Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 12:00     Subject: Re:What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
I'd suggest something healthy - more veggies and meat, not cheese and pasta. Love the bottle of wine too! We got lots of meals early on so something freezer ready, already in small containers, is perfect.

A cut fresh fruit salad is perfect bc it is easy to eat while breastfeeding - it is hard to eat things like a grapefruit while holding a baby.

For something easy, Whole Foods soups and prepared foods are great. As is something, if you arrange in advance, like an offer of (their choice) a takeout rotisserie chicken meal, or sandwiches from somewhere like Lebanese Taverna Market.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:27     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Who drinks wine with a newborn around?


oh god, we did, as soon as i understood her sleeping rhythms a little and could trust that she was likely to go down for 3-4 hours. i was breastfeeding, so i limited myself to half a glass, consumed with a real meal just after baby nursed and fell asleep. geez, it helped with my peace of mind. and my husband and mother would each have a real glass too. everyone was happier.

we got lots of great casseroles, lasagnas, zitis and soups. (soups were great at midwinter!). the people i really, really adored also brought us a couple of beers, some muffins for breakfast and one-handed snacks. i could eat a horse a day those first few weeks.


Oh yes, there's nothing better than a glass of wine after abstaining for 9 months.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:25     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:PLEASE I BEG YOU freeze whatever you bring in small containers.

People brought us frozen meals in huge containers. By the time I defrosted it I was busy with something else then I had to transfer it to my plate and again got Ito something else. I had to reheat 4 times each meal.

Then I learned to freeze in small single portion containers. It saved my life. I'd eat straight from the freezer bowl.


Yes! OP, even if you are providing a fresh meal, divide it up into a few small plastic containers. That way, when they're done eating, they already have a container for the leftovers, and they don't have to scrub out a casserole dish. And they don't have to worry about returning it to you, if you go cheap. Also makes it easy to pop in the freezer.

I would also suggest providing a pack of durable paper plates and napkins.

You could try providing reheatable breakfast foods. I received quiche and a baked french toast thing that was really nice to have for breakfasts.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:25     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:I'd forego the surprise element, and call up and say you're bringing something. "What would you like?"

I love the bag of groceries idea!


I would have responded "nothing. You don't need to bring anything." Because I would feel awkward demanding a specific meal. How do I know what you have the knowledge, time, money or inclination to cook? I think it would work better to say, "we were thinking of bringing a lasagna or a rotisserie chicken. Which one would you prefer?"
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:20     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Something you can eat one handed. It took a while for me to get back to fork-and-knife-on-plate-at-table foods. In the beginning, that baby is in your arms and/or on your breast all the time.


For me, the above was great. Some friends dropped off a big grocery bag full of easy to heat up prepared foods from Trader Joes -- tamales, burritoes, microwave foods, etc. That was really nice. Also lots of high calorie snacks, cheeses etc. for hungry nursing moms. If she's not nursing, maybe she won't appreciate as much, I don't know.


My SIL provided at Trader Joe's bag too. I was so thankful for the huge tub of hummus and crackers. And the frozen foods were great to eat a few weeks later, after people stopped providing us with lasagnas!
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:04     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
I loved the quiche someone brought us. Add a salad, bread and a bottle of wine.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 11:02     Subject: Re:What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Our favorite that we received was an awesome split pea soup with cilantro and sesame oil. Amazing.

For others I've made brisket or chicken Marsala to take frozen, with some of those frozen rice pouches from TJs.

For a ready to eat (not frozen) healthy meal, I make a recipe from epicurious - bulgur with garbanzo beans, tomatoes and feta, and I bring some sliced grilled chicken and a bag of green salad to have with it.

Right now with the cold weather, a beef stew would be nice.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 10:57     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
I'd forego the surprise element, and call up and say you're bringing something. "What would you like?"

I love the bag of groceries idea!
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 10:53     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:Who drinks wine with a newborn around?


oh god, we did, as soon as i understood her sleeping rhythms a little and could trust that she was likely to go down for 3-4 hours. i was breastfeeding, so i limited myself to half a glass, consumed with a real meal just after baby nursed and fell asleep. geez, it helped with my peace of mind. and my husband and mother would each have a real glass too. everyone was happier.

we got lots of great casseroles, lasagnas, zitis and soups. (soups were great at midwinter!). the people i really, really adored also brought us a couple of beers, some muffins for breakfast and one-handed snacks. i could eat a horse a day those first few weeks.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 10:49     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
PLEASE I BEG YOU freeze whatever you bring in small containers.

People brought us frozen meals in huge containers. By the time I defrosted it I was busy with something else then I had to transfer it to my plate and again got Ito something else. I had to reheat 4 times each meal.

Then I learned to freeze in small single portion containers. It saved my life. I'd eat straight from the freezer bowl.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 10:46     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Who drinks wine with a newborn around?
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 09:06     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
I loved when a friend dropped off a large crock pot of soup, Itailan bread, a bottle of wine and homemade cookies.

Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 09:05     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Shepherd's Pie - you can buy at Wagshal's or cook

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Shepherds-Pie-240224?mbid=ipapp
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 08:39     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:Something you can eat one handed. It took a while for me to get back to fork-and-knife-on-plate-at-table foods. In the beginning, that baby is in your arms and/or on your breast all the time.


For me, the above was great. Some friends dropped off a big grocery bag full of easy to heat up prepared foods from Trader Joes -- tamales, burritoes, microwave foods, etc. That was really nice. Also lots of high calorie snacks, cheeses etc. for hungry nursing moms. If she's not nursing, maybe she won't appreciate as much, I don't know.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2013 08:38     Subject: What food should I drop off for friend who just had a baby?
Anonymous wrote:sustenance lol


Why is this funny?