Meal train ideas

What makes a good meal train meal

• It freezes well. They might not want it tonight. They can eat it next week instead.
• It comes in a container they can keep. Use a foil tray or a takeaway container. Then they don't have to give a dish back.
• It has a label. Write what it is and how to heat it.
• It is in small portions. Two small containers are better than one big one.
• It is easy to drop off. Send a text. Leave it at the door. Go home.

Easy meal train ideas

These meals are simple to cook. You can make them in about an hour.

• Spaghetti bolognese sauce, with a packet of dry pasta on the side.
• Chicken curry, with rice in a separate container.
• A big pot of soup, like pumpkin or minestrone.
• Baked pasta in a foil tray.
• A tray bake of chicken and vegetables.
• Fried rice with egg and vegetables.
• Meatballs in tomato sauce.
• Pulled pork or beef, with bread rolls.

The best meals for a meal train: ones that freeze

Frozen meals help the most. The family can eat them weeks later. That is often when help is needed most.

• Lasagne.
• Cottage pie or shepherd's pie.
• Bolognese or chilli. Freeze it flat in a bag.
• Curries, like butter chicken, korma or dhal.
• Soups, like chicken and barley or pea and ham.
• Stews and casseroles.
• Meatballs or rissoles.
• Pies, pasties and sausage rolls.
• Enchiladas or burrito filling.

Meals to bring hot for tonight

Some families want dinner tonight. Pick food that stays good for an hour.

• A roast chicken with roast vegetables.
• A big pot of soup and a loaf of bread.
• Baked pasta in the tray you cooked it in.
• A curry with rice on the side.

Keep food safe on hot days. Use a cool bag. Don't leave food in the sun. Food should not sit out for more than two hours. Send a text when you arrive so they can put it away.

Breakfast and snack ideas

Most people bring dinner. Very few bring breakfast. But breakfast is often the meal that gets missed.

• Overnight oats in small jars.
• Egg and vegetable muffins.
• Banana bread or muesli slice.
• Bread, butter, jam and cheese.
• Fruit that is already washed and cut.
• Crackers, cheese, nuts and yoghurt.
• Tea, coffee and drinks.

Meals for new parents

New parents often have one hand free. The other hand holds the baby. So bring food they can eat with one hand.

• Meals that heat up in the microwave in a few minutes.
• Snacks like muffins, cut fruit and cheese.
• Lots of water and easy drinks.

Ask first if there is any food they can't eat. Keep your visit very short. Or just leave the food at the door.

Meals after surgery

Some people have food rules after surgery. Ask what they are allowed to eat. Then follow it exactly.

If there are no rules, bring gentle food in small portions. Good ideas are soup, congee, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, risotto, custard and smoothies.

Meals after someone dies

Lots of people visit at first. Then everyone goes home. The house gets quiet. Bring meals that freeze, so they can eat them later. Bring breakfast and snacks too. Offer again a month later.

Allergies and dietary needs

Allergies can make people very sick. So this part matters most.

• Ask before you shop. Ask about allergies, religion, and vegetarian or vegan food.
• Write every allergen on the label. Do this every time.
• Watch for hidden ones. Soy sauce has wheat. Most stock cubes have gluten. Pesto often has nuts. Many curry pastes have shrimp.
• Be honest. If your kitchen can't be nut-free, say so. Buy something from a shop with a full ingredient list instead.

What not to bring

• Cream sauces. They split in the freezer.
• Chunks of potato in a stew. They go grainy when frozen.
• Cooked plain rice or pasta for the freezer. It goes mushy. Send it dry instead.
• Salad leaves or crumbed food for the freezer. They go soggy.
• A dish you want back.
• Food that needs to go in the oven the moment you arrive.

How to label a meal

Write the label on tape on the lid. It takes less than a minute.

The allergen line is the most important line. The heating line comes next.

How much food to bring

• Ask how many people will eat.
• Make one and a half times your normal recipe.
• Split it into two or three containers.
• Add the sides, like rice, bread or salad.

How to drop it off

• Send a text before you go.
• Leave it at the door, unless they ask you in.
• Don't stay long.
• Say "no need to reply". They are busy.

Help that isn't food

Not everyone can cook. There are other ways to help. Offer one thing, on one day.

• Drop off milk, bread and fruit.
• Do the school run.
• Do a load of washing.
• Walk the dog or mow the lawn.
• Hold the baby so they can have a shower.
• Drive them to an appointment.
• Send a text in six weeks. That is when everyone else stops.

Organise the meal train

Are you the one organising? Use the free meal train sign-up. You pick the days that need a meal. You share one link. Friends claim a day, so meals don't all come at once.

Allergies and dietary needs show at the top of the board. Every cook sees them before they pick a recipe. You can also add up to twelve other jobs, like the school run or walking the dog.

The drop-off address stays off the shared page. It is free. Nobody needs an account. It does not handle money.

FAQ

What should I make for a meal train?

Make a meal that freezes well. Lasagne, curry, soup and pasta sauce are good choices. Put it in a container they can keep. Add a label.

What should I cook for a new mum?

Cook food that heats up fast and freezes well. Add snacks she can eat with one hand, like muffins and cut fruit. Ask about allergies first.

How much food should I bring?

Make one and a half times your normal recipe. Split it into two or three containers. Add the sides, like rice or bread.

What should I avoid bringing?

Avoid cream sauces and plain rice or pasta if the meal will be frozen. Avoid dishes you want back. Never bring food that breaks a dietary rule.

Should I use disposable containers?

Yes. Foil trays and takeaway containers are best. Then nobody has to wash and return a dish.

What do I bring for someone after surgery?

Ask what they are allowed to eat. Follow it exactly. If there are no rules, bring soft food in small portions, like soup or custard.

How often should meals be delivered?

Every second or third day is usually best. Most meals have leftovers. Keep the meals going for a few weeks, not just the first week.

What is a meal train?

A meal train is a roster of friends who bring meals to someone. Each person picks a day. Some people call it a food train or a meal roster.