Send love with homemade food!
Whenever a family member or friend needed support due to illness, the loss of a loved one, or some other tragedy, my mother pulled out her special casserole dish, filled it with her homemade Sonora Beef Enchiladas, and delivered it. Her generosity was usually met with a teary-eyed hug, and I knew she had delivered a tray of love.
I've continued her tradition, and for the past five months, my best friend and I created a meal train and delivered home-cooked meals to one of our dearest friends who was recovering from a serious illness. I made savory dishes, comforting soups, taquitos, enchiladas, flavorful rice, and lentils. While my friend, a true baking artist, crafted the sweet endings: decadent brownies, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, and delightful fruit tortes and empanadas.
We poured our love into our cooking, trying to make each week's meals the best ever! The joy we experienced during those deliveries was immeasurable. Seeing our friend savor the food we'd made and the big smiles on her family's faces as they devoured my bestie's ridiculously delicious desserts was an inspiring gift.
This experience reminded me of the true power of meal trains. Whether it's a joyous occasion like welcoming a new baby or a challenging time like recovering from an illness or accident, a meal train can be a lifeline, transforming warm meals into deliveries of love and kindness.
MealTrain.com, TakeThemAMeal.com, and LotsaHelpingHands.com are my favorite meal train applications for coordinating meal deliveries.
Here are some other suggestions to help you prepare meals your recipients will love!
Check for dietary preferences - vegetarian, plant-based, gluten-free, nut-free, low sodium, etc.- and ensure your food meets those requests.
Personalize menus - Offer to make their favorite recipes; if you don't know how, ask them to share their recipes.
Surprise them with comfy classics - If they don't make any recipe requests, consider making them a comforting meal, such as soups with toasted garlic bread, casseroles, or enchiladas.
Add a personal touch, a handwritten note or small gift to your delivery.
Food has the incredible power to nourish our bodies and souls. Whether you're organizing a meal train for a neighbor, contributing to a relief organization, or simply sharing a meal with a friend, remember that every act of kindness, every plate of food, sends a powerful message of love and support.
Be well,
Happy Cooking!
Molé Mama