Monday Morning Survey III
Welcome to the third edition of the Monday Morning Surveys!
I cannot tell you how much I appreciated the depth of the feedback to the questions asked so far.
This week is a lot lighter and much easier to answer.
In my A Taste of Summertime Heaven, I talked about taking a meal to a family from church (the wife/mother was recuperating from surgery) and my friend Southern Gal asked what kind of meals I take to families in that situation. My answer was this:
I actually tend to keep it super simple. A roast beef or roast chicken, root veggies, green beans or corn, rolls, salad, dessert. Less roast chicken only because people can grab a rotisserie chicken at the store, so I figure they’ve gotten some or will get some during the period of meals being delivered.
Here are this week’s survey questions:
- When taking meals to someone, what do you typically take? What is your first fall-back meal?
- When people have brought meals to you, what has been your favorite meal?
Hopefully, we’ll all get some fresh new ideas!
Hallee
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When I take a meal to someone, it’s usually a casserole or some other one-pot meal like Shepherd’s Pie. The meals I like to receive are those kinds of meals as well because they’re really easy to just toss them in the oven to heat up and don’t take any extra prep work or make too many dishes dirty.
One time, I received five meals at once that I could store in my freezer, and it was really cool because the family who sent them to me had packed them all in take-out containers so I didn’t have to worry about making sure I returned their dishes to them. She had written all the instructions for reheating them on the lids, so I didn’t have to guess at how long or how hot to cook them, and I didn’t have to worry about losing the instructions if they’d been written on paper. It’s definitely something I’m going to do the next time I bring a meal to someone!
Thanks for doing this. I can’t wait to see what others contribute.
Funny, but the last two meals I delivered were roast beef and a crockpot rotisserie chicken! My favorite is a spaghetti pie with bread and salad. Super easy and most kids like spaghetti. I also like chicken pot pie, lasagna and casseroles. When I had surgery in December I had two weeks worth of meals provided to me. I seriously loved them all since I didn’t have to cook! Anything is great when I don’t have to prepare it!
I love that idea!
Why would I not think of chicken pot pie? My pot pie recipe rocks – that would be a perfect thing to take because it’s one dish.
When taking meals to someone, what do you typically take?
Homemade pasta, meatloaf, some sort of pasta casserole, roast, chicken and rice
In the winter I take a good hearty soup, salad, and bread.
Sometimes it is hard because most the people I take meals to are 30-45 minutes
away.
What is your first fall-back meal?
pasta stuffed with meat and ricotta, salad, and steamed broccoli
Shepherds pie and potpie are 2 others I take.
Now I’m hungry for stuffed shells…
i’m ashamed to say that I haven’t really been able to take food to others as much as I’d like to. Knowing that people who are grieving usually get a lot of ready made fresh food, I would like to get into the habit of making casseroles or lasagnas to keep in the freezer, then add a side or two and a dessert when someone needs food.
As for when people brought food to us, there were two that sticks out in memory. Both brought spaghetti (different times, different states) and salad. One added cookies and a snack for later.
I haven’t figured out how to make my own shells so I just take sheets of pasta and roll up chicken, ricotta, herbs and spices in it. YUM!!! It is a favorite in our house and so take to someone.
So… I have a mom’s group that takes each other food after each new baby – Mine was the last new baby (almost 3 months ago)! The best meals we received, in order, roast chicken with multiple sides (so tasty and homemade beats a rotisserie chicken any day!), pot roast, chicken pot pie, quiche with muffins, and lasagna. We got soup without bread or sides, so it didn’t really feel like a full meal. My only advice would be to bring a full meal if you tell someone you’re bringing food. My go-to meal is chicken tetrazzini casserole, salad (bagged if I’m running low on time), a loaf of Italian bread, and brownies.
I have gotten repeat requests for a simple spaghetti pie, sent with a tossed salad, bread, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. I always use disposable containers because usually if I am taking a meal, the family has enough to worry about and doesn’t need the added burden of keeping up with dishes being returned.
Lasagna, bread, and salad. I figure most ppl love pasta, and it’s one of the easiest to package up for them.
When taking meals to someone, what do you typically take? What is your first fall-back meal?
I generally will make a rotisserie style chicken in the crockpot, homemade mac & cheese and a mixed greens garden salad. I’ve done beef stew in the winter with a loaf of hearty oatmeal bread. I think I’ve done chicken casserole before too because it freezes well. I generally will add a dessert as well – cookies or brownies generally.
When people have brought meals to you, what has been your favorite meal?
My sister-in-law brought us the best cheddar broccoli soup after David (I think?) was born. My kiddos still talk about that meal. I’ve also had a one pan chicken with stuffing & veggies. Honestly though, I always appreciate any meal that I haven’t had to prepare no matter what it was. I’m just thankful that someone has been so thoughtful. :)
I have received meals multiple times in the last few years – I had a baby 14 months ago, and then I had a surgery that kept me from standing for any amount of time for my several weeks of recovery. All of the meals were appreciated, don’t get me wrong, but honestly, the casseroles got really old. My kids only rarely enjoy something where all of the ingredients are mixed together, lol. So that meant a lot of leftover rice and pasta-based dishes (with condensed cream soups as a sauce-base) that blended into one another.
So, based on my experience, I try to avoid the casseroles (lasagna included) and go for a meat with a hot grain side, a hot vegetable side, a fruit or salad, and homemade bread.
My go-to meal (though I’d never make it for you, Hallee, lol) is pork tenderloin with a dijon marsala sauce, brown rice or pesto-sauced noodles, green beans or carrots or broccoli, spinach salad, and whole wheat bread. I almost always include a dessert too (usually just homemade chocolate chip cookies, since everyone loves those and I also received an abundance of brownies!). I’ve also sent homemade ice cream before too.
Another go-to is flank steak – I have a wonderful honey-and-soy sauce based recipe that I grill and slice thin.
I have also made soups (usually navy bean or chili – something hearty) but I always, always include bread and a salad and dessert. I agree with Erin (above) that providing a meal means providing the entire meal. But I’ve come to the conclusion that not everyone has the same definition of “entire meal” that my family and I have, lol.
I usually take something that can be warmed up easily, Spaghetti Pie and a baked pie (apple mostly). My favorite meal that was brought in was a Mexican Salad with pasta, very tasty and was good warmed up or served cold.
I wrote about this not too long ago, too. I’m a fan of slow-cooker something-or-other (stews, roasts, etc) with a side salad, small container of dressing, bread, and dessert. I almost always have to stop by the store and pick something up last-minute, though (dressing or dessert, usually)!
I always do the disposable dishes, too. Those who need meals definitely don’t need to be worrying about returning dishes, and it keeps me from remembering to get them back!
Many times when I’ve needed to bring a meal to someone they have lots of kiddos. So I make are large pot of sloppy joes the day before it’s needed. I package it into several gallon-sized zipper bags. Then I send things to go with it… like chips or potatoe salad, fruit, fresh veggies and homemade dip, and a dessert. This way, it’s a little different than the casseroles (because in my experience kids don’t care for them and the adults get bored with them). The other nice thing is that it can be heated up a little at a time. Another nice option is a suitable DVD (if you know the family well enough to know their tastes) because it’s nice to just relax as a family together.
As far as the disposable dishes go — when I dropped a meal off last Friday, the dad went ahead and dumped everything into their own dishes and handed it all back to me (the Glad-ware I’d packed the meal in). He said he just didn’t know who would want what back and it was just easier for him to not worry about it.
I’ve done meatballs in beef gravy with egg noodles or rice as the side with a veggie and dessert. I’ve also taken loose lasagna, salad, garlic bread and dessert. I always take paper plates, plastic cups and plastic wear too, so no one has to worry about dishes. I think the next time I have to take a meal to someone it will be slow cooked beef tips and noodles or chicken and noodles.
When my brother and sister in law had their boys, Tim and I sent a pizza gift card (Papa John’s or Pizza Hut) and a Blockbuster gift card since we couldn’t take dinner to them, we figurd they could order pizza and get a movie and have a night in on us. They were very appreciative.
When we had Avery, we got lasagna and bread, taco salad and chili. Those were enough for one week of dinners for us.
The two meals I mostly make for others are lasagna with garlic bread and salad or chicken pot pie with salad. I vary the desserts. I also ALWAYS send a breakfast as well, either pancakes or french toast and sausage. I know for myself I got tired of cold breakfasts when I was unable to cook myself.
The best meal I ever got was enchiladas with rice on top and apple turnovers. I have noticed since I have lived on the west coast, east coast, north and south, meals that are expected/appreciated most vary by region. I am now on the east coast where lots of pasta is appreciated. On the west coast, ethnic dishes (especially Mexican) were popular. Casseroles were popular in both the north and south.
That’s very interesting about the different regions. Thank you!
i don’t have many opportunities to do this…but i did this past fall and i made your chicken pot pie…b/c after all IT IS THE BEST and turkey noodle soup. the family ranted and raved about it and told me i need to sell them! lol
this is something i struggle with…i always offer to bring a meal and then don’t know what to bring!
we also don’t recieve many meals…when i had my second son i stocked my freezer FULL of food! I was so glad i did b/c i didn’t have to cool for a month. Plus I had made enough that if i had visitors i had enough for them too! we were brought baked ziti and shrimp scampi this last time and a delicious cake/fruit thing.
ill keep in mind to include sides as well as dessert!
Honestly? I usually give them 3 giftcards and 3 menus: One to the Thai Delivery restaurant, One to the Italian (not pizza) delivery restaurant, and one to the Mexican Delivery restaurant. While a homecooked meal is wonderful, I found that sometimes even the burden of re-heating it was too much to handle some nights. Plus, I’m a lousy cook.
Stew/soup is a great idea, Heather!
Oh and the best meal that I received was a Steak Tartare with a bag of garlic mashed potatoes and a loaf of homemade Italian Bread. It was delicious (and much better food than I can cook). But, my kids didn’t like the caviar (it is wrapped inside the Steak Tartare) and it was a lot of work to re-heat/cook.
I’m in Southern California, and I agree that Mexican food dishes are generally the most “liked” here. My neighbor always gives a pan of enchiladas or a bag of tamales, which are total hits.
I like the gift card idea – if I could do it.
Where we are the meals are usually taken at the family’s dinnertime so they have no re-heating. :)
I make really good homemade tamales. YUM.
I always take homemade meatballs in homemade tomato sauce that is frozen in a gallon ziploc. Of course, I always add a box of spaghetti, a salad, and bread. And the best part is that we always include dessert. Usually this is two logs of frozen homemade chocolate chip cookie dough (nothing beats a fresh baked cookie, just slice, lay on a cookie sheet and bake — include directions on the ziploc).
I like this meal because it is pretty easy for the person to reheat and throw together, or they can put most of it in the freezer and save for later if they have lots of food. There is no pan to return. Plus, it is a bit different than what most people bring. And best part for me, is we always have bags of meatballs and cookies in the freezer, so I can always take someone food.