Anonymous wrote:I don't know. Maybe I had a more difficult time than most during those first few weeks, but I was a complete mess and really didn't want any unannounced visitors, even if it was just a nice neighbor asking what they could make me for dinner. If you want to make sure it's useful, I'd just give a gift card for the neighborhood pizza place.

And we were the exact opposite. When we had our twins, while we appreciated the gift cards, we appreciated the delivered meals more. The delivered meals we could pop in the microwave and eat in the small window between feeding the twins. With the gift card, either one of us had to go down for pick up or we had to call and wait 30-45 minutes. With the twins, inevitably, when the delivered food finally arrived one of them would wake up and we still wouldn't be able to eat. Sometimes there's only a one hour window when your new infant(s) is asleep. Do you want to spend most of that waiting for food to arrive or to just heat food up and eat? I realize that we had twins and OP's neighbor has a singleton, but I have friends who had singletons who also had small windows of freedom to shower, sleep, eat, and go to the bathroom and waiting for takeout or delivery was not really a useful option until weeks later. It takes up about 1 or 2 minutes of your time (or DH's time) to say what your food preferences and/or allergies are and then a few minutes when the food is delivered. I still stand by my recommendation to ask first and prepare a meal.

I don't know. Maybe I had a more difficult time than most during those first few weeks, but I was a complete mess and really didn't want any unannounced visitors, even if it was just a nice neighbor asking what they could make me for dinner. If you want to make sure it's useful, I'd just give a gift card for the neighborhood pizza place.

A friend recently had twins and I sent them an e-mail with several options. They replied and I made one of them. Another vote to ask them about their preferences. I would have to put time and effort into making something that for one reason or another they cannot eat. For example, even if it is an entree that they love, if you include something that one of them is allergic to, it doesn't help. Since you don't know, you should ask before you make anything. For appropriate times, walk over to the house at some point in the afternoon and knock on the door. If you knock relatively softly, that is less disruptive a less likely to awaken the baby than if you call or knock loudly or ring the doorbell.

I second a vegetarian pasta dish or something like granola or cookies. Most meat-eaters will happily eat pasta, but somebody that doesn't eat meat or red meat or whatever would just throw out a brisket or a meatloaf. If she's breastfeeding, lactation cookies are a great choice. You can google for a recipe. You also can't go wrong with a gift card for a place that will deliver to your neighborhood. You're a nice neighbor!

Agree with 22:11 - ask a couple simple questions (veg/dairy/sensitivities) before making anything. I love a big pasta salad that can be put in the fridge and eaten cold all week long. This is a good one:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tomato-feta-pasta-salad-recipe/index.html

Or - if you're feeling especially ambitious - homemade granola bars!

http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/

I'm making a big batch of these for a friend who just had a baby.

OP,

These are sweet suggestiions but you should try and get information about their eating habits and preferences!

I second brisket and lasagna. I would also consider meatloaf. If you don't like to make stuff yourself, there are some good pre-made things at Trader Joe's. They keep for a week or so and maybe they freeze. Chicken Alfredo at costco is good. Also, you could get a bagged salad and some rolls. When I had my twins, a friend gave us some pre-made frozen entrees from Dinewise (online) and they were mostly pretty good. I gave the same to a buddy when she had her second and she was very happy. We also got a ton of stuff from Omaha steaks and the sides were easy to prepare but the steaks required cooking like they normally do so they were yummy but not necessarily easy to make.

martinis, lots of martinis

Anonymous wrote:Anything that freezes well and has lots of calories if she's BFing. I was a total mess for the first six weeks, and friends brought me a huge lasagna, a pork noodle dish, and chicken tetrazzini. I froze them in small portions and they lasted weeks. Small portions were better for me because I really did not have the time or energy to sit down for a huge meal.

Yes. MIL made us brisket, with gravy, roasted potatoes, lots of vegetables, and bread. OMG, I practically ate all of that by myself.

Don't make anything "light" - typically new parents are ravenous.

Anything that freezes well and has lots of calories if she's BFing. I was a total mess for the first six weeks, and friends brought me a huge lasagna, a pork noodle dish, and chicken tetrazzini. I froze them in small portions and they lasted weeks. Small portions were better for me because I really did not have the time or energy to sit down for a huge meal.

I like to bring stuffed shells b/c they are great for lunch or dinner or freezing to use another time. You can just grab a few (or a lot). It's a little extra work on the front end, but such an easy reheat for the new parents.

But I also totally agree with PP who suggests bagels, muffins, etc, and providing a dessert of any kind.

You are a nice person to want to help out!

Anonymous wrote:
What's your go-to recipe when cooking for people you don't know very well?!?

A Target or Amazon gift card

If you really want to cook something, definitely stay away from dairy if she is BF just in case.
Think one-handed and easy to reheat. A platter of simply seasoned chicken breasts, a veggie salad already put together (no chopping for mom, very nice), maybe some muffins or a quick bread if you bake?

Thinking to when DD was born... heck, half dozen bagels and a brick of cream cheese would have been fabulous. Muffins, even storebought... anything that you can eat one-handed and not worry about dropping it on baby's head and burning them

Anything chocolate

A gift card for delivery or take out.

Chicken Marbella

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chicken_marbella/

(You can use boneless breasts if you prefer)

Rice
Salad
Bread
Homemade dessert

I stay away from pasta, because lasagne seems to be too popular for these things and because dairy poses a problem for some BFing mothers. Also, this dish heats up easily, but tastes good at room temp as well.

Our across-the-street neighbors just had a baby and we'd like to make a meal for them, but I don't know them very well so I don't know what they like. I probably can ask if they are vegetarian (I'm pretty sure they're not, but not 100% sure).

What's your go-to recipe when cooking for people you don't know very well?!?