Meals that Heal: Making Dinner for a Friend in Need - The Six O'Clock Scramble

MEALS THAT HEAL: MAKING DINNER FOR A FRIEND IN NEED

Recently, a dear friend became suddenly ill. Her community rallied to help, volunteering to care for her three children, visit her in the hospital, and make dinners. We set up a schedule for nightly meals, but before long, her family was inundated with more food than they could eat. They were in the wonderful—but uncomfortable—position of asking us to do a little less.

I spoke to women who have been on the giving or receiving end of such generosity and asked for some specific guidance for how to organize meal deliveries for a friend in need. (By the way, these tips are also perfect for families who have a new baby!) While any meal is appreciated, we all want to do what is most helpful for our friends. Here are some of their suggestions:

If you are the organizer, schedule meals for only four nights per week, which is usually enough food. I was surprised, but many people said daily deliveries were too much.
While my tendency is to make a comforting casserole, few people can eat heavy meals every night. Consider lighter meals such as baked chicken or grilled fish, and include a salad or fruit. If possible, coordinate meals so the family has some variety. A friend of ours who had a long term illness said she loved when people brought ethnic or meatless meals.
If you don’t have time to cook, a delivery of fresh fruit and vegetables, or even a meal from a restaurant, is a welcome change for families who may not have time to grocery shop.
Deliver meals in disposable or reusable containers so the family doesn’t have to return dishes.
Unless specifically asked, don’t turn the food drop-off into a social visit. The family is probably too exhausted to have company. Some families even set up a cooler outside for this purpose.

Any gesture of kindness means so much when we are going through rough times. When they come out on the other side of the illness, friends have told me that the kindness of their communities kept their spirits up and was one of the few silver linings around their otherwise cloudy days.