My Friend's Child Has Cancer
November 13, 2009 11:54 AM Subscribe
I was distressed to learn from a woman I work with that one of her children, college age, is in the hospital for a second round with cancer. The cancer is not responding this time to treatment. When asked how I could help, she said people who are making and dropping off food are helpful. So, wondering if you all have suggestions of what food items we might bring to her home, and maybe recipe links.
I have looked at earlier threads about helping people in this situation, and they are great but not so food focused. (I and my friend are Jewish and thus tend to default to food for comforting.)
I have looked at earlier threads about helping people in this situation, and they are great but not so food focused. (I and my friend are Jewish and thus tend to default to food for comforting.)
My Favorite Lasagna Recipe great for this since its really nice reheater.
posted by bitdamaged at 12:00 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by bitdamaged at 12:00 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
A sister of a friend made me really yummy baked ziti with lots of cheese, I mean like POUNDS of it, several times when we were at home in hospice care after my daughter's cancer became treatment-resistant. This woman is now one of my best, best friends who I see a few times a week, babysit for, and generally look to as an angel-of-pasta.
Another family made a big pot of gumbo for us, which was just fantastic. My sister made gallons of very yummy, homemade from scratch soup.
The nice aspect about the above was the ease of taking out and microwaving single-serve portions. We weren't always both able to sit and eat at the same time, or would be so anxious all day and not eat, so we would wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Nice hearty, comforting, encouraging meals.
Our daughter died on February 17, so Valentine's Day was hard. One friend brought us lobster, a bottle of wine and a whole romantic dinner set up we could have at home, within arms reach of our daughter, in front of the fire. That was so meaningful, that encouragement to not forget our romantic love for each other. May not be appropriate for your friend's situation though if their child is in an inpatient setting right now - but it's a data point I wanted to throw out there, something we DID find incredible.
posted by bunnycup at 12:01 PM on November 13, 2009 [4 favorites]
Another family made a big pot of gumbo for us, which was just fantastic. My sister made gallons of very yummy, homemade from scratch soup.
The nice aspect about the above was the ease of taking out and microwaving single-serve portions. We weren't always both able to sit and eat at the same time, or would be so anxious all day and not eat, so we would wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Nice hearty, comforting, encouraging meals.
Our daughter died on February 17, so Valentine's Day was hard. One friend brought us lobster, a bottle of wine and a whole romantic dinner set up we could have at home, within arms reach of our daughter, in front of the fire. That was so meaningful, that encouragement to not forget our romantic love for each other. May not be appropriate for your friend's situation though if their child is in an inpatient setting right now - but it's a data point I wanted to throw out there, something we DID find incredible.
posted by bunnycup at 12:01 PM on November 13, 2009 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: The child is a guy so presumably would normally like large portions of anything if he were well, but he's in the hospital . . . and prognosis doesn't sound good. I don't think my friend is kosher but it probably wouldn't hurt to avoid non kashrut food. Thanks for the thoughtful question!
posted by bearwife at 12:02 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by bearwife at 12:02 PM on November 13, 2009
Soups freeze and reheat well, and are comforting in the wintertime, especially if delivered with a nice bread. I especially like this Brazilian black bean stew, this minestrone, and this creamy broccoli soup (all vegetarian), but there are a billion easy and delicious soup recipes out there.
Also, these sweet potato burritos are delicious, eminently freezable and make nice flexible single-size meals.
posted by Bardolph at 12:11 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Also, these sweet potato burritos are delicious, eminently freezable and make nice flexible single-size meals.
posted by Bardolph at 12:11 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
I think things that can be frozen or stored in single-size portions are nice for these situations. Lasagnas in ramekins or small pans that can be popped into the oven or microwave; other baked pastas treated the same way. One dish meal things - pot pies, shepherd's pies, in single or two-serving sizes (or larger ones, if they have other kids at home), that don't need a side dish to be filled out. Vegetable-based soups that won't suffer from storage, in one- or two-cup servings.
Not exactly food, but if they don't have one already, an electric kettle and a stash of tea and/or coffee as appropriate might be appreciated. It makes it really, really easy to have a comforting hot drink in a flash.
If you are close and think it appropriate for where they're at, offer to come over and cook dinner and take care of the cleanup. Casseroles and such are so nice to have, but you start to miss having salads, side dishes, other stuff that isn't so portable. It might be a nice gift to your friend and her family to give them a chance to sit down for a meal together without it being a hassle for them.
posted by peachfuzz at 12:16 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
Not exactly food, but if they don't have one already, an electric kettle and a stash of tea and/or coffee as appropriate might be appreciated. It makes it really, really easy to have a comforting hot drink in a flash.
If you are close and think it appropriate for where they're at, offer to come over and cook dinner and take care of the cleanup. Casseroles and such are so nice to have, but you start to miss having salads, side dishes, other stuff that isn't so portable. It might be a nice gift to your friend and her family to give them a chance to sit down for a meal together without it being a hassle for them.
posted by peachfuzz at 12:16 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
The Iowa in me emerges: an easy, comfort food recipe that you can make gallons of and reheat easily is tater tot casserole.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:18 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:18 PM on November 13, 2009
Most of my experience with bringing or receiving helpful gifts of food is, gratefully, new baby related. But here are some thoughts I've picked up on the matter:
As wonderful and comforting as melty cheesy pasta bake type things are, they are the go-to for most people in a meal-bringing situation.
Try thinking outside that box a bit, especially in a lighter/fresher direction: soups, salad fixings all prepped and ready to be thrown in a bowl and tossed with dressing, a selection of cheeses and a baguette with fruit, a tray of good deli meats and other sandwich fixings with some excellent bakery rolls.
Healthy and portable snacks like good granola, crudite, nuts might be helpful too, it is easy to fall into the trap of not taking care of yourself and then relying on whatever's in the vending machine at the hospital, and your friend might really appreciate a little care package of nibbles to keep her going as she navigates through long days.
posted by padraigin at 12:22 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
As wonderful and comforting as melty cheesy pasta bake type things are, they are the go-to for most people in a meal-bringing situation.
Try thinking outside that box a bit, especially in a lighter/fresher direction: soups, salad fixings all prepped and ready to be thrown in a bowl and tossed with dressing, a selection of cheeses and a baguette with fruit, a tray of good deli meats and other sandwich fixings with some excellent bakery rolls.
Healthy and portable snacks like good granola, crudite, nuts might be helpful too, it is easy to fall into the trap of not taking care of yourself and then relying on whatever's in the vending machine at the hospital, and your friend might really appreciate a little care package of nibbles to keep her going as she navigates through long days.
posted by padraigin at 12:22 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
These burritos are good for freezing and re-heating. They're best reheated in the oven, but microwave will do. Healthy and filling.
Good luck to your friend and her family.
posted by doift at 12:34 PM on November 13, 2009
Good luck to your friend and her family.
posted by doift at 12:34 PM on November 13, 2009
Everyone goes for casseroles. I say, go for brownies - they keep in the pan for a while, and paired with ice cream, can be a nice counterpoint to savory.
posted by notsnot at 12:37 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by notsnot at 12:37 PM on November 13, 2009
Quiche is wonderful too, and can be eaten when spicy and heavier dishes aren't as appealing. Also - a slice of quiche is a great breakfast, freezes well, and can contain some greens if you make it with spinach.
You can make mini-quiches in those little tinfoil cups, or a large quiche, and freeze half, and parcel out half into slices. You could also make two - one for now, and a frozen one for later.
You can just buy the crust at Whole Foods or Target or whatever, if you don't want to make it yourself.
posted by barnone at 12:45 PM on November 13, 2009
You can make mini-quiches in those little tinfoil cups, or a large quiche, and freeze half, and parcel out half into slices. You could also make two - one for now, and a frozen one for later.
You can just buy the crust at Whole Foods or Target or whatever, if you don't want to make it yourself.
posted by barnone at 12:45 PM on November 13, 2009
Everyone goes for casseroles and baked goods, I say (from my experience with my parents' funerals) go for fresh fruits and veggies!
posted by jgirl at 12:46 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by jgirl at 12:46 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Hope this helps:
My mother was a caterer, and frequently brought leftovers home. She once brought back about 75 uneaten stuffed chicken breasts, whose recipe she made up. We ate them for weeks, and began to think they'd never run out. So we named them "Multiplying Chicken Things."
Multiplying Chicken Things are super easy to make, are great when pulled out of the freezer (we kept them in individual sandwich baggies for ease), and are incredibly filling. Now I make them. My dinner guests always ask for the recipes and ex-boyfriends remember them years later. They're that good.
Here's the Multiplying Chicken Things recipe:
Ingreds:
As many chicken breasts as you want to make
A corresponding number of slices of bacon or prosciutto (Turkey bacon is good too)
Herbed Goat Cheese (If you decide to herb it yourself, don't do rosemary. It sticks in your teeth.)
Prep:
Put a piece of bacon or prosciutto down on your counter/cutting board/whatever
Put a chicken breast on top of it, lengthwise
Smear some goat cheese in the middle of the chicken breast
Pull the top and bottom of the slice of prosciutto or bacon over the top and bottom of the chicken breast.
Roll the whole Thing up.
Cooking:
Stick 'em in a glass pan(s) about an inch apart.
Fill the bottom of the pan with olive oil, pouring part of it on the Things.
Cover the suckers with foil and blast 'em on 450 - 500 for about 8 minutes.
Turn the heat down to about 350 and let them cook for about 30 minutes, depending on sizes of your Thing. Baste 'em every 8 or so minutes!
Voila. Good luck to your friend...
posted by functionequalsform at 12:47 PM on November 13, 2009 [8 favorites]
My mother was a caterer, and frequently brought leftovers home. She once brought back about 75 uneaten stuffed chicken breasts, whose recipe she made up. We ate them for weeks, and began to think they'd never run out. So we named them "Multiplying Chicken Things."
Multiplying Chicken Things are super easy to make, are great when pulled out of the freezer (we kept them in individual sandwich baggies for ease), and are incredibly filling. Now I make them. My dinner guests always ask for the recipes and ex-boyfriends remember them years later. They're that good.
Here's the Multiplying Chicken Things recipe:
Ingreds:
As many chicken breasts as you want to make
A corresponding number of slices of bacon or prosciutto (Turkey bacon is good too)
Herbed Goat Cheese (If you decide to herb it yourself, don't do rosemary. It sticks in your teeth.)
Prep:
Put a piece of bacon or prosciutto down on your counter/cutting board/whatever
Put a chicken breast on top of it, lengthwise
Smear some goat cheese in the middle of the chicken breast
Pull the top and bottom of the slice of prosciutto or bacon over the top and bottom of the chicken breast.
Roll the whole Thing up.
Cooking:
Stick 'em in a glass pan(s) about an inch apart.
Fill the bottom of the pan with olive oil, pouring part of it on the Things.
Cover the suckers with foil and blast 'em on 450 - 500 for about 8 minutes.
Turn the heat down to about 350 and let them cook for about 30 minutes, depending on sizes of your Thing. Baste 'em every 8 or so minutes!
Voila. Good luck to your friend...
posted by functionequalsform at 12:47 PM on November 13, 2009 [8 favorites]
I would definitely go with healthier fare. People who don't have a lot of time for themselves often end up eating a lot of very heavy food, especially at hospitals, and after a while of that, it can make you feel tired, bloated, and run-down. A really good salad (something that will keep for a few days), something with lots of fruits or veggies, and anything light are great alternatives.
posted by decathecting at 12:51 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by decathecting at 12:51 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
Here is a tasty and very, very easy salady thing that also works as a lunch, and which should keep in the fridge for several days. It is substantial but not heavy. You can multiply it easily, if you like, and feel free to eyeball the measurements
1 can (about 15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels -- no need to thaw ahead
1 small red pepper, in about 1/2" dice
1 small red onion, chopped fine (about 3/4 cup after chopping)
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
About 2 teaspoons Tabasco, or to taste
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mix everything together and wait at least 15 minutes to serve, so that the corn can thaw (and, incidentally, chill the other ingredients). If you want to make this lighter yet, you can also add more of the peppers and/or add some chopped heart of romaine or other sturdy, crunchy lettuce.
posted by redfoxtail at 1:10 PM on November 13, 2009 [5 favorites]
1 can (about 15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels -- no need to thaw ahead
1 small red pepper, in about 1/2" dice
1 small red onion, chopped fine (about 3/4 cup after chopping)
1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
About 2 teaspoons Tabasco, or to taste
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mix everything together and wait at least 15 minutes to serve, so that the corn can thaw (and, incidentally, chill the other ingredients). If you want to make this lighter yet, you can also add more of the peppers and/or add some chopped heart of romaine or other sturdy, crunchy lettuce.
posted by redfoxtail at 1:10 PM on November 13, 2009 [5 favorites]
I agree with decathecting. A lot of these suggestions seem very heavy. When a friend of mine was in a similar situation, she and her husband specifically asked for healthy meals. Everyone's under a lot of stress and needs good, nourishing food to give them energy to get through the day.
A few suggestions from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food:
Bulgur Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
Quinoa and Cucumber Salad
They're all available on the website. (I can also email them to you if you like.)
posted by anonymous78 at 1:15 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
A few suggestions from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food:
Bulgur Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
Quinoa and Cucumber Salad
They're all available on the website. (I can also email them to you if you like.)
posted by anonymous78 at 1:15 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
When my friend was recovering from surgery, I brought food for her and her family. Some things that worked well for this:
- Spanakopita freezes and microwaves well. Defrost it in the microwave & crisp in the toaster oven for tastiest results, but it's fine cold or microwaved too. You can make it in a big lasagna pan, but it's even better if you roll it up into large individual triangles so they can take it to go.
- Noodle Kugel, ultimate comfort food.
- Fresh-baked bread and soup. Something about it just makes people feel loved. The soup should be hearty and reheatable -- lentil soup, black bean soup, etc. Nothing with pasta or rice in it. And No-Knead Bread is simple and delicious.
- Lasagne, also ultimate comfort food.
- Family Salad Bar is a big ol' tupperware with of ready-to-go salad fixings in individual little baggies. I'm sure you could come up with attractive ways to package it, but the tupperware-baggie thing works pretty well. I include lots of sturdy fresh greens (spinach keeps well, as does arugula) and toppings like: blanched & sliced beets, chickpeas, olives, nuts, seeds, baked chicken breast sliced into strips, chopped carrots, blanched broccoli, cherry tomatoes, etc. Very good for picky young kids, if they have them.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and her son. Good luck to them.
posted by ourobouros at 1:28 PM on November 13, 2009
- Spanakopita freezes and microwaves well. Defrost it in the microwave & crisp in the toaster oven for tastiest results, but it's fine cold or microwaved too. You can make it in a big lasagna pan, but it's even better if you roll it up into large individual triangles so they can take it to go.
- Noodle Kugel, ultimate comfort food.
- Fresh-baked bread and soup. Something about it just makes people feel loved. The soup should be hearty and reheatable -- lentil soup, black bean soup, etc. Nothing with pasta or rice in it. And No-Knead Bread is simple and delicious.
- Lasagne, also ultimate comfort food.
- Family Salad Bar is a big ol' tupperware with of ready-to-go salad fixings in individual little baggies. I'm sure you could come up with attractive ways to package it, but the tupperware-baggie thing works pretty well. I include lots of sturdy fresh greens (spinach keeps well, as does arugula) and toppings like: blanched & sliced beets, chickpeas, olives, nuts, seeds, baked chicken breast sliced into strips, chopped carrots, blanched broccoli, cherry tomatoes, etc. Very good for picky young kids, if they have them.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and her son. Good luck to them.
posted by ourobouros at 1:28 PM on November 13, 2009
Piggybacking on the "casseroles are super heavy" theme, I'd also caution that you might want to stay away from tomato-based casseroles. Lasagna is certainly tasty, but because it is the default thought (and easy to prepare and freeze), I am told by friends who have been in this situation that they have gotten more tomatoey stuff than they know what to do with.
When my boss's mom died, I knew that she would have a lot of people around and perhaps not get food that was suitable for her (she's vegetarian; her kids are not). I went to our co-op and got a whole bunch of quart containers of semi-unusual salad bar stuff, like pasta salad and tofu mixes, because I knew she liked that sort of thing and it would be different from the other offerings. I also got a pack of ice cream sandwiches, some really good cold cuts, and some good-but-not-super-fancy bread (like Pepperidge Farm). She said it was great because it was healthy but very easy to pick up and/or pack for a trip (for the people who were always driving back and forth, or who had to get on a plane). Plus ice cream sandwiches make everything better :)
Also, a fruit basket from Edible Bouquets is extremely tasty and usually pretty high-quality. There's only so many times you can go to the coffee shop, the snack machine or the Subway in the basement of the hospital!
posted by Madamina at 1:31 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
When my boss's mom died, I knew that she would have a lot of people around and perhaps not get food that was suitable for her (she's vegetarian; her kids are not). I went to our co-op and got a whole bunch of quart containers of semi-unusual salad bar stuff, like pasta salad and tofu mixes, because I knew she liked that sort of thing and it would be different from the other offerings. I also got a pack of ice cream sandwiches, some really good cold cuts, and some good-but-not-super-fancy bread (like Pepperidge Farm). She said it was great because it was healthy but very easy to pick up and/or pack for a trip (for the people who were always driving back and forth, or who had to get on a plane). Plus ice cream sandwiches make everything better :)
Also, a fruit basket from Edible Bouquets is extremely tasty and usually pretty high-quality. There's only so many times you can go to the coffee shop, the snack machine or the Subway in the basement of the hospital!
posted by Madamina at 1:31 PM on November 13, 2009 [2 favorites]
And with each food gift, bring along a new box of ZipLock bags to facilitate putting away portion sizes. People don't aways have these and they make life simpler.
posted by andreap at 3:25 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by andreap at 3:25 PM on November 13, 2009
Response by poster: Really, really great suggestions. Thank you all.
posted by bearwife at 3:43 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by bearwife at 3:43 PM on November 13, 2009
Quite a while ago, someone asked a question about bringing food to someone who is kosher. I thought one of the answers was brilliant: Fruit. It is simple, will work with religious dietary laws, can balance all the heavy casseroles and such that people give, will add some vitamins and fiber to their diet (hard to do when life's a mess), and can be eaten out of hand without warming up or needing even a plate.
posted by Houstonian at 4:40 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by Houstonian at 4:40 PM on November 13, 2009
Nthing fruit - it keeps a while and you can just grab a piece and eat with no prep at all.
And note that nothing in this answer is actually vegetarian, and the Black Bean stew isn't kosher, either.
posted by dilettante at 4:42 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
And note that nothing in this answer is actually vegetarian, and the Black Bean stew isn't kosher, either.
posted by dilettante at 4:42 PM on November 13, 2009 [1 favorite]
I used to bring meals over to a friend's house - she had toddler twins and a badly injured husband. Sometimes I brought a pan of whatever we were having but more often I picked up something like a rotisserie chicken and some fresh fruit and veggies and she often said those were her favorite meals. They could eat the chicken as it came, or make chicken quesedillas or sandwiches or whatever. I also took over pizza from a take & bake place nearby. As others have noted, they'll get a ton of pasta dishes. It doesn't have to be homemade to be from the heart.
posted by Kangaroo at 4:42 PM on November 13, 2009
posted by Kangaroo at 4:42 PM on November 13, 2009
I'd make beef stew.
Get a couple pounds of flank steak or chuck. Cube that up. Brown it (in stages if necessary) in a skillet. Throw it in the bottom of a crock pot.
Cube up a couple potatoes, a couple carrots, some celery stalks, an onion. Mince a couple cloves of garlic and a shallot. Throw it all in, starting with the potatoes. Maybe add some rice or a whole grain (I like quinoa).
Pour in a tasty liquid. I prefer brown ale, but wine is good too. You'll probably use three or four bottles of beer or a whole bottle of wine.
Turn on the crock pot, and come back in eight hours.
[I think this is kosher, but I'm not Jewish and have never kept kosher, so I'm not vouching for it.]
posted by Netzapper at 5:13 PM on November 13, 2009
Get a couple pounds of flank steak or chuck. Cube that up. Brown it (in stages if necessary) in a skillet. Throw it in the bottom of a crock pot.
Cube up a couple potatoes, a couple carrots, some celery stalks, an onion. Mince a couple cloves of garlic and a shallot. Throw it all in, starting with the potatoes. Maybe add some rice or a whole grain (I like quinoa).
Pour in a tasty liquid. I prefer brown ale, but wine is good too. You'll probably use three or four bottles of beer or a whole bottle of wine.
Turn on the crock pot, and come back in eight hours.
[I think this is kosher, but I'm not Jewish and have never kept kosher, so I'm not vouching for it.]
posted by Netzapper at 5:13 PM on November 13, 2009
I had a baby in the hospital once and I can't stress enough how helpful it was having meals provided for three weeks, but then I had a lot of plates and bowls without names. Bring dishes in disposable receptacles if possible.
A real useful thing is to make up a sandwich tray with meats, cheeses and breads. When you are keeping odd hours at the hospital, sometimes you're not even sure if you're hungry, so a half sandwich is perfect. Also gift certificates for pizza or bake and serve pizzas from the deli section of grocery stores. Bananas and apples would be a useful addition too.
posted by readery at 5:19 PM on November 13, 2009
A real useful thing is to make up a sandwich tray with meats, cheeses and breads. When you are keeping odd hours at the hospital, sometimes you're not even sure if you're hungry, so a half sandwich is perfect. Also gift certificates for pizza or bake and serve pizzas from the deli section of grocery stores. Bananas and apples would be a useful addition too.
posted by readery at 5:19 PM on November 13, 2009
Quick breads. Banana bread, pumpkin bread, zucchini bread.
Muffins (I love the recipe in The Best Recipe, by the cook's illustrated folks) can be sweet or savory, and they come in their own serving size, but a body could eat two if necessary/desired.
Oatmeal cookies are tasty and add fiber. You can throw in nuts and dried fruit for added health bonus. I have tweaked the recipe in Joy of Cooking to my liking, but it's a good recipe to start with.
Sweet potato dishes. It's a healthy food, reheats well, and can be very filling. A nice change from heavy cheesy stuff.
Finally, I'm by to suggest some non-food things. Disposable dishes. Someone above said plastic storage bags. Also, plastic utensils, plates, cups, bowls, and paper napkins. Not having to think about washing dishes is a space to rest.
posted by bilabial at 7:15 AM on November 14, 2009
Muffins (I love the recipe in The Best Recipe, by the cook's illustrated folks) can be sweet or savory, and they come in their own serving size, but a body could eat two if necessary/desired.
Oatmeal cookies are tasty and add fiber. You can throw in nuts and dried fruit for added health bonus. I have tweaked the recipe in Joy of Cooking to my liking, but it's a good recipe to start with.
Sweet potato dishes. It's a healthy food, reheats well, and can be very filling. A nice change from heavy cheesy stuff.
Finally, I'm by to suggest some non-food things. Disposable dishes. Someone above said plastic storage bags. Also, plastic utensils, plates, cups, bowls, and paper napkins. Not having to think about washing dishes is a space to rest.
posted by bilabial at 7:15 AM on November 14, 2009
Finally, I'm by to suggest some non-food things. Disposable dishes. Someone above said plastic storage bags. Also, plastic utensils, plates, cups, bowls, and paper napkins. Not having to think about washing dishes is a space to rest.
Yes, that is *really* helpful as well. When Mom died, all of the people who came to comfort us ended up having a good time together (and good on them, too; I'm not saying that's bad), and I ended up washing the dishes. When Dad died, my SIL's SIL brought lots and lots of green salad, plus other food, plus disposables, and ice. Ice is a good thing to have.
Label any non-disposable dishes!
posted by jgirl at 10:07 AM on November 14, 2009
Yes, that is *really* helpful as well. When Mom died, all of the people who came to comfort us ended up having a good time together (and good on them, too; I'm not saying that's bad), and I ended up washing the dishes. When Dad died, my SIL's SIL brought lots and lots of green salad, plus other food, plus disposables, and ice. Ice is a good thing to have.
Label any non-disposable dishes!
posted by jgirl at 10:07 AM on November 14, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Do you need dishes that are kosher - and/or, is there a particular type of food your friend's child would find comforting?
posted by peachfuzz at 11:57 AM on November 13, 2009