First Things First

You want to know what not to make before you start planning. A few simple questions about allergies and likes/dislikes either directly or from the organizer can prevent the awkwardness that results from delivering a meal they cannot or won’t eat.
You also want to know the logistics of delivering the meal, so that the process is as smooth as possible for everyone.

Here are some questions to ask of the receiver when coordinating meals:

• Are there any allergies?


• What do you like? Dislike? (If have a dish in mind, mention it now and see how they respond.)


• How many people should the meal feed? (If they need to reheat or cook/bake the dish, make sure they have the time and equipment to do it.)


• When can I bring the meal? Ask for a window of time. People need margins.


• Who will be home/available to receive the meal (or where to drop it off, if no one is home).

Every now and then, there may be many family members and friends present with the friends you want to help. Then the question arises, do you have to feed them all?? In order not to be overwhelmed, I usually plan on the immediate family and add an extra two to four servings. Just let them know how many your meal will feed, so they can inform those who need to fend for themselves. This is your gift to them, so you can make the decision about the size of the meal.

Share your experience with the CaringMeals community! What questions do you ask when coordinating meals?

- Sabina James