If you want to do something that will truly help a new family, bring them food.
I first learned of a “food shower” when I was pregnant with my first child. Think of a baby shower, but instead of gifts for the baby or nursery, friends and family bring food for the freezer. I loved the concept of it, and it worked fairly well. I say that because tired new parents still must remember to take the meal out of the freezer and heat it up to eat it.
I benefited from friends delivering ready-to-heat-and-eat meals to us after my second child was born. It is one of the mysteries of the universe that something someone else cooks for you can taste so much better than what you might do yourself. These were some of my favorite meals: tortellini soup, chicken parmesan, and sesame noodles. I requested several recipes, which are still part of my repertoire today.
Jump forward a couple of decades, and now thoughtful friends and family members can create online calendars where people can sign up to bring a fresh meal to the new family. I know from experience that having a tasty, hot meal (that I didn’t have to cook) at the end of a long day was a true gift. Take-out and prepared foods from the grocery not only get expensive, but they get boring. Maybe it’s because they lack the essential ingredient – love.
Here are a couple of tips for those doing meal calendars:
Meals do not need to be delivered every day. Most people prepare a meal that serves at least four people. With two parents and a newborn, or even if they have younger children in the house, the meal will likely stretch over a couple of days. Also, include instructions if any heating or preparation needs to happen. Use containers you don’t need to be returned to save parents the hassle of tracking what belongs to whom. Also, consider making meals that can be eaten with one hand – something a nursing mom will appreciate. And finally, include recipes.
