What’s your favorite food to bring ?
 

Later this week, I’ll be visiting casual friends (he’s terminal) and most likely I will bring a soup or a casserole so I decided to ask here - do you have a favorite food to bring to the sick or bereaved. Cookies or cake are both good but he’s diabetic. I can always use new ideas.

Chicken Soup
Cookies (small)
Chicken stew and dumpling mix
Whatever you take don't take too much. While my husband was dealing with cancer and I was dealing with a severe infection and knee replacements (4 surgeries on one leg in one year), people would bring dozens of muffins, cupcakes, etc. The best food related things we got were a week's worth of meal starters - 3 cups of soup, meals for two or three (already frozen), half a dozen rolls, small loaf of bread. One friend did this twice and it was a great help to have meals already in the freezer. She'd portioned everything out and supplied reheating or finishing instructions.

I'm with SuzzyQ .... same thing when my husband was sick and then died, it was nice to receive the desserts/sweets as a treat, but we more-so welcomed the main course foods as they were more satisfying. He was a meat and potatoes type of person, and continued to enjoy them until close to the end.

Speak with your friend and ask her what she would like you to bring.
There could be restrictions as to what he can or cannot eat.
And perhaps you already know the answers.
Plus remember his wife, there might be a food that she would really enjoy
that she would not have the time or energy to prepare herself.

One of the things I appreciated the most was when someone would say,
we're bringing supper for you tonight. What time should we come?
They would arrive, with food straight from their oven and ready to serve.
They'd often set the table, and leave everything ready, even setting the table
....... and then leave!!!

Sometimes it was just nice to be left on our own to enjoy that meal,
without the commotion that others can create.

That's so nice that you want to bring them something. I would suggest a lasagna that has been cut up and packaged into 1-2 person portions. That way, they can put them into the freezer and have meals available on those tough days, when no one wants to cook.

~ C

You could also buy some compartmentalized microwaveable containers and fill with meatloaf (or sliced turkey with gravy), mashed potatoes, veg. Simple but good - freezable, too.

Down here in the Deep South, I would take a gumbo or jambalaya. Or some type of Chicken & pasta dish that could be reheated quickly. I love the idea of freezing it and having it ready to thaw and serve. If your freezer is like mine, I would need to know that I needed to clear freezer space. Other foods that freeze well for me, are Turkey or chicken and dressing, corn and shrimp soup, vegetable beef soup and almost any chicken dish.

Meatloaf is a great comfort food and not a lot of people like to put the time into it...you can make a couple of small loaves rather than a large one and they freeze well too.

Shepherd's pie, macaroni and cheese, stew, small roast . . .

One thing my mother always commented about (she was full time care giver to my aunt) was how wonderful for friends to drop off real food and then leave after a short visit. The ones that stayed and ate with them really caused more stress. She liked any casseroles that could be re heated for leftovers the next day. And a pan of cornbread was welcomed.

Breakfast casseroles that are prepared the night before and then can be popped into the over are great. My sister-in-law used to always put one together in a disposable pan, cover with aluminum foil, and tape the cooking directions on top along with a copy of the recipe and deliver them to people who were ill or who had a death in the family. She brought them over the night before so they were ready to go for breakfast the next day. Reactions were always the same - everyone was so appreciative to have something warm and hearty to serve for breakfast and that was also good warmed up throughout the day and even the next day.

I have adopted this practice and get good responses also.