New parents, friends who’ve experienced losses, loved ones going through hard times—they could all use a break from some of the day-to-day stressors so they can focus on the important things. When a loved one is in need, we love utilizing meal trains so that the people who care for them most can take a big to-do off their list—prepping meals! While organizing a meal train can take some work as you coordinate schedules, coming up with meal train meal ideas shouldn’t be difficult! That’s where we can help.
But before we get to the meal train recipes, let’s talk a bit of meal train etiquette.
- Include reheating instructions. We’re talking time & temperature. Not all meals are eaten right away—oftentimes they spend a little time in the refrigerator or freezer first. When that’s the case, nobody likes guessing how long that lasagna may take to reheat, and nobody wants to eat lasagna with burned cheese on top and a cold center!
- Put food in dishes they can keep. The reason this meal train has been organized is usually to relieve stress, so don’t heap the stress back on by requiring they get your dishes & utensils back to you. Opt for foil or cheap plastic containers, and be sure they know that it can be kept or trashed just so they have extra peace of mind.
- Include all the extras. If the casserole should be topped with cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking, give them a baggie of cheese. Send some juice boxes or a bottle of wine. Drop off disposable silverware to give them a break from the dishes. If you would normally serve your dish with certain fixings, send those along with your dish!
- Play it safe with your recipes. Unless you know they are adventurous eaters, keep the foods family-friendly to account for different ages & tastes. Take it easy on the spice level and stick with tried-and-true recipes.
Now that you know the basics of meal train etiquette, let’s get to the good stuff. From pasta bakes to enchiladas, quiches to casseroles, pizzas to pot pies, you’ll find plenty of meal train meal ideas here.
Did we miss any meal train rules? Share in the comments below! Have some beloved meal train recipes? Share those too!
