Sending supper to a new mom, any tips?

lavendarpetals ↓

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 1:32 pm

Hi! I’m sending supper to a neighbor that just had a baby. It’s my first time so please give me good ideas and any tips? Thanks!!

mha3484

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 1:50 pm

I ask myself what my kids have the hardest time eating and I don't send that. Like rice ends up in their laps, spaghetti makes a mess. I don't want to a burden a post partum mother with a mess to clean up. I try to be cognizant of that when I decide what to make.

seeker

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 1:50 pm

Ask first if there's anything they really don't want (for example in my family almost nobody likes fish. Salmon would be a great healthy classy supper to send someone, except me) or are allergic to.

Send more than you think they'll need. Maybe someone's a big eater, and if not they'll have leftovers for lunch.

Once when I had this kind of time, I made healthy muffins and pulled a little container of vegetable soup from my freezer and added it on as snacks/breakfast/lunch for the mom (supper was for the whole family and I'm pretty sure no one was sending lunch). She was super grateful. But it's more to do so not expected. This was for a good friend, I don't know if I would have found the energy to do it for a more random meal train.

BH Yom Yom

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 1:54 pm

So nice of you! If you can send something extra that’s just for the mom for lunch, like another poster suggested - a container of frozen soup or similar, that can be helpful. Specify that it’s for her so other family members don’t eat it (unless she’s OK with it). Send everything in disposable containers that she does not have to worry about washing, keeping track of, or returning to you. Ask when the best time to bring the food over is; if parking is difficult, go with someone who can bring the food to the mom while you stay in the car or vice versa.

Tizki l’mitzvos!

jfk92

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 2:21 pm

I always ask questions: any allergies or something the family doesn't eat? You don't want to end up spending time,money and effort and then it goes in the garbage. Also if they have a preference for dairy or meat. And definitely I agree about sending more than you think. I usually count for 3 ppl extra just in case. Worst case they have something leftover.

Food ↓

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 2:33 pm

I like to send a pot of chicken soup loaded with vegetables on a Wednesday or a Thursday - that way they can choose if they want to eat it for dinner or save it for Shabbos Smile

teachkids

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 3:17 pm

Food wrote:

I like to send a pot of chicken soup loaded with vegetables on a Wednesday or a Thursday - that way they can choose if they want to eat it for dinner or save it for Shabbos Smile

I assume you mean in addition to dinner, because I would be frustrated if I was expecting dinner and just got soup and had to scramble for dinner last minute

↑ Food

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 3:18 pm

teachkids wrote:

I assume you mean in addition to dinner, because I would be frustrated if I was expecting dinner and just got soup and had to scramble for dinner last minute

Yes, I did mean in addition to dinner - sorry if that wasn't clear Smile

ima22

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 7:20 pm

Don't get so bogged down with all the extras. Keep it simple so it's an easy chesed for you to do and you don't get burnt out sending one meal

I like to send
Protein - salmon/chicken/schnitzel/meatballs/burgers
Carb - rice/roasted potatoes/corn on the cob
Cooked veggie - green beans/broccoli

Additions if I'm able to
Cut up raw veggies or a salad
Cut up fruit
Soup

Of course keep in mind allergies and food preferences.

mollie21

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 8:19 pm

Also maybe this doesn't apply everywhere, but where I live (israel) for some reason tons of people sent things in pots and pans, or glass bowls and whatnot that I then had to return. It was sweet of them to send supper but having to keep track of what belonged to who was a bit annoying. So definitely send in disposables if you can!

MySpace

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 8:26 pm

I like to send a simple version for the kids and dressed up for the parents using the same ingredients.
So if I send a veggie lomein or rice with sauteed onions and mushrooms I'll send some plain noodles/rice for the kids same if I'm sending a sesame chicken/hot poppers idea I'll fry the chicken and the take some off before adding the sauce.

I loved getting suppers with more flavor than plain chicken/potatoes/pasta but then had the issue that my kids wouldn't touch it because of the sauce/too spicy etc. I started sending my suppers like this and so many ppl have thanked me.

Stars

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 9:08 pm

My main tip is whatever you send, send more than you think is needed, and try very hard to send it by 4:00. It’s easy to reheat food. It’s not so easy to deal with starving kids when the food arrives an hour (or more) later than they’re used to eating.

BrisketBoss

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 9:10 pm

Stars wrote:

Seconded. This was not an issue with my first baby but it became an issue. (I still appreciated the meals, of course, but needed to come up with a starter. Was DLKZ that they had a lot of stuff going on but earlier is definitely preferable.)

AlwaysGrateful

Tue, Aug 22 2023, 9:22 pm

Stars wrote:

Yes, and you can even ask if you can drop it off the evening before, if it would be hard to make it there early in the afternoon.

Most important is to make sure to send enough food to feed everyone, and at least a few things so that all the kids will eat something.

Easy meals could be shnitzel rice salad, spaghetti meatballs green beans, burgers corn grilled veggies, ziti soup and something else, fish pasta and some other veggie...things like that.

By the way, if it's their first, ignore most of the advice everyone is giving you. Anything you make will be good, as long as most people enjoy it, if there aren't any other kids in the picture.