Meals to Go

Tips for taking meals to someone in need:

1. When planning the meal, think about their likes, dislikes, and any diet they follow. No pork, vegetarian, gluten free, etc. If someone has to follow a certain diet, you can always find information on the internet.
2. Try to plan a full meal, including vegetables, dessert, etc. Fix all the fixins you would eat with the main dish at your house.
3. Try to use dishes that do not have to be returned. It is often difficult when a family member is ill, someone just had a baby, etc. to keep track and return dishes. I buy gladware and disposable pans to use. The disposable pans can be somewhat flimsy, you can use one of your own pans to put the disposable pan in until you get to their home and then take theirs out and bring yours back. Cookie sheets also work well to put on top so you can stack them (only put light pans on top or the bottom pans might collapse!) I realize this is not frugle, but I see it as part of the gift to the person. *If you use dishes that need to be returned, put an address label on them so the person can remember who the dish belongs to.
4. You can pick up cheap pieces of china and pretty serving dishes at Goodwill, garage sales, or Salvation Army to take parts of your meal in. I frequently find china dishes for a quarter. It is fun to give them to others filled with treats. I let the person know that they can pass it along if they don't have a use for it.
5. You can decorate the disposable dishes if you are creative. :o)
6. It is nice to include a nice card letting them know you are thinking and praying for them.

For more great kitchen tips, go to: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3172