Meals to help out a family

[Anonymous]

I love meatloaf! My whole family devours it.

Pasta dishes (lasagna, baked ziti, mac & cheese) are classic drop-off dinners for a reason - they freeze well, reheat easily, can be a full dinner on their own (don't require adding anything fresh, although they do go well with a fresh salad), and they are delicious comfort food. One slight twist might be a beef stroganoff casserole just for a slightly different flavor.

But if the pasta thing is already overdone for the family, some other ideas:
Hearty soup/stew like chili or ham & bean soup, with a prepared salad and loaf of bread
Quiche
Tray of pulled pork, freezer container of baked beans, frozen corn. Buns on the side.

[Anonymous]

This chicken recipe from NYT gets over 10k 5-star reviews. Easy and yummy. I guess you might need to deliver it on a sheet pan to warm up. Maybe prepare it in an aluminum pan? Gift recipe below.



https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017359-sheet-pan-chicken-with-potatoes-arugula-and-garlic-yogurt?unlocked_article_code=1.f00.F4ba.BH617l9IVO15&smid=share-url

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicken marbella

Yes! Delicious and nondairy.

[Anonymous]

Turkey meatloaf please. Ina Garten’s is our go-to. Add some mashed or roasted potatoes and everyone is happy.

[Anonymous]

I think a tray of meat with fixings on side is a nice change from pasta dishes and easily customizable for low carb people.

--tray of pulled chicken or pulled pork, sides of rice and rolls, coleslaw salad, cut fruit
-tray of chicken for fajitas, variety of fixings on side, (also include rice so someone can have rice bowl instead)
--Peruvian chicken with sides (this is always a big hit)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More than one of y'all are posting about "meatloaf." Do people still eat this? I think of it as almost on par with chicken ala king and chipped beef on toast.

I am the PP directly above your post. I used to be on the Sunshine committee for our multiples clubs (twins, triplets, etc). The Sunshine committee would try to have two meals made for every new parents to multiples who joined the club. They usually coordinated for people who lived relatively close to the new family. There weren't too many members in our part of the region, so I made probably a dozen meals while I was on the committee. I remember texting a list of about 6 different meal options (lasagna, meatloaf, Chinese beef & broccoli, roast chicken, chili and a couple of others). I think all but one all chose meatloaf.

From what I can tell, most people pick meatloaf because many people like it, but also many don't want to do the work to make it. A good meatloaf does take time to make and isn't just throwing meat into a pan and baking it. I still ask, but I'm no longer surprised when most people pick meatloaf.

[Anonymous]

White Chicken Chili (I use the Annie's Eats recipe though have customized a bit over the years). Deliver it with a container of sour cream, bag of shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and some cilantro. My kid makes me make this recipe every week. It freezes well (pre-mixing in the dairy) and is tasty.

I agree with meatloaf.

[Anonymous]

Breakfast for dinner, like a egg-cheese-veggie-potato casserole, baked oatmeal, or pancakes with a fruit compote and a large container of yogurt. Or breakfast burritos--make a bunch and freeze individually. I have also done a dozen bagels (sliced) with a tub of cream cheese, a package of lox, a jar of peanut butter, a bunch of bananas, a jar of pizza sauce, and a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. No matter what time of day it is, I am always glad to have a bagel and people are surprisingly excited about pizza bagels!

[Anonymous]

Please just order food from a restaurant or provide gift cards for restaurants. No one wants food prepared from your kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Breakfast for dinner, like a egg-cheese-veggie-potato casserole, baked oatmeal, or pancakes with a fruit compote and a large container of yogurt. Or breakfast burritos--make a bunch and freeze individually. I have also done a dozen bagels (sliced) with a tub of cream cheese, a package of lox, a jar of peanut butter, a bunch of bananas, a jar of pizza sauce, and a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. No matter what time of day it is, I am always glad to have a bagel and people are surprisingly excited about pizza bagels!

These are the most disgusting food ideas I've ever heard. If some one brought me any of these, I would thank them and promptly toss these meals in the trash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chicken marbella

No one wants to eat this. So gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please just order food from a restaurant or provide gift cards for restaurants. No one wants food prepared from your kitchen.

People who do not want hone cooked food do not agree to a meal train.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please skip the lasagna. Between everyone making pasta dishes, and so many doing li- or no-carb, it's not a good option.

Make a Greek lemon chicken dish*, steam some green beans and send with toasted almonds (separately in case of allergies), and include toasted potatoes. Adelicious, nutricious meal. For dessert, fresh berries with homemade whipped cream

Lemon Greek chicken recipe: https://downshiftology.com/recipes/greek-lemon-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-67692

+1

No lasagna or other baked pasta.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chicken marbella

Yes! Delicious and nondairy.

+1

With rice, salad, baguette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also don’t know anyone who eats meatloaf! Is it still the 80’s?!

oh ffs... even Costco sells a meatloaf/mashed potatoes duo in their prepared foods. And Costco ain't selling it if no one's buying it.