Meal Delivery: Tips & Ideas for New Baby, Condolence, Post-Surgery, Thinking of You
Mary’s Tips
Never deliver anything in a dish that needs to be returned. Disposable foil pans are ideal, as are meal prep containers. Include re-heating instructions.
Part of the gift of meal delivery is doing all the mental labor. Verify basics like food allergies, but don’t ask, “So, what do you want me to make?” A tired new mom doesn’t have the bandwidth. It’s your job to figure it out.
You absolutely don’t have to cook! DoorDash and Postmates are great; just remember it’s not the recipients’ job to come up with a restaurant. Tell them, “I’d like to send you dinner from this place on Saturday. Is that a good day?” Send a link to the menu and they can pick what they want.
Consider delivering items that work for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Ideas include: prepped fruit/veggies, hummus, chicken salad, crackers, bakery sandwich bread, deli meats and cheeses, jars of overnight oats, granola, healthy muffins, mini frittatas, chips/guac.
Websites such as Take Them A Meal and Give InKind are great for setting up a meal train. Give InKind also lets you create sign-ups for things like walking the dog and running errands if people want to contribute something other than food.
When you deliver your meal, leave it on the front stoop and go (text to let them know it’s there). Give people their privacy in vulnerable or exhausting moments.
Meal Ideas
Taco Kit
A crowd-pleaser that’s easy to prep. Make some taco meat (add sauteed spinach or kale to boost the veggies) and a black bean spread that’s a healthy version of refried beans. I go to Whole Foods for gauc, chips, tortillas, grated cheese, and salsa, plus their Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for dessert.
Mediterranean
These Herby Turkey Meatballs are divine (if you don’t have time to make the sauce, grab some Trader Joe’s tzatziki). Pair with a quinoa or farro salad and roasted asparagus, all of which are delicious at room temperature. I love this quinoa salad.
Breakfast for Dinner
Frittatas are fantastic – they last for days in the fridge, can be eaten warm or at room temp, and are a great way to pack in veggies. Ina Garten’s Roasted Vegetable Frittata is a classic. Send a container of pre-washed arugula + sides of lemon vinaigrette and shaved parmesan to toss a simple salad.
Italian
Bolognese is comforting, hearty, and gets more delicious as it sits in the fridge (you can also freeze leftovers). Add a box of pasta (or deliver cooked, al dente noodles tossed in olive oil to prevent sticking). Crusty bread + a basic arugula salad (see above) are perfect finishing touches.
Ask the Experts
What’s Gaby Cooking has a great roundup of meal ideas for new parents. The Defined Dish also offers a ton of inspiration in this reel (all recipes on her website).
