Giving the Gift of Food: Taking Meals To Friends and Family

Some of the best food I've ever eaten has been delivered by friends and strangers in a time of sickness or exhaustion. A meal brought to your door on a night when you have no energy to cook says that someone is thinking of you. My friends Ashley and Ryan from Center Cut Cook received the news a few days ago that Ryan has cancer. Many miles separate us and I can't deliver a meal to their door; so I'm participating in a virtual potluck for them today.

I hope that there are friends near them to deliver a meal and hug them both as Ryan recovers from surgery and starts treatment this coming year. While they are facing those treatments over the coming year, our blogger friends are getting together to help raise a little money to help Ashley and Ryan. You can click here to make a donation (every dollar helps).

Are you overwhelmed at the thought of delivering a meal to another family? I used to be the same way. As a newlywed, a friend called and asked me if I would take a meal to another family. I agreed to do that and then panicked. I called my mom and arranged for her to prepare the meal I was supposed to deliver!

What I wish I'd known then is that the meal doesn't need to be complicated. A simple pot of soup or a dish of pasta can be appreciated beyond words. Wondering what kind of meal to give? Today I'm sharing some of our favorite meals to deliver, from soups and stews to crock-pot meals, pastas, and casseroles. (I'm including tips for transporting each one as well!)  Hopefully this post will inspire others to step outside their comfort zone and take a meal to someone near them in a time of need.

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