TIME SENSITIVE Is this enough food?

amother

Tulip

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 1:22 pm

amother Papaya wrote:

I'd add a soup to make it a real filling meal. I'm famished postpartum, and I'd need something more to really fill me up.
When I send a meal, it's generally soup, salad, main, side, baked good.

I actually don’t like getting soup because that means more dishes for me to wash. Unless I guess it’s milchig and I can put it in my microwave. But if it’s meat I would have to then use a pot to warm it up and that’s annoying for me postpartum.

zaq

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:04 pm

Just want to point out that the circumstances of the birth have no bearing on the matter. People need to eat regardless. What you describe is just fine. The embellishments others recommend are nice, a "hiddur mitzvah" if you will, but not essential. If this were a single parent with no one else around to lend a hand, then the mother's physical condition would be relevant, and disposable utensils etc. would be downright necessary. But that is not the case here.

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:09 pm

amother Geranium wrote:

Personally I would send another cooked veggy, a soup, and cut up fruit.

Wow, this thread is another reason I hardly send meals.

I only send to people who I know are more than happy to get just a main and side.

This pressure to send a whole variety is crazy.

amother

Stone

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:16 pm

amother Dodgerblue wrote:

Wow, this thread is another reason I hardly send meals.

I only send to people who I know are more than happy to get just a main and side.

This pressure to send a whole variety is crazy.

Main and a side are perfectly OK. Don't pay attention to the pressure. I'm usually sending whatever we have for dinner that night. I'm just making more of it.

amother

Lightgreen

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:24 pm

That sounds perfect. I would love to get such a meal any night. I don't get all these people that need a 6 course meal with a variety of sides, desserts and treats.
I don't serve so much for a regular meal, regardless of whether I'm postpartum or not. I don't think the standards need to be that high. Otherwise it becomes unattainable.
As others have said, sending the disposables is a really nice touch. I remember one person sent that with their meal and it was so easy dishing it up, as everything I needed was there. I didn't have to pull out any dishes or cutlery, it was all in one place.

watergirl

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:38 pm

amother Lightgreen wrote:

Honestly, we have to remember that some communities do massive meals every night and always include a soup and dessert and fruit. I have to remember this also. So when we respond to mealtrain threads, those of us from “soup and fruit with dinner as a given” communities think that a protein, starch, and veg, is not enough. Those of us from “starch, protein, and veg is more than enough” communities think that anything extra is overkill.

amother

Papaya

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:41 pm

amother Tulip wrote:

You can use a disposable foil pan to warm up food when you don't want extra dishes to wash.

amother

NeonBlue

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:49 pm

Last year I was dependent on a meal train for almost six months. Here is what o learned
1. On time is essential
2. Simple and basic gets eaten more
3. Soup is not needed
4. Keep the dressing on the side.
5. Make food you feel confident you can make well.

amother

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:53 pm

So I guess there’s mix feelings on what I’m sending
I would be soooooo grateful to receive such a meal
I’ve been in situations (more than once) where I really needed someone to step up to the plate and no one in my community did. And I absolutely had no one to rely on.
So I want to do this right.
I have a few soups in the freezer
Should I defrost one before I deliver.

So far I have
Salad
One pot chicken, rice, peas n carrot dish
Cookies
Baked apple slices

Maybe those that say it’s not enough is right

Should I defrost a soup

OTOH- I do know ppl sent generously the other nights and she may have leftovers

amother

Stone

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 2:56 pm

amother OP wrote:

No.

amother

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 3:30 pm

So I added soup

Salad
Soup
Chicken and rice dish
Cookies
Baked apple slices

I’ve been in situations where no one offered for me. Even super simple pb&j sandwiches would have been appreciated.
I want her to feel like I care

I also included plastic plates, bowls, cutlery napkins

And of course a note

So now this should be enough
She could feel pampered

amother

Iris

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 3:50 pm

zaq wrote:

I disagree. Part of the reason we send meals is because people need to eat. The other reason we send meals is so people feel cared for.

Someone who's in a difficult situation appreciate those extra touches as message of love.

I was once in a very difficult situation and offered meals. There was no reason I couldn't physically make meals. But every night I received it. The message of care and love meant so much to me. There were a few nights they even cried when I received the meals.

So while basic foods are plenty to eat, those extra touches like a note or dessert give that pampering feeling that is so important to emotional recovery.

I myself have given people a pan of chicken and rice and that was it. (The type of people I knew would be okay with it.) I'm not here to pressure anyone. I'm only sharing that there is a point, if it's something that is within your desire to do, of giving more.

zaq

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 4:09 pm

The people who want to give lavishly are going to do so , anyway, without asking questions. The reason OP is asking is that she's NOT automatically intending to gild the lily and wants to know if she has to. The answer is no, she does not. Every act has its baseline requirement as well as its hiddurim, and the hiddurim are voluntary. (Participating in meal trains is itself voluntary, is it not?)

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 5:03 pm

watergirl wrote:

Is there really such a thing?

I don't think this can be universal anywhere unless it's a community where either no ladies are working or they all have housekeepers.

amother

Catmint

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 5:27 pm

amother OP wrote:

You're so nice op!! Smile

We love soup
She can always use it for lunch tomorrow if it's too much

amother

Copper

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 5:33 pm

amother Dodgerblue wrote:

Is there really such a thing?

I don't think this can be universal anywhere unless it's a community where either no ladies are working or they all have housekeepers.

I often see here that some communities serve soup possibly every night. They might then go a little lighter on the main.

Personally, I can’t get my DH or kids to eat soup except on Friday night. Nobody I know eats soup them either. Thinking about it, my grandfather enjoyed a “plate” of soup every night. It is probably very European.

amother

Electricblue

Wed, Feb 14 2024, 6:08 pm

amother OP wrote:

Wow op this sounds amazing!!!