One of the best ways to help friends in need is to provide the family with meals during their difficult time. After all, everyone needs to eat.
Friends in Need
If you have ever tried coordinating meals for a family facing an illness, death or other tragedy, you know it’s not an easy task. If you are creating a schedule for friends to share in providing these meals, it can be tedious making phone calls and sending emails, confirming who is taking which food on what day. That is why I was so intrigued when I came across a website that helps in coordinating these efforts.
Take Them a Meal
Take Them a Meal is an online tool for coordinating the delivery of meals to loved ones.
The website is ideal for those times in life when providing a meal is the best gift you can do to help a family in need. It’s a way to simplify meal coordination so friends, family, neighbors and co-workers can easily participate.
The meal coordinator starts by filling out a short form with their contact information.
Next they provide the recipient’s information including the address where the meal should be delivered and the dates meals are needed. Those that are interested can sign up by selecting which days they would like to provide a meal.
It doesn’t have to be a homemade meal. You can also provide take out dinners from your restaurant of choice.
There is also an area for notes such as food allergies, how many people you will be feeding and any other pertinent information.
Participants can also list what food they will be bringing to the family. The best part about that is that other participants can see what others are taking and not repeat the same meal during that week.
Everyone involved, including the recipient, can view the calendar and see the scheduled meals.
Want more information? Here are two articles that were very informative.
Setting Up a Meal Schedule for Hard Situations
Portable Dinner Inspiration
In my post Get Well Dinner Basket, you will find my recipe for Pasta Fagioli. It has been my go-to meal to take to friends in need. It’s easy to make and feeds a lot of people.
You may also like my post Thoughtful Sympathy Gift Ideas for grieving friends. You will find a variety of unique suggestions beyond sending flowers to a funeral home.
Thanks for stopping by. What is your go to meal to take to friends in need? Please share in the comments below.
Great website Elaine! I have someone that needs that service.
One thing I like to do when taking a meal is to always use disposable trays if possible. It makes it easier on the recipient not having to worry who owns this casserole dish and how am I going to get it back to them. Once, when taking a meal to someone, that was the first thing they said…”THANK YOU FOR USING DISPOSABLE BOWLS AND TRAYS.”
Great idea Carolyn! It makes so much sense and is so thoughtful to make it easier for the family! I remember when everyone brought me dinners when I had my arm surgery – I still have a couple of containers I don’t know who they belong to 🙁