Meal train [meel treyn]: food given during times of need, such as illness, hardship, or birth.
As someone who has received as well as given meal trains, let me tell you, a meal you don’t have to make or plan for is everything.
This can be a homemade endeavor. Confession: I have totally ordered pizza for my own family coming home from dropping off a home-cooked meal. But even a pre-approved take-out option is legit. Especially with the onset of services like UberEats, ordering food to be delivered is easier than ever. The gift of not having to decide, shop for and prepare, or go out and pick up a meal cannot be emphasized enough.
In my experience, knowing the person in real-life is not even required. I’ve brought many meals having only been in the same Facebook group as the recipient. It might sound odd; knocking on someone’s door having never met them. Ding Dong. Nice to meet you. Here’s your dinner. But I like to think of it as not-so-random-acts of kindness.
Here are my best tips for a successful meal train:
1. Ask for restrictions or preferences. Allergens are a BIG deal, but also knowing about sensitivities or choices, such as gluten free or vegetarian, can make or break the experience.
2. Use disposible containers. As much of the conservationist I am, it is difficult to leave your reusable containers with the recipient (trust me, I’ve tried). You’re asking them to clean the dish(es) you brought, and to align your schedules to arrange pick-up, let alone driving perhaps out of your way a second time for pick-up. Instead, I keep a small stash of throwaway containers in my pantry, picking them up whenever I see a great deal. HOT TIP: I have shown up with the meal still in my pot, transferring food into the container upon arrival if it’s hot off the stove.
3. Include fixins’. My favorite food to bring is veggie chili. I also include cheese, sour cream, avocado and tortilla chips, unless contrary to a restriction or preference. These extras are how I enjoy the chili, and I want to have these options available to them without any extra work.
4. Include dessert. As someone who didn’t grow up with dessert every night, dessert is always special to me. Now, I’m no baker, so you won’t be getting any homemade treats from me. But it is easy enough when shopping for ingredients to throw in a pack of cookies or chocolate (can’t go wrong with chocolate). I admit I don’t always remember this step but is something I am working on.
5. This is not a visit. Whatever the need, the recipient is probably not in the position to host guests. Bringing a meal does not grant you the latest news on their recovery or to hold their brand new baby. Explain you’ll meet them at their door to drop off the food. There will be other times to socialize.
My hope is this encourages you to reach out and fill a need for someone in the future. With a little planning, this small act can have a big impact. And we all need to eat, right?
