ve brought it to families we know, and there’s usually enough for more than one meal depending on the size of the roast and the family.
I know this is an older post….but I take a lot of meals to people.
I found most of the tips are here…but also if you are the receiving end, even if you get 5 lasagnas in a row, I just remind you make sure to
1) If the person who is bringing you a meal asks you what you like, tell them very simply, but don’t be demanding. There is nothing worse than bringing a meal to someone, working hard on it and not hearing a word about how they liked it or if they were thankful or not. It is a lot of work to make food for someone
2) If you have severe food allergies, give them simple ideas of what to make when you find out before they make the food.
3) Give back….when you have gotten a meal, see if there is a way to give someone a meal sometimes yourself
There is nothing worse than working hard on a meal, trying to do everything according to someone’s specifications and hearing them criticize it to you later.
Some of the meals that I have taken people….mostly not after they have had a baby though…
-Sloppy Joes, salad, baby carrots, buns, and brownies or cookies
– Potato Soup, bread and cookies (if they were gluten or dairy free, I have done a tortilla soup with chips)
Shepherds Pie or scalloped potatoes with ham
-Chicken legs, rice pilaf or mashed potatoes with rolls or biscuits and salad with jello
I avoid anything with tomato, spicy or vegetables that can be gassy for new moms, so no lasagna, spaghetti, mexican or broccoli stuff.
quiche
chicken potpie
I love all of the ideas! I am expecting baby #3, which is a scheduled c-section, and I can say that ANY meal is appreciated by new moms! I like all of the breakfast ideas. One of our favorite meals that we previously received was a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, homemade bread, cut up fruit, and a frozen veggie “steamer”. Not all was homemade, but who cares?! It was easy to prepare, delicious, and healthy. We had leftovers from the chicken to make sandwiches the next day, too. We also really appreciated restaurant gift cards for my husband to pick up a meal. We do not eat out often, so this was a special treat. By the time you figure in the cost of groceries and the time it takes to make a meal, a $20 gift card isn’t far off from what you would otherwise spend. I would even appreciate someone bringing over salad and fruit earlier in the day and then ordering pizza for us during dinner time. Like I said, any thoughtful gesture is appreciated by new moms!
I like to bring homemade granola to new moms. It’s filling, snacky and delicious — and can be relatively inexpensive depending on the ingredients. It’s way cheaper than store-bought, anyway!
Anything with oatmeal is a great idea because it supports breastfeeding. I always give new moms my oatmeal bar recipe because you can eat it one handed and mix it up in the time it takes the oven to preheat.
I took a meal to a family one night and the husband looked at me and said “Bless you for bringing some meat” very, very emphatically (his poor wife was embarrassed). All I did was bring over some homemade baked chicken nuggets , homemade seasoned fried/baked potatoes, veggies and brownies (no nuts) but all he wanted were the nuggets! This meal was so popular I keep it as my stand by. I purchase everything on sale and keep on hand so its easy to whip together. I always include a bottle of bbq sauce (purchased on sale with a coupon).
I’m a few days away from having number three and I have an amazing support group. Some of the things we’ve given and received are:
Chili
Soup
Fried Rice (homemade – super cheap!)
Curried veggies & rice
fajita fillings and tortillas
fruit salads (fresh fruit mixed together in a bowl – nothing added)
muffins
frittata/quiche
chicken & rice casserole
dinner salads
I’m always thrilled when someone asks if we need anything random in lieu of a meal. Sometimes milk & cereal or fresh fruit is what we really want!
What about a $5-15 dollar subway card instead of making a meal for those who live further away or don’t have time? We did get one of those from a far away friend and it was nice to have hubby stop on his way home and get a sub for dinner ($5 footlong) since it was not something we would normally ever do. It is a bit pricier than making a meal, but also very easy and easy to send in a card if nothing else, as well as a special thing for families who never eat out.
we love bake-at-home pizzas (ex: Papa Murphy’s, Costco) and like to give them to new mom’s as well. I also take a bottle of root beer and a carton of vanilla ice cream for root beer floats. You can usually get a large pizza for $8-$10, so it might be a little more than some are willing to spend, but I figure it like this: most people really like pizza (so it won’t be wasted); and they can bake it when they’re ready to eat (so it’s not sitting, getting cold)
I would say, after having each of my babies, that I severely lacked morning and day time food. I could easily get a meal in the crockpot for dinner, but I always struggled to get the day going with breakfast and then lunch came quickly it seemed. Especially after having a couple of toddlers to feed in addition to a hungry infant. Healthy muffins or breads and pre-cut fruit or even homemade frozen waffles or pancakes that can be thrown in the toaster oven would be cheap. Then, for lunches, pre-made sandwiches like chicken salad or deli cold cuts would be great with some finger veggies. We had someone make us a HUGE tray of tortilla wraps that stayed in the fridge. So yum, easy, and cheap. HTH!!
We have been so blessed with friends that brought us meals after each of our 4 children were born. We used mealbaby.com to coordinate meals. You can mark food preferences and allergies. Each person signs up for the day that they are bringing food. Each person can put a description of what they are brining helping cut down on duplicate meals.
Recently a friend had twins. I took them homemade yogurt and a loaf of banana bread for breakfast and chicken enchiladas, rice, and salsa for dinner.
One of my kids favorite meals we received when we had our last baby was homemade pizza. It was a hit.
I agree with many of the other posts that breakfast items are just as needed as dinner and too often overlooked. PANCAKES. A variety of plain, chocolate chip, blueberry etc. You can place 2 or 3 pancakes(depending on size) in a foldable plastic bag then place in larger freezer bag and label. I have even cheated and bought the Family Size bag of Krusteaz and then added my blueberries or chocolate chips 🙂
My favorite meal that we received was a taco salad with each of the ingredients in separate baggies so each person could put on what they liked/could eat; and it was so different from the typical noodles and rice dishes. Also, muffins (banana, bran, poppyseed, etc.) are a good thing to stick in whatever meal you are covering for. They can be for a middle of the night snack, dessert, breakfast, etc. Plus they can be frozen and pulled out one at a time.
My friends and I use http://mealbaby.com. It allows you to say what you are bringing and it sends you a reminder. As the Mom, you can list the things you don’t like or are allergic to and tell what days of the week you’ll be home and any special instructions. 😉
Foods we loved getting:
Quiche
Anything that we could put in the freezer for later
For those of you with a little extra money, but little time, we appreciated the friend who gave us $20 to order food for delivery!
Salad with any meal – veggies and fruits!
I just want to emphasize, once again, what a great blessing a meal can be. I will never forget the first woman from our parish who brought by salad, a lasagna and sliced bread after the birth of our little boy. Even though I couldn’t eat the cheese (those dairy/nursing issues!) I remember tears coming to my eyes as I realized that I could try to take a nap before dinnertime, instead of hurriedly putting something together for my husband (who had to get up and go to work early after helping me during the long, sleepless night!)
I’m still grateful to that woman, and I’ve told her so when we’ve seen her at Mass. Remember that the Lord sees every good deed! You can’t go wrong by simply giving in love!
We do this as well at our church and it’s awesome! I usually ask the new mom what they like (or what they can’t stand!) and make something based on that. Something that freezes well is handy and you can put it in a foil tray/ziploc for them to take out at a later date. I also try to include things from my own freezer – like jam or applesauce – items that they just may not have or get.
GOD bless those of you who help others in this way! I had a difficult pregnancy and c – section delivery. I was blessed to have my mom with us for a month but we did not get one meal offer. Oh how appreciative I would have been. My suggestion is a breakfast casserole. Many really pipes available. One thing I like to sub. For the sausage is chopped Bologna – delicious and name brand can often be found on sale- recently both Kroger and save – a- lot had name brand on sale for $1. This can be delivered ready to bake and can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner. An easy inexpensive one dish meal! If budget allows you could include some baked banana or zuchini bread and some grapes. This would give some ” munching”food as well as a hot main dish that is a meal in itself. You could make several breads ahead of time, freeze and just pull out as needed. You could stock up on ingredients when on sale and then make and freeze your goodies. A nice special extra treat would be energy cookies which are used with the chronically ill to help with energy and appetite. I am sure a new mom could benefit! You should be able to find some recipes on line.
5 Frugal Dairy-free Meal Ideas (from a nursing mother of four):
-Chicken Pot Pie
-Oven Fried Chicken with Green Beans and Rice Side Dishes
-Meatball, Mashed Potato, and Zucchini Casserole*
-Sausage Breakfast Casserole*
-Pumpkin Waffles*
*recipes found on my blog.
I’ve made chicken pot pie or fried baked chicken with green beans and white rice as sides. I tend to make dishes that are less likely to upset tiny tummies. Onions and dairy can be problematic for some nursing babies–they were issues for two of my four children.
Other frugal recipes:
Meatball casserole
http://roots-of-simplicity.blogspot.com/2009/12/recipe-for-meatball-and-mashed-potato.html
Pumpkin spice waffles
http://roots-of-simplicity.blogspot.com/2011/11/pumpkin-pear-waffles.html
Sausage breakfast casserole
http://roots-of-simplicity.blogspot.com/2010/01/recipe-for-turkey-sausage-and-egg.html
Some babies (colic) really kick up a fuss if a nursing mother has anything with tomatoes, onions or garlic or anything spicy. I would stay away from anything Italian. I think the chicken noodle soup was the one that went over best at our house.
I loved receiving breakfast items. Banana Bread, fruit and juice or bagels, jam, cream cheese those items where so nice to get. I have to admit my very favorite meal came from a friend who didn’t cook. It wasn’t inexpensive but not terribly expensive either. She called and asked if she could drop of Happy Meals for my two older kids. The adults had left overs but for my small children who hadn’t left the house in over a week, the Happy meals where a huge hit that they still remember.
My fave meal to send in the colder months is a baked whole chicken (I buy several when they are $.69/lb so a whole chicken is ~$3-4) and I bake it slow so it comes out like rotisserie (search for “sticky chicken”), and add some baked potatoes, frozen veggie, and a fruit or dessert…a good meal when there are kids in the family. It’s not “free” bit it’s “real” food that know will be a blessing.
In the warmer months, I love to take over taco salad…either with taco-seasoned beef or black beans.
Also, a fun dessert that I like to take to families with kids is finger jello :). Easy to make ahead and allergy-friendly.
I’m kind of surprised so many people prefer not to get the pasta dishes, we love pasta, so we were thrilled to get those meals. But we got a nice variety, so I’m sure that helps.
One of my favorite dishes somebody brought was a salad from the Dillon’s salad bar (it was just me and my husband with the new baby, so one salad was plenty) topped with all kinds of fruits and vegetables- both in season and out of season. It was nice because we got toppings that may have been too expensive to buy on their own, but it was included in a unit price. Served with grilled chicken (topped or on the side) and some fresh bread was delicious.
I like to make chili dogs or frito chili pie (not everyone likes hot dogs, so I ask what they prefer.) It’s really easy to make a pot of chili (consider without beans for a nursing mom) and take the other items and toppings on the side. I also like to make cake pops (since one cake batter batch can make 3 dozen- though I don’t take them all for smaller families.)
I also have considered taking shredded barbequed beef with buns for sandwiches. I never have because I don’t know how to make it (anyone have a good recipe?!), but when we received it, we liked it a lot. It was so easy- and it’s perfect for any season. It was easily accessible for lunch or dinner. I’ve also used the “Take them a meal” website and have found it to be very effective in planning- I highly recommend it.
I agree with the comments on disposable dishes, such a lifesaver! And the foil dishes can be picked up very inexpensively at the dollar store.
One last comment… I have to admit- I loved when a lady called and asked my favorite ice cream flavor then dropped off an entire container! I needed the pick me up during those long, sleepless nights.
Thanks for the ice cream tip- i’m soooo doing that next time!
I think that if we can not afford an entire meal that is just fine. I know many times I can’t. I either ask someone else to see if they would like to do part with me, or “just” take a meatloaf or tacos. It has never been turned down! 🙂 I love the ideas I have been reading and unless they are expecting a dinner because there has been an organized plan to do dinners, I think I will try muffins and fruit. Can’t wait to do this, as I really enjoy this type of hospitality /service, as I have been a recipient many times. God bless all of you.
When my second was born, I had a toddler and a baby with reflux! Not easy. My mom was with us for two weeks, but no one brought meals after that. On the rare occasion that my baby would let me put him down and my toddler was sleeping, I would think should I eat, sleep, shower, or try to get something done in the house. Eating usually lost out since I couldn’t just grab something easily. I recently delivered a basket of healthy breakfast/snacky items that could be frozen and used as needed. I made granola, Dried fruit and nut balls (just throw whatever dried fruits and nuts you have in a food processor and roll in balls), oatmeal bars, and carrot cake breakfast cookies (but nutritious enough for a snack). You could just make one of these things or include several. I was baking for my family anyway so I just shared some with them. It was all homemade so thoughtful and inexpensive plus I asked ahead to see if they were allergic to anything or if there were certain things they didn’t like. I would have loved anything healthy and easy!
Breakfast foods! I would’ve loved it if someone brought me fresh bagels, fruit, orange juice, some kind of egg casserole.
I found that with a new baby and an 18-month-old, mornings were the worst and I’d just end up eating like a waffle and a banana.
Two suggestions, when my kids were small and everyone was having babies another mother and I split dinner to bring, which was great because it was half the price. My friend belongs to a church that gives meals to whoever is in need, new baby, recovering from surgery etc and they ask for donation meals and put them in the church freezer to send when needed. It’s a big project a couple of times per year but otherwise a good solution.
For anyone trying to organize meals for a new mom or someone else in need, I highly recommend Meal Train (http://www.mealtrain.com/) It’s free and makes the whole process simple for everyone involved — my moms club uses it all the time. You create a “meal train” and invite others to participate via e-mail. All the information (address/contact info for recipient, number of people eating, any food allergies or meal preferences, etc.) is then in one place, and as people sign up to cook, they enter the food they are making so that other cooks can see and avoid duplicate recipes. It also sends e-mail reminders to the cooks and recipient.
Also, my go-to recipe when I’m cooking for someone else is these chicken enchiladas: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Marvelous-Chicken-Enchiladas
I make a double batch so my family also has a meal, and I assemble the recipient’s meal in a foil pan, cover in foil and write the baking instructions on top with a Sharpie, so they can just put it in the oven when they’re ready to eat. Just throw in a bag of chips and jar of salsa and you’re all set!
This isn’t really a meal suggestion, but our church has an interesting way to deal with that problem. We have a lot of big families, and the families are always getting bigger. We’d try to deliver meals to all the new moms (plus families with illnesses, deaths in the family, etc.), but because of people’s schedules, some families would get more food than they could handle, and others would get barely anything.
Now we have a new system. Every woman signs up for one quarter of the year where she’ll be “on call” to make meals when needed. One lady serves as coordinator for each quarter. When someone needs meals, the coordinator finds out dietary restrictions, when is a good time to deliver food, etc. The ladies who volunteered for that quarter all make meals. Also, the church bought an extra freezer. If you know you’re going to be busy the next few weeks and it’s your quarter, you can make a meal ahead of time and put it in the freezer. Since people drive from long distances to go to our church, a lot of people bring their meals to the freezer on Sunday or Wednesday, and then one person who lives close to the family who needs meals takes them all home after the service and delivers them all.
This plan helps a lot with the logistics, and it helps some with the money. No one feels compelled to make a meal for every single birth, death, and so on. And if your husband has seasonal shifts in income, you can even make sure to sign up for a quarter when you’re expecting higher income.
That’s a great system!
This is amazing! I have had 6 kiddos and have NEVER had anyone bring me meals. Oh, how nice that would have been. Hubby did what he could to help, but working made it hard for him to do much. it is so heartwarming to know there are people kind enough to be this considerate! Blessings to you all!
I made my sister in law Crockpot Hamburger Soup when she had her last baby. It was really simple and not expensive. I made ALOT (filled my 6 quart crockpot so she would have leftovers. A couple of lbs ground meat (turkey or beef), veggies (frozen mixed is good), diced tomatoes (undrained), water and seasoning. I made some cheddar bisquick rolls and a pan of brownies.
Hope that helps!
I echo the breakfast, quick bread, chopped fruit, and vegetable ideas. I’d also add some lunch meat, hummus or other dip, and maybe some homemade trail mix. Dinner was easy, since my husband was home, but breakfast and lunch were very tough. But it’s very important to check for food allergies before you bring something . . . I’ll never forget the night after my first was born and he had terrible colic. The doctor thought it might be allergy-related and since I was breast feeding, that meant I had to cut out dairy and wheat. My friend brought chicken casserole (made with cream) cheesy mashed potatoes, fresh rolls and fruit salad. So I sat and ate my fruit salad while everyone else had the entire meal. I wanted to cry. Also, for breast feeding moms, go easy on beans, onions, spice, tomatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower. They can make for gassy babies.
A note to lift the mood would also be a nice touch, and if she’s a Christian, small Scripture verses on blank index cards are nice to look at in the wee hours of the night. Or if she has other kids, activity books( dollar store has several) are a blessing.
But the biggest is to check up on her as time goes on to see how she’s really doing. It’s really tough when the meals stop coming and you are left alone, especially when all is not going well. Maybe offer a second meal or a few hours of you time to help out.
Amen on the “no beans”! It might be good to google which foods bother newborns who are nursing. We were blessed with many meals, but I couldn’t eat most of them as my daughter was so sensitive to dairy, spices, beans, and broccoli. Snack foods were so appreciated as I often needed to munch on something while I was eating. A friend brought sandwiches and those were such a blessing. Kudos to everyone who is bringing a new mom a meal. It is such a blessing!
I was going to say breakfast foods too. I just made a new mom pancakes and gave her some honey from my stash, strawberries, and cooked a package of turkey breakfast sausage. Pretty cheap, especially if you get coupons for the meat
Spaghetti pie! Kids love it! New mom can freeze it and bring it out later if she doesn’t need it now. And the leftovers are yummy cold!
Also: honey curry chicken, with rice and some frozen mixed veggies to heat up fast–don’t be thrown off by the curry part–kids love this one, too.
(Butter & olive oil, curry powder, mustard, and honey–and chicken–bake until done, turning now and then–yummy!)
I’ve skimmed through a lot of comments and think most of the suggestions still end up adding up. It’s just expensive to feed a second family. I don’t enjoy it because it’s also difficult to get things there at the proper temperature, all in one piece, etc. One night I prepared hot dogs for my own family and did the same for the family in need. I made some pasta salad to go with it and some cookies for dessert. They loved it. Another suggestion is to pick up marked-down cuts of meat and freeze them for meals. I can sometimes find whole chickens for half-off – around $4. I recently sent a tub of Lloyds BBQ, some buns, baked beans, and salad – everything on sale.
I like to give soup, I make big batches of soup all year long – so when I need to give a meal I take out several different soups from my freezer. I defrost one and take it with a nice warm loaf of bread or cornbread and then give the family two or three containers of soup that they can just defrost and microwave anytime for a lunch or diner. Some of my favorites are Black bean salsa chili, vegetable bean soup and Bacon-Corn Chowder with potato’s (all very filling soups)
I have made soup the last few times I’ve made meals. It’s great because you can make it ahead of time, freeze it and defrost it before taking it over.
My favorite right now is Italian Wedding Soup. I usually do a small salad, breadsticks, and angel food cake.
Those all sound fabulous! Would you care to share any recipes? I know, we are all busy…but they sound so good! 🙂
You may want to consider if the new mom is nursing. Some things may bother mom and baby. While beans are inexpensive, it may not be the best thing for the mom and newborn to eat a lot of beans. Also, watch the spices (it doesn’t have to be bland but nothing with an “kick”), onion and garlic. I like to take a chicken pot pie (small pieces of chicken and vegetables) which is doesn’t require mom or dad to cut up for younger children. (We received a roast once, and while we were very grateful, with 3 small children to cut the meat for, it was alot of work for my tired husband.)
Broccoli is another thing that often bothers baby.
Many nursing babies can not tolerate dairy either (it’s a common cause of colic).
Our MOMS club often offers meal support to new moms.
We have one mom who coordinates with the new mom which week she would like the meals, and if there are any allergies / food preferences (vegetarian, no fish, etc).
People sign up for which day they would like and what they are making, so the family doesn’t get 5 lasagnas.
There is also a website called lostahelpinghands to help groups coordinate meal taking so the new mom doesn’t have to deal with it all!
I am taking a meal next week, and I am making turkey burgers with sweet potato fries. Pre-cooked, all they have to do is heat and eat. I’ll probably throw in a side of broccoli so it is a balanced meal.
I remember from when we had our second child, it was so overwhelming managing the needs of the newborn with the needs of the toddler! One mom sent over raw chicken which we “just” needed to grill – even that was hard for us to manage. We found that pre-cooked was just the best! It meant that when my toddler was hungry, I could very easily re-heat something for her.
I know the turkey burgers aren’t the cheapest meal around, but I get ground turkey at Trader Joes for around $3.99 and I can get about 5 burgers out of it. I am sure if I added in more bread crumbs/ flour and some veggies it would stretch farther, but my kids sure do like them, and I feel good giving it as a meal – tasty, easy enough to make and reheat, and the sweet potato fries are nutritious, since we make them ourselves – no additives / preservatives. Again, I can get a 2 lb bag of sweet potatos from Trader Joes for about $2.
It might sound silly, but I would have loved muffins or something that could sit on the table, unrefrigerated, and be eaten with one hand. A friend has made lactation cookies (oatmeal cookies with a few extra ingredients to help milk production; Google has recipes) that were really popular. Easy to eat, tasty, and encouraging for new moms struggling with nursing.
I would also recommend salads and chicken noodle soup. They are pretty cheep and nutritious. And with people who have had food adversions/allergies, these kind of meals are perfect. With 3 kids in 3 1/2 years, I know a great meal to bring would be stuff for sandwhiches. A loaf of bread, peanut butter, a jar of homemade jelly and some fresh veggies and/or fruit.
Just recently we were blessed to have our third child. Our church blessed us with meals after we came home for a couple of days. Before delivering we did 4 weeks of filling your freezer to have meals after delivery ourselves. But a blessing we received after being home were additional meals to put in the freezer which is helpful having 3 kids and being at stay at home mom on a tight budget. All we had to do was put in the oven and eat 🙂
Something I’ve been making for new mom’s lately are meatballs. My favorite thing to do is to pair with slider rolls, frest fruit, and a heavier side such as mac n cheese. This is one I always get great feedback from!
You can change up the flavor of the meatballs-Italian style, bbq, etc to suit each families preferences. You can also and swap out sandwich rolls for mashed potatoes along with a salad.
Love the question and all of the great responses!
When my baby was born I lives in Florida and my Mom lived in Texas. She was there the first 9 days and made lots of freezer meals. Two of my favorites were cheesy grits casserole and cheesy hashbrown casserole in individual serving sizes. Easy, cheap, and hearty for a nursing momma.
I went through a rough labor and first 3 months with our first child who had colick and my mom cooked a couple Saturdays for us and my MIL made a dish of chicken tetrazini. That was it and we belong to a decent size chruch. So coming from someone who could have used A LOT of help it would have been nice to get anything. Muffins or waffles or a breakfast casserole or a lunch meat/cheese selection or pasta salad or red beans and rice would be fabulous. Even frozen pizza or some sort of freezer meal that way they could cook what they are in the mood for! A basket with all sorts of snacks: dreid fruit, crackers, nuts, cheese, apples and grapes.
It would have been nice if someone had come over so that I could take a shower or take a walk outside by myself! So time donation is an option as well.
Great ideas—you are right!
I’m so sorry your church didn’t do anything….ours didn’t, either. That’s not right. :-/
It was my MOPS group that gave us two weeks’ worth of meals….and I’d like to pass on the msot helpful part: One option is to have another mom collect all the meals, puts ’em in her own family’s freezer, then she stays in touch with the family in need, and delivers the meals when they need ’em.
This would prevent from happenening what was so tiring to us: Lots of phone calls, two families who forgot it was their night to bring dinner, more phone calls from families rescheduling, and feeling the need to have to invite everyone in for awhile for conversation.
I’ve made food for new moms (and widows) a few times and I always worry about allergies. We have a lot of friends who are gluten-free, some vegetarians, some dairy-free and several with multiple allergies, plus many that follow the paleo diet. As a result, I stick to things like a veggie tray, a tossed salad with pre-sliced cheddar on the side, pre-washed grapes, etc. Those can be a welcome change to the pasta dishes.
Andrea, I agree with you, only I would take it a step further. Actually asking the family what they would like to have (provided your budget can handle such an offer) would be the best thing to do. Many people do have dietary restrictions or may just be trying to eat more healthfully than the average family does. And many do have picky children who are catered to, regardless of whether you agree with the approach. I know we received a couple loaves of bread once (not for birth but for illness) and we were so grateful for the gesture. It was the only time anyone had done that and it meant a lot. But we couldn’t eat the bread. We gave it to some of our neighbors. If they say, “Oh, we eat anything” then bring what’s most appealing and frugal to you, but otherwise, try to bring what they need. Better to spend a little more on a meal you KNOW someone will eat and appreciate rather than preparing something that potentially might not get eaten, and then you’ve wasted everyone’s time and energy (except for the nice thoughts that come from your generosity!)
Have them over to your house — so much easier than taking lukewarm towers of tinfoil to their front door at awkward times!!!
This sounds like a great idea! But I would offer it as an option because it might not be feasible for every family. I know my pediatrician didn’t want us to take my baby out for the first few weeks due to the risk of him catching something, and I didn’t much feel up to going out for the first few weeks after I gave birth.
I know pasta is cheap, but personally, I don’t like it. Seems like people are always giving lasagnas or *gag* spaghetti.
I’ve given cheese enchiladas in the past. (Texans need their Tex-Mex fix!) There’s a great, easy, inexpensive recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook. I deliver it made, but not baked. Attach baking time and temp, that way the family can enjoy it hot with the only work being putting it in the oven.
I’ve done pizza before, too. Homemade crust with sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you have is cheap and simple. Deliver unbaked on a disposable pizza pan with baking time and temp attached.
Twice-baked potatoes with some ham or chicken mixed in is cheap and simple.
Taco soup with cornbread or tortilla chips.
Don’t feel like you need to bring a dessert. The meal itself is plenty!
We had a baby last summer and our church family also provided us with some meals. One of our favorites was ham and cheese subs wrapped in foil so they could be heated in the oven if we wanted or just eaten cold, veggies (baby carrots & sliced green peppers) with dip, and some chocolate chip cookies to snack on. A quiche was something else we enjoyed, which I am sure would be fairly reasonably priced. For close friends or family I have gotten recipes from, I try to make one of their own recipes since it’s something I know there family enjoys but they may not be up to making.
I second the idea of breakfast or lunches. People eat more than dinner.
We often bring a couple of loaves of bread, some sliced cheese and slice a ham or small beef roast. that way anyone can make a sandwhich.
We often go together with another family to split the costs and sometimes do both types of meat.
I would have loved for someone to bring bagels, English Muffins, cream cheese and orange juice and then offer to hold the baby while I took a nice long shower.
I once did batches of the $1 muffin mixes (just add water) in 4 or 5 flavors and put each one in a separate ziplock labeled.
Me, too—I make waffles and buy sausages, fresh fruit and whipped cream at Aldi….and families always say it’s so nice to get a breakfast. Plus, it’s a hit with children, too, so parents don’t have to worry about that.
Let me say “Amen” to p-l-e-a-s-e don’t take any kind of pasta—-we got way too much of that, and I’ve seen the same saga repeat itself with many other families.
As a new mom, I received a loaf of bread and sandwich makings. It was a mixed blessing to have the food, but be barely able to make the sandwich as I juggled a newborn and dealt with the pain and weakness of carpal tunnel of pregnancy. Not “everyone can make a sandwich”; at least not easily. It’s much more helpful to a new mom if the sandwiches are already made, so she can grab and go then sit and feed the newborn.
For church groups, try this website: http://www.takethemameal.com/
People sign up to bring meals. You can see what others are bringing. Hence, no one gets 6 lasagnas.
That website is such a good idea!
care calendar is another one
mealtrain is another. They are so great to use and you know what meals not to bring.
Chicken potpie or ham and noodle casseroles are ones I like to take, with fruit and veggie so it is. If I have the grocery budget to splurge I like to do a meat dish like meatloaf since casseroles can get tiring. I also like to take muffins or cinnamon rolls for breakfast the next day.
Having meals brought over to a new mom is such a big help. My last baby was born in the summer and one of my friends came over, watched my kids for an hour or so before my husband got home AND grilled us dinner. So nice!
I would also comment that you should leave out lots of things that you might like to put in your food if they are common items other people do not like. For example: onions and bellpeppers are a definite no-no at our house, we don’t care for olives or artichoke hearts either. Those are items that can easily be left out of 90% of meals and you won’t even miss them. This way if the family is sensitive to these things, they can still eat. If anyone brought things with peppers or onions when my babies were born, there was no way my hubby was going to eat it, so instead of being really helpful, it just left me with food that no one wanted to eat, but I felt guilty for wasting. Its the thought that counts in all these situations, but actually being able to eat the food is nice too:)
French dipped sandwiches (roast beef) with veggie tray and chips and another hit I loved was homemade chicken pot pie (could use chicken off the rotisserie or canned)-very cheap!
How about a big crock-pot full of beans (white or brown) and some cornbread? Beans are really inexpensive. Also, red beans & rice is very inexpensive & filling. If you wish, you could add some smoked sausage to this. Also, I think the soup idea is great. Homemade potato soup would probably be a big hit. Also, this time you year you might be able to find some fresh fruits & vegetables for a good price at your local farmer’s market. This is such a great idea and I’m sure the new mothers will be so appreciative that they will love whatever you bring, regardless of the cost of the meal. Just knowing someone cares enough to do something like that for you is really more special than the food itself.
As a mom of 3 little ones I think that you amazing for even planning to bring something! I’ve only gotten 1 meal total after 3 births in 3 1/2 years. Honestly, I’d have been so grateful for anything that I think you shouldn’t over think it. When I take meals (and I try to do it as often as possible since I know what it is like to not get any) I just try and double something we are already having. And really an 8×8 size pan is a good size for most families for one meal. You don’t have to provide 4 courses, just keep it simple.
And as a woman who is STARVING a few days after birth and during the first month or so of nursing I would strongly agree with the thought that some muffins, a loaf of quick bread, or some fruit would be PERFECT for new moms and their families. And a big bowl of cut up fruit (whatever was on sale) or a bunch of bananas and bag of grapes (never too pricey) would be wonderful for breakfast, snacks and would even be used for lunch for the little ones. How about grabbing a box of crackers or some graham crackers to go with it or even just make up a plate of deviled eggs? All simple, fairly affordable and would be devoured in our house quickly. This time of year we love snacky lunches and any or all of those things would be terrific…and wouldn’t be the pasta that everyone keeps talking about (and was the meal that was brought to us!)
I wish I knew you, I would bring you a meal now!
You are so sweet! And really it is not because I don’t have great friends…they just know that I freezer cook like crazy in preparation of upcoming births. I think I come across as too prepared 🙂 And my advice to every pregnant friend and relative is always “Pack your freezer!”
I like to make Shepperd’s Pie! Its different, easy, and inexpensive to make! I know I always get lasagna or soups and while they are good and I appreciate them, I get tired of eating the same things! You can even mix up the ingredients so the Pie turns out different. I use a mashed potatoes, ground beef or chicken (sometimes half and half), and then whatever frozen vegetables on top and sprinkle cheese over the top. All the ingredients (except the vegetables) are cooked before layered and then I just layer them up in the dish pour and spread out the vegi’s and sprinkle the cheese. Then all you do is pop it in the oven to warm through the vegi’s and melt the cheese (usually 10-20 min depending on size of dish). Super easy to heat up and always a HUGE hit!
My bean enchiladas are always a hit. Starting with dried pinto beans means they are full of protein for very little cash. Take refried beans (recipe in the link) and spread them on flour or corn tortillas. Smother in a can of enchilada sauce, and cover in cheese. Let the recipient bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
As a new mom myself, I loved fresh produce. It was high summer and simple things like caprese salad with homegrown tomatoes were the very best.
I recently had twins (3mos ago). I was blessed to receive a variety of homemade dishes. Though, many people sent dinner items. I was also blessed to receive breakfast items such as frittatas and fresh fruit. I feel that having breakfast options really made the day flow much easier. After staying up nursing half the night, I really appreciated having breakfast items on hand.
My favorite foods that we got when our kids were born were a tray of bagels and fruit trays. Just having the fruit all cleaned, cut up and ready to eat – with one hand, while nursing – was so wonderful!
I have done the lasagna casserole. I also have done a couple bags of pancakes since the mom might be getting loaded down with dinners. It is also helpful for new moms with older kids since it will help her provide them snacks with minimal effort.
Instead of taking a meal, ask how else you could lend a hand. Could you stop by to wash the dishes in the sink or pick up older children to take to the park for an hour?
One family brought us take out. I think she was already picking up some for her family and had a coupon or daily deal for BOGO. She’s pretty frugal, so I’m sure it was cheap! It was delicious and a very welcome break from the endless casseroles and pasta dishes. Also, I really appreciated meals that skipped the cheese and other constipating foods and instead had lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Going to the bathroom after giving birth can be a bit traumatizing you know 🙂 One friend I know, instead of bringing a dinner to families, brings or sends fresh fruit to the hospital {which she gets cheap from Aldi}. After a few days of hospital food following my c-section, I was so happy to see her and the big bag of grapes and strawberries! And lastly, remember you don’t always need to spend money to bless others. You can always watch older kids, do housework, ect.
Agreed, when I had my twins a friend brought me a sandwich from a restaurant that we would eat lunch at (and some for my husband too) to the hospital and it was DELICIOUS! Plus I was there extra long and they charged my husband for anything he ordered and it gave us both some variety-it was so simple and so sweet!!
No lasagna. We received 7 lasagnas (out of 10 meals) and 2 of the other 3 meals were baked ziti/spaghetti. We were grateful that people thought of us, but I still have lasagnas in the freezer outside.
I like to bring pot roast with potatoes and carrots.
One pot roast
1 pack of Lipton Onion Soup
1 lb. baby carrots
3-5 potatoes cut up.
1 can cream of chicken soup (I make my own white sauce, instead.)
Cook for 6-8 hrs on low in crockpot.
A friend who had a child hospitalized for a while told me the most helpful meal she received was a package of hot dogs and rolls along with “finger” fruits and veggies (baby carrots, grapes, etc.)
For a grieving family, I love to take or send a basket of bagels. They can be eaten any time of day and offered to visitors, too.
Sometimes Katrina it’s ok to just say I can’t afford it. This is your church family and they will understand. Do what you can, offer to babysit the baby when he or she is born or the siblings for an afternoon. Not that many stay at home moms anymore and sometimes a labor of love is worth far more.
I remember taking my 2 year old to my newborn’s doctor appointments and it was not much fun at times.
If you can’t afford a full meal, can you afford a bunch of bananas, a bag of baby carrots, cherry tomatoes or some other in-season fruit? It’s nice to have fresh fruit or veggies to go with the meals (or for snacks).
There have been lots of good suggestions here so I’ll just add one: meatballs and mashed potatoes. I have a favorite recipe that makes tons of meatballs, so I often have them frozen in my freezer anyway. Its quick and cheap to make mashed potatoes, which I put in a foil dish to be reheated in the oven. Add a salad and you’ve got super tasty comfort food.
Also – a good option for those of us who coordinate the meal-bringing is to use takethemameal.com Each person signs up for the day that is easiest for them and also lists what they’ll be bringing. That way there isn’t lasagna 3 days in a row 🙂
Almost any thing with pasta or rice as the main ingredient . . . a lot of these casseroles can be frozen in disposable pans and then you have them ready ahead of time. When I get “assigned” a new mom to take a meal too, it’s usually a few weeks ahead of her due date. I then try to work into my meal plan something I can double–we’ll have what ever I make that day and I’ll freeze one for the new mom. Also, keep in mind, you only really need one or two “go-to” recipes, since the family you’re taking the meal to is different each time. You might get bored with making the same, inexpensive meal, but to the family receiving it, it will be wonderful.
Along these lines (sort of! LOL)… in lieu of a regular baby shower (for moms who had already had showers at work or church or whatever), I have hosted “freezer showers,” and the attendees just bring meals frozen in foil pans, ziplocs of muffins, or ready-made/store-bought frozen stuff. We also bring disposable plates and stuff like that that will make her life a little easier for a few weeks.
I LOVE this idea! I get a bit sick of showers where everybody brings stuff, stuff, and more stuff that is barely going to be used. How thoughtful to make the event freezer-filling- it would be so appreciated!
What a great idea! Especially for moms who already have everything from previous kiddos. They probably don’t need 20 more outfits but I bet they love getting a freezer full of food.
We have starting bringing a grocery bag full of unprepared breakfast-y foods. Breakfast is so easy to prepare (even one handed! or dads or big kids can help!) and moms already get a lot of prepared dinners. Some fruit (whatever’s on sale), some bagels, and some eggs can feed quite a few people quickly, and it’s also easy to prepare at 4 a.m. without having to reheat an entire casserole.
I also forgot to mention that, if you know the mom pretty well and it doesn’t make either of you uncomfortable, do a few chores for her when you bring the food by. You can offer to help out, and 99% of the time the mom will refuse just out of niceness. But if you just start casually washing up a few dishes or folding a basket of laundry while she is sitting in the kitchen chair or recliner holding her baby & chatting with you, 99% of the time she will really appreciate it.
For really good friends of mine, I’ll go spend about half a day at their house working while they rest and/or visit with me. I have cleaned bathrooms or taken all the kids outside for a walk so she can enjoy half an hour of quiet. I’ve had some great times with new mommy friends doing this, and it feels like a lifesaver to them. One of my friends had her third baby and was behind on laundry by the time she had spent a few days in the hospital with birth complications, so I came over and had a laundry marathon. She didn’t know what she would have done without the help, and it was a real relief. Another friend had twins, plus she already had 3 kids 4 & under, and was not taking care of herself because she was so busy taking care of everyone else. After talking to her on the phone and finding out that she was having dizzy spells and had hardly eaten all day, I made a quick trip to the store and spent the rest of the day with her. I got all the little kids down for naps and got her off her feet, then I started cooking up a storm so she’d have lots of easy meals and convenient stuff to reheat. Both our husbands came over there when they got off work, and we all enjoyed visiting together and eating supper. It was very refreshing and encouraging for her, both physically and emotionally.
If you’ve ever given birth, just try to think back to how you felt those first few days; and be considerate, encouraging, & helpful in the same ways you appreciated (or would have appreciated!) others doing for you.
Kristen,
You are a wonderful friend. What a blessing you must be to these new moms.
Your post actually made me cry… I can only hope for friends as sweet as you.
Bless you. I had a dear friend who did this for me when my husband was on a 13 month military assignment in Korea. I was VERY ILL in bed and my early walking 10 month old was destroying the house. It was child protected, but still … he took every book out of the shelf that he could reach and ripped up all the dust jackets, took off every photo frame that he could reach and ripped off the part that makes the frame stand up. He took out all the pots and pans from under the stove and scattered all of his toys through out the house.
Every few hours I would pray for the strength to make him a bottle and change his diaper and then I would crash into bed praying for his safety.
My friend showed up at my home that evening with a pan of chicken noodle soup. She heated it on the stove, and fed me and my baby. She bathed him, rocked him, and tucked him in bed. Then she proceeded to clean up my completely trashed house.
The next morning, she showed up at house again, and took me to the doctor, took me to the pharmacy and arranged for someone to keep my baby for the day so that I could really rest. She also mowed my lawn.
I will never forget her kindness.
This one is my go-to (but I substitute peas for the carrots): http://www.onedishdinners.com/2011/10/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-and-chicken-curry.html
I just put the food ingredients, prepared, into freezer bags, and give them the rice, coconut milk and curry on the side. Then they can pull it out of the freezer any day that some one isn’t bringing a meal, and not have to do any prep besides dumping it into the crock pot and dumping the rice in a cooker with some water. Crock pot meals are awesome! Also no dishes to worry about returning 🙂
We just recently adopted and the thing I appreciated the most were muffins I could freeze and pull out when needed. Also, a friend just baked a whole chicken that was seasoned and brought over steamed veggies and I appreciated it so much (and it tasted wonderful). A whole chicken is usually only a few dollars and add steamed veggies and a loaf of bread and you’ve got a meal for around $5-6.
This isn’t a meal suggestion, but it’s a suggestion based on my own struggles: pray about it! God provides for our needs, how much more can he provide for our desires (especially to serve others)?
I only say it because I know that I push and pull my way through stuff and then realize “oh…I should have prayed about x, and y, and…”
My favorite things that we got were a breakfast casserole ( I ate it for every meal for 2 days, lol) and sandwiches that I could just grab out of the fridge whenever I was hungry (and were easy to eat while nursing).
One of my favorite things to make is chicken pot pie…lots of good nutrition and I can vary, based on budget, whether I use fresh or frozen veggies.
It often seems when meals are brought in that people send pasta dishes with tomato sauce. When my daughter had surgery a couple of years ago this is what people brought for three nights in a row. We appreciated their generosity very much, but it was a little monotonous. 🙂 The salad, mac and cheese, and chicken with rice ideas mentioned above would be great alternatives. Soup is also nice, especially in the cooler months. It is a comfort food and can be reheated easily. Fruit salads are also colorful and attractive and nourishing.
I agree! My husband has asked me, “Does anybody make anything besides spaghetti for folks any more?!” LOL! When our church ladies trade off cooking nights, we try to get together and find out what the others are doing so we don’t duplicate dishes. We sort of alternate chicken, beef, etc. so the family has a variety because they often end up eating leftovers as well.
I agree with the above – make things as easy as possible. I was supposed to take a meal to someone that had just lost a family member once but I knew they were already inundated with casseroles, pasta dishes, bread and desserts. I took them napkins, plastic forks/spoons/knives, plates, cups, a few beverages and showed up with a bag of ice I bought on the way. They were very grateful as they had family and friends coming in and out for days and, while they had enough food, these items made serving and eating that food a lot simpler.
Amazing idea!
I know this isn’t new mom related, but when my brother died un-expectedly we got a lot of food as well and we didn’t even feel up to eating and so much went to waste. Someone brought us a basket of pre-packaged foods, cereal, granola bars, soup etc. I know it wasn’t the healthiest, but it didn’t go bad and no one was up to going to the grocery store and it was VERY thoughtful. I think a new Mom does want some things that require no thinking and they definitely don’t have time to run out to the store either-would be great to grab things for other children. Everything is helpful in stressful/sleep deprived/overwhelming situations.
And if they are having lots of guests and an extra pack of TP is also great. When my sister passed away and we were getting tons of visitors we were very grateful for the disposables and the person who thought to bring a huge pack of TP for all the extra people coming and going 🙂
Having been through my Dad’s death not too long ago, I agree with Suzanne! This is excellent suggestions!
I answered this on Facebook already; but I want to emphasize that even if you don’t cook an entire meal for the family, there are a few things that a new mom *really* appreciates:
* Disposable Everything ~ I always take my meals in foil pans, ziploc baggies, or disposable bowls. It is overwhelming for a new mom to try to keep track of washing and returning everyone’s dishes. I also throw in a pack of disposable plates or bowls, spoons or forks, and cups to eat the food with.
* Drinks ~ A lot of people bring food without drinks, but particularly for a nursing mom, she’s going to be VERY thirsty and will need to be careful to drink lots of water. I like to take a case of water bottles and stick some in her fridge. Juice & tea are always welcome, too.
* Easy, Convenient Things for Her or Her Children ~ I have given birth 7 times, and it does not get easier. The first couple of weeks after a birth involves a very tired, low-energy, sore mom and sometimes very excited, energetic little siblings. Of course it is wise for her to be prepared with freezer meals and such; but sometimes even those require too much effort for the first few days of new baby, if she doesn’t have an adult at home to help 24/7. My pastor’s wife brought over a ton of frozen burritos, burgers, breakfast sandwiches, granola bars, etc. after my first birth; and that was a real lifesaver. Even though I had meals put up in the freezer and leftovers in the fridge from people bringing over real meals, there were times I just didn’t have the energy to go take all those bowls out of the fridge, fix a plate, reheat it, and put it all away.
* Fresh Fruits & Veggies ~ Make a fruit basket or even better cut them up in a fruit (or veggie) tray or fruit (or veggie) salad. Super easy & nutritious. Just use whatever is in season.
So maybe in lieu of a full meal, just grab her a pack of Hot Pockets or granola bars or make a batch of muffins and put them in a ziploc bag so she’ll have something easy to eat. Another good thing is to roast or boil a whole chicken and pull all the meat off the bones. Bag it up in ziplocs and she’ll have a great base for a variety of easy meals or salads, and you’ll only be out a few bucks.
I wind up doin chicken and dumplings a lot. I boil chicken breasts in water, mix up Bisquick dumplings according to the box, then drop them in the chicken water. Chop up the chicken and add back in, add a little salt and pepper, and it’s good to go! 1-2 breasts is plenty, and it’s a mild food if the new mom is breast feeding. It’s a cheap, easy meal, and I always have these ingredients on hand. I’ve gotten lots of compliments on this comfort food favorite!
One of the biggest saving grace’s for me was a chicken pasta casserole and chicken noodle soup. They were in huge batches, so they were quick to heat up and eat, and pretty easy and cheap.
Another option is to make fridge or freezer friendly food. Muffins are awesome, to freeze or refrigerate, and are super quick snack grab items. Even casseroles that are frozen and just need to be baked are convenient.
Make a vegetarian dish, too, to help save some of your dough. Veggie spaghetti is easy enough to make and affordable for a large batch as well. Salad, obviously, is an easy option, but I know when I had my newborn, I was much more appreciative of hot meals to comfort me.
As far as snacks and desserts, rice krispie treats are an amazing and affordable option that doesn’t require too much of your time, but still sends a message of love. I know I kept everything snack-like next to the bed so I could eat and breastfeed, so anything that is easy at hand like trail mix, brownies, or cookies definitely kept my calories up to make milk. You don’t have to spend a lot if you already have the supplies or you get a little premix packet for the baked goods.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be a lot of food in order to be thoughtful.
I meant *especially disposable containers*. Like, foil pans and such!
I often bring enough paper goods for the meal so that they won’t have to wash dishes. I try to send the food in bags or throw-out containers so they don’t have to worry about returning dishes, and I don’t have to worry about never getting them back.
Just make sure ALL the prep is done (fruit cut, pasta cooked, etc.). It’s not about how fancy the food is – it’s about saving the recipient time and energy. Once when my mother had a baby someone brought her a meal that included a bag of potatoes and a raw chicken! I guess that way she had the option of fixing them however she wanted . . . .
As a cook, I am rather particular – from scratch, healthy, etc. But when I had my babies I was happy and grateful to eat anything that I didn’t have to make myself! It didn’t matter at all if it wasn’t fixed quite the way I would have done it.
Paper is always so nice! And especially disposable dishes. I can remember after my 1st baby spending the next month trying to match dish ware to the correct people. It was SO hard because I wanted to make sure everyone got their stuff back.
I totally agree! I was overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of their church ladies when they cooked us meals after baby #1… but my counters were overwhelmed with their pots & pans & dishes!
I agree – I think it is a huge help to bring whatever you bring in disposable dishes. When I did a lot of meal prep with my MOPS group, I remember bringing meals to people & seeing piles of dishes that they had to wash & return to the people who brought them. One mom was so excited to see that I brought everything in disposable foil containers & plastic bags! Dollar Tree sells the foil containers – depending on the size, you can get 2 or 3 for $1. Not having to do those extra dishes is a huge help!
Amen! When I had one of my babies, I had a friend do just that: she brought me a whole raw chicken. Very nice financially but not so much time-wise. A whole chicken can be intimidating to me on days when I’m fine, much less when I’ve just had a baby!
As the mother of a new 3month old boy and a 4 year old, I can say that having someone bring a meal to me was quite a blessing. But something that I think would be a nice touch (especially to a mom with other kids than the new baby) would be to bring a kid-friendly lunch. The hardest part for me the first couple of weeks when my new son was only a few days old, recovering from a c-section, husband was at work, and older son’s preschool was on spring break, was to find time to make a decent lunch for my older son and myself. Consider how another new mom would feel about having lunch brought at just the right time, especially if she has other children to care for!
I agree. I have always appreciated something special for my older (but still little) children. I had 3 kids in 3 1/2 years, all c-sections, and so getting up to make meals for the older ones if someone was not there to help me was hard. I also LOVED when people would bring things like a big bag of grapes, strawberries, blueberries, etc. that my older kids (and I) could easily grab if we were hungry.
Good point. If a husband is home at night, he can fix supper. But lunch in the day would be helpful (I had c-sections, too).
Winter: Potato soup, beef and noodles, chicken and rice soup, chili etc.
Summer: Big salads with fresh veggies from the garden, “breakfast food” supper such as baked french toast and fresh fruit, Grilled chicken (sliced) for wraps, etc.
Always a hit…. Homemade bread!!
Get creative! I echo an earlier post that breakfast items and freezable items are great, something to keep for the weeks to come when meal-givers aren’t as regular. From recent personal experience, look in the fridge, pantry and freezer and see what you can make without having to buy much (if anything.) I made extra spaghetti while cooking dinner, turned it into baked spaghetti, had ingredients for homemade bread, and bought a bagged salad to go with it. Anything you bring is so appreciated! My youngest is 1 yr old, and I vividly remember what a help it is to have those meals!
Breakfast for dinner! I do an egg casserole, fruit salad, and muffins. I’ve also included yogurt parfaits and omelets (in the case of allergies in my normal egg casserole), or you could add waffles/pancakes, homemade bread and jam, or homemade granola. Every meal a new family receives is such a blessing, but I figure that breakfast for dinner is a break from the usual pasta and chicken.
I really believe in bringing meals to new families, those who are sick, or those who could use an encouragement. In these years with little ones under foot, volunteering my time at church or other organizations is not easy. But I can make a meal!
How about a bacon and egg quiche (Quiche Lorraine). Good for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
If you can find boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale, make a platter of grilled chicken layered with a jar of thinly sliced roasted peppers, sliced mozzarella, topped with basil leaves and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A loaf of crusty Italian bread completes the meal.
I just did grilled cheese, tomato soup, and salad for a friend. You can butter the bread with cheese slices in between and let the family fry it up when they’re ready (or freeze them for later) or go ahead and cook them and wrap in foil to keep warm. I agree–it’s hard to fit lots of extra meals into a budget, sometimes! 🙂
As a mom who had nursing troubles, the more basic you make the meal the better. I’d do baked potato, chicken breast with olive oil/ salt/ pepper, and a simple veggie like brocolli or green beans. It would be a nice change up form the caseroles, and because there are no fancy ingredients, it should be very cost effective. If you want a desert, fruit with whiped cream would hit the spot!
My favorite meal someone brought me postpartum was a la carte style — prepped fresh veggies/fruit, rolls, chicken salad, jello. It was so nice to have something to just grab out of the fridge that felt so fresh and healthy. Make the bread at home and uses veggies in season and this could be reasonable cost-wise. Also, you don’t need to over-portion. I threw away alot of food, ’cause we couldn’t eat it fast enough :(. I also like the idea of freezer-friendly single servings–and Crystal has lots of suitable recipes for those. Think healthy “convenience” food for a new mom juggling new responsibilities!
That was my fav post-patrum meal too! Love it! I also loved that we didn’t have a ton of it too.
The other favorite was soup and bread – easy, and we could heat up what we wanted and freezer the rest or put in the fridge.
Meat loaf, though not necessarily inexpensive now, was something we enjoyed too – we froze half for later too.
Thanks for all the ideas here!
Lea
I like to make the brown bag freezer-friending burritoes that I got from Crystal sharing. You can make A TON of them for very low cost per burrito. Then, you can take the family 10 or so burritos that they can have more than one meal and heat it up easily in the microwave whenever they want it. 🙂
If the budget is really too tight to give food you could offer to give time. Talk to the expectant mom a few months before the birth and offer to come and help her prepare some meals for the freezer. This way the family can eat recipes that they already like and if other meals are coming in they can be saved till they are needed. I know before my babies were born I tried to stock the freezer and having a friend to cook with would have been nice. All that standing and chopping can be hard when you are expecting.
I love this idea! That way, you know that the family is going to eat the meals that you help prepare. So many people have food allergies and restricted diets that I feel it is next to impossible to make a dish that is a sure win.
We do this as a church as well. It’s such a blessing to the new families!
I have a budget of $10-$20 for a meal, so I aim for that. I do a main dish, a starch or bread, a fruit, and sometimes a dessert. Tomorrow, I’m taking an Asian chicken salad, rolls, canteloupe, and 1/2 gallon of ice cream. Simple, easy, and not that expensive.
I frequently do tacos, tortilla soup, a hamburger-ish meal over rice with broccoli and salad, or sloppy joes.
After my first child was born, I woman from my church who does not have a lot made us a tatter-tot casserole. It was so simple, but one of the best meals we got. It was really good and something that I hadn’t had since childhood. Just add a salad and you’re good to go!
Sounds very good!
1. I make homemade pizzas, either regular or french bread. I buy mozzarella on sale for $1.88 / 8 oz and freeze it. I make my own bread or dough which costs me about 52 cents a loaf. A can of sauce on sale is probably less than $1 (I don’t know because I make my own and freeze it). I use whatever leftover meats I have from meals earlier in the week (checking with the family first). It’s great because it’s not the heavy casseroles and pasta dishes they usually get. I’ll also grab some clearance produce like peppers and mushrooms or olives when on sale to add too. You can prebake the crusts, then add the toppings right before delivering.
2. A friend brought us their homemade burrito recipe. I buy sale ground beef, add the spices (which I buy in bulk), add some tomato sauce and corn. Then I freeze it. I give them a container of the meat, a container of beans that I’ve good from dried beans, a package of tortillas, and a package of cheese.
3. The old fallback – baked pasta – cooked pasta, sauce, cheese mixed together and baked.
Taco type dishes are usually inexpensive for us (of course, we did buy 1/2 a cow!) (Another side note on Mexican: I have found that nursing issues with spices and dairy usually don’t show up until baby is a couple of weeks old.)
Also, much of our pantry is stocked with low-cost ingredients in bulk sizes: tomato sauce, vinegar, olive oil, spices, cheeses, pasta, sour cream, and more in huge containers are great staples for cheap meals.
I’ve also done a taco salad before. It is very inexpensive, and easy for them to add particular ingredients and avoid others (if you bag all the toppings separately.
When I had my baby a few years ago in the summer, a friend of mine brought us a HUGE salad with lots of veggies and chopped up chicken. It was awesome. I don’t have a recipe but, I thik something like that would be great. We ate it for a light lunch for several days. It was great to just go in the fridge and scoop out some on a plate and not have to make anything or heat up the house!
Sometimes a couple friends will get together and bring a meal in so one does an entree, one a salad and bread, one a dessert and side,ect. Keeps costs down nicely!
I like to stick with simple, lighter meals to balance out pasta dishes and the dessert options of cake/cookies/brownies. For one of our newest babies, I made a chicken salad (for their family of 7 AND my family of 6!) for very little. I shredded a few carrots and made my own salad dressing (out of items we already had on hand) and mixed in a package of chicken tenderloins, frozen peas, and some craisins. I made a tossed salad and gave the family the option to put the chicken salad on hamburger buns or over the salad greens, and gave them the extra dressing. For dessert I made a simple fruit salad using strawberries, blueberries, and mandarin oranges (all on sale at Aldi). I’m a bit of a health nut, so I like to come up with healthy, easy meals.
I often take a simple breakfast casserole (eggs, bread, cheese, milk, seasonings) and a quick bread, like zucchini or banana (often a loaf out of my freezer!). Something a little different, and they can have it for dinner or breakfast.
I think quiche is good for this reason, also. And it can be served cold or warm. I make my own crust, which is very cheap.
Quiche Crust:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. oil (I use canola)
Mix well and press into pie pan using your fingers. Add other quiche ingredients and bake as usual.
baked potato casserole –
potato, cheese, cream, bacon, scallion, frozen chopped broccoli and sour cream.
lentil noodle bake –
lentils, elbow macaroni, onions, tomato, parsely, tomato sauce and your choice of seasonings, (like curry, cinamon, garamasala), and a bit of butter.
breakfast burritos-
scrambled eggs, cheese, rice, beans and salsa.
hot dog corn muffins
tuna fish salad with english muffins for open faced sandwiches.
The baked potato casserole sounds yummy! Do you have a more specific recipe, or do you just wing it? Does the bacon, scallion and sour cream go into the casserole befor baking, or added as topping?
Thanks! 🙂
I always take my go-to chicken and rice. It’s with whole pieces of chicken instead of chunks, so it’s a hearty meal. I add a salad sometimes,and sometimes homemade rolls, depending on whether it’s a group effort or just me taking the meal.
I second this dish! It’s what I always make…I don’t use canned soups for ANY meal except this and it’s such comfort food and easy to have all of the ingredients on hand.
It doesn’t have to be a whole dinner, think dessert or breakfast: a batch of cookies, muffins, or a bag of homemade granola with some yogurt, freezer friendly pizza pockets, or breakfast burritos, these can be less costly and still a huge blessing.
Yes! There have been times when the budget was tight and I made homemade cinnamon rolls and it was a much appreciated breakfast for the family. Here is an awesome recipe that is CHEAP, EASY, and YUMMY! It also works well for homemade hot pockets, breadsticks…bierocks..etc.
Lazy Lady Bread:
2 1/4 t. yeast
1 3/4 C. lukewarm water
1/2 C. oil
1 whole egg
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 t. salt
5 1/2 flour( you may use half whole wheat, half unbleached white…also amount may vary depending upon humidity)
Add lukewarm water to large mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over the top and let dissolve, stir in oil, salt, egg, and sugar with a whisk. Add flour and salt. Rub bowl sides and top of dough with oil and let rise in a warm place covered with a towel until double in size. (2-4 hours)
Roll it out, shape it and brush the tops with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes depending on size, brush again with melted butter.
how many cinnamon rolls does this make? there are two of us.
Cheesy rice bake, soups, chili, you could also go together with another person to share the costs,
I’ve been sticking to breakfasts lately — muffins or scones with fruit salad. I’ve gotten big compliments for this because:
1) People are grateful for casseroles, but get tired of them
2) They’re good year round — and require no re-heating in the dead of summer.
3) Older kids can help themselves when they’re hungry.
Really though people brought us all sorts of things after we had our babies — casseroles, leftovers, pasta salads, fruit cobbler — we ate it all with no complaints!
I love your idea Jillian!!!
I love this idea! I suffered from mild hg during my entire preganacy and it took me a few weeks to tolerate food smells. So while the thought was appreciated, the food smells were not after our child was born. 🙂 This would be great for a new mom in a similar situation. Or just a new mom in general!
I also do breakfast since it is different. I have made a quiche and frozen it before baking so they can pull out whenever or when the meals stop coming-simple, easy and cheap without noodles or spicy sauce. I couldn’t eat all the sauces while breast feeding since my kids had reflux. I can make bread (regular, banana) or muffins etc for my family and then pull the quiche out to deliver.
I agree with quiche! I’ve made quiches before for various people (new babies, sick, etc) and pair it with muffins, fruit and some juice.
Also good would be a french toast casserole!
tuna noodle casserole, or chicken alfredo bake (with cubes of chicken, not whole pieces), shepherd’s pie with a mashed potato or biscuit topping. these are all meals i made for myself and had up in the freezer for after my little on arrived!
Anything pasta is usually pretty inexpensive. If you want to avoid the traditional, think of making some mac and cheese with chicken or ham. Also soup is a great option. You can usually make it fairly cheap and it freezes well. I know any new mom would love to eat some and store the rest in the freezer for when those meals stop coming!
I agree with the soup. We usually do soup and a few homemade loafs of bread.
I know from friends who have received meals either after illness or welcoming a new child that pasta dishes are best avoided as that is what everyone seems to bring (easy, cheap, etc.).
I try to take freezer meals, so that the family can pull them out whenever needed. Crystal has some great freezer meal recipes here on the blog. Also, twice-baked potatoes can be frozen (before the 2nd baking), waffles and various meats and casseroles also make good freezer meals (and pretty inexpensive).
Yes, when we had our first child we got about 6 lasagnas and while we were grateful, we were SO sick of lasagna after that.
I would suggest doing some frozen muffins, or maybe a loaf of zucchini or banana bread or maybe a box of crackers and some cookies, if you cant afford doing a meal. I know if you are new to breastfeeding (at least for me) I was up in the middle of the night so hungry my stomach would hurt! I loved the snacks that people brought that I could just grab really quickly!
Oh how funny I did not even see this comment before I commented up above you about recieving 5 lasagnas in one week! And for some reason everyone of those lasagnas was accompainied by corn! I say take just about anything BUT lasagna or spaghetti pie (another favorite for people to make and take). Thankful for the food but just don’t want to eat lasagna for another year! 🙂
baked ziti with a few bags of salad
I would suggest lasagna. You can make up a bunch ahead of time. Pull them out when you go over and add some bread and salad.
I’ve also done a casserole, a bag of egg noodles, a vegetable already cut up and ready to go and a dessert.
One of my favorites was a gift certificate to a take-out place that delivers.
I also often do lasagna. I usually just make a big batch and then split it between two 8×8 inch pans (and I use disposable for the new mom-no clean up). It feeds both families and is relatively inexpensive, especially if you get noodles & sauce on sale and then cut the meat down a little.
Please be careful with lasagna! We got lasagna 5 times in one week when my last child was born! Really you can have too much, I know that’s like a “go too recipe” for many people, but we were not ungrateful but yes you can have too much! 🙂
I agree. I like the “meal train” websites so that you can see what other people are bringing the family. Lasagna type foods are my favorite to make but I try to make soup or something different.