Meal ideas for chessed

lkwdmommy

Wed, Jan 29 2014, 4:17 pm

coconutbutter wrote:

So something like a pot of butternut squash soup with a pan of chicken is acceptable? I really don't want to be cutting corners but I'm trying to figure out what's acceptable and practicable for me.

Put rice or potatoes in the pan with the chicken and then you're okay.

DrMom

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 12:55 am

chana_f wrote:

Quote:

So something like a pot of butternut squash soup with a pan of chicken is acceptable? I really don't want to be cutting corners but I'm trying to figure out what's acceptable and practicable for me.

It's not really considered a full meal. How about you skip the soup, and instead send: chicken, Israeli salad, rice.

Sounds yummy to me! Esp the soup.

imaima

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 4:49 am

I don' t really get it. Some people are not spending their lives cooking for others. Requirements like that make people resentful that they are even asked to send something. It doesn't always have to be the perfect dinner. Soup and chicken might not be so well balanced, but it does make you FULL!! For starch, add BREAD! or store bought crackers!
And for goodness sake, a home made dessert every day of the week? rest assured there are plenty of people who eat corn flakes or grilled cheese sandwiches every night of the week WILLINGLY, and they definitely don't expect 4 course dinners.

theoneandonly

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 5:09 am

imaima wrote:

Soup and chicken doesn't make me full. Especially not when I'm nursing and even more hungry than usual. If you can't send a full meal, don't volunteer to cook, but if someone is expecting a meal from you, you need to make sure there's enough food.

imaima

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 5:24 am

theoneandonly wrote:

I have been involved in this before, and you are right - in theory. In reality, it only works if you have the community full of rich SAHMs who spend their days in the kitchen. Otherwise, people are spread pretty thun themselves to cook extensive meals for someone else. Even if you do have ladies who never say no - how many meals can you ask them to make?
So you got soup and chicken for dinner and you are not full- go and eat a piece of bread. It is still easier then making both chicken and soup yourself.
You think your choices are to get a smaller meal from Mrs X or bigger meal from Mrs Y. Great if that's the case. But often, your choices are to get a smaller meal from Mrs X, or nothing.

sunny90

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 5:38 am

Look, we're not rolling in it, but I love "spoiling" a new mom (who is in desperate need of spoiling) with a really nice dinner! When I had my baby I didn't expect a 4 course meal but it sure is nice to get one once in a while...
For example when I sent a baby meal recently I made lasagna (with mostly cottage cheese so not too expensive), cut up veggies with a yummy kid friendly dressing, and homemade cinnamon buns and muffins for dessert/breakfast/snacks. If I had made for example a quiche and a salad, I would have added a soup because that is not as filling as a carby lasagna! If I'm making a meal for someone I want it to be as all-inclusive as possible.
And yes I am a SAHM but we are not rich and I have a newborn baby too so it's not like I have endless time, but I make these meals the same way I make my family's meals--in stages. And I bake and freeze.

imaima

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 6:31 am

I don't say it's wrong to send those things. But I think it's wrong to say that it's the only possible way, and if you can't send so much, then don't even bother trying...

watergirl

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 7:29 am

Just for the record, when I had one of my babies (not the most recent one) we were eating chicken, israeli salad and rice night and day. Soup and chicken would have been great. We had plenty of salad and rice left over in the fridge to last us till the newborns bar mitzvah.

Ruchel

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 7:52 am

I'm all for sending "full stomach" meals to moms... but you can send a nice meat with a carb, and a dessert, and you don't need several sides and tons of starters or several desserts etc. Think of what YOU eat when you're very hungry Smile

SplitPea

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 7:59 am

My standards are chicken pot pie with bakes sweet potatoes

Or

Sesame chicken with rice and string beans.

With both I send muffins for dessert/breakfast and cooked pasta for kids. I also attempt to send a nice large salad because I personally love salads.

The chicken pot pie is quickly becoming my go to because its fast, easy, liked by most and freezes very well if the mom wants to.

SplitPea

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 8:01 am

watergirl wrote:

The chicken and rice thing sadly is the reason we won't be taking meals this time. We had it with baby number 2 and I begged for not another time of all chicken and rice for number 3 and got about 9 days of it (out of 12) this time my freezer will hopefully be stocked.

theoneandonly

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 8:07 am

imaima wrote:

If you can't make a full meal, fine, but you should warn the people you're cooking for that you're only making soup and chicken so they can be prepared. The problem isn't "I'm so spoiled and I need more food;" the problem is "I was expecting more, I'm starving, and I don't have anything else to eat in the house because I wasn't prepared for this."

spinkles

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 10:41 am

Nobody's saying you have to make this whole elaborate meal and stress yourself out. OP just wanted to know whether it would be considered acceptable to send a.) chicken soup and lukshen as a supper, or b.) butternut squash soup and chicken as a supper, and posters were just telling her honestly that in most places that isn't what people do. Those meals would be fine to serve your own family, but if you've told a family you're sending them supper, they are usually expecting a protein, a side dish, and some sort of veg. If you tell the family in advance that that's what you're sending, great. Then they know they have to have bread in the house or whatever to round out the meal.

As for getting the same meal umpteen times, there should be someone coordinating meals (easily done online with Meal Train etc.) to avoid that.

OP, sending meals doesn't have to be pricey, my favorite PP meals were things like split pea soup, tofu burgers, etc. But that only works if you know the family appreciates vegetarian food, of course.

Imhappy!

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 10:47 am

wow wow!!
people really make big meals!
personaly when I get meals from family/friends I appreciate the simple meals more because I know it wasnt a HUGE effort.
for example
baked fish/mashed potato/veg
soup/chicken/ rice/salad
normal homemade food of course I love always getting a soup and salad. I love both. and of course kids love the desserts but to think that busy moms SAH or working are overexerting themself for "extras" makes me feel uncomfortable.
so I send full and simple.
soup / protein/starch/veg and no dessert - I dont give dessert on the weekday so I dont send either.
all people I sent to thank me for the simple- heimish food. no sauces no frill.

MamaBear

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 11:19 am

For those who got the same thing ten days in a row....every community should use mealtrain.com or a similar site. It's so easy to use and then view what others are making, when/where to drop off food etc You can also share meals if it's to much to make more than one thing for the new mom.

stem

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 11:24 am

I make the same thing every time: Fried shnitzel, roasted potatoes, green beans, fresh garden salad with dressing. I don't bother with soup, but if I did I would probably leave out the green beans.

This supper has always been appreciated by both adults and children.

octopus

Thu, Jan 30 2014, 6:51 pm

I just sent over a supper for a new mom:

fresh grapes
green tossed salad
split pea soup
baked butternut squash
homemade potato "chips"
roast chicken
rib steak for the new mommy
baked apple for dessert