How to Organize a Meal Train for Giving Home-Cooked Meals to a Loved One Who's Struggling (2024)

It's often said that one of the best ways to help someone going through a challenging time is to drop off a frozen lasagna or food basket at their home, so they don't have to stress about buying groceries and cooking while they adjust. A meal train takes this concept and transforms it into a community effort. Meal trains are grassroots projects in which friends, family members, coworkers, or neighbors come together to provide home-cooked meals for someone going through a major life change or hardship.

While meal trains do take some coordination so as not to overwhelm the recipient or meal-prepping participants, at best, they can help strengthen bonds while providing ease, comfort, and an abundance of nutritious food to someone who needs it.

Here's how to set up a meal train to make the process as streamlined as possible for everyone involved.

Though most of us would love to receive a meal train, its main purpose is to assist others who don't have the time, resources, or ability to shop for groceries or cook meals.

Recipients of a meal train could include people recovering from a surgery or illness, new parents adjusting to life with a newborn, those dealing with mental health issues, families experiencing loss or bereavement, people facing financial hardship, or elderly folks who are living alone or undergoing medical treatments.

Before you start cooking or planning a formal calendar, it's a good idea to confirm that the person you have in mind is OK with receiving a meal train for a certain period of time. They may be shy about asking for help from others, which is understandable. But, depending on the situation they're going through, you can assure them that their friends, family, and neighbors care about them and want to help them prioritize getting the rest and care they need.

The next step is to make a meal plan, and to do this, you'll have to ask the recipient some questions about what they do and don't want to get from their meal deliveries.

“Asking for accommodations may make the receiver feel like they are being needy,” says Heather Hanks, a nutritionist and medical advisor at Medical Solutions BCN. But it's important to ask questions.

“For example, can they eat gluten and dairy? Do they prefer avoiding refined sugar and processed carbs? Do they have any food allergies or dislikes? Do they need their meals to hit specific macronutrients (calories and fats, carbs, and protein)? Do they eat meat?”

Here are other questions to consider asking as you come up with food ideas for your meal train:

• How many people are in their household and what are their ages?
• How often do they want to receive meals and at what time?
• Do they prefer hot, fresh meals or frozen meals to reheat?
• Do they have enough storage space for the food?
• Do they have cultural or religious dietary restrictions?

Based on the preferences that they share, you can create a list of dishes they would enjoy.

The next step is to reach out to people in the recipient's social network to invite them to participate in the meal train. Meal trains can be a community event or they can be limited to just a small group of people. When organizing yours, keep in mind that you may want to use discretion with how you share information about the recipient's situation.

Once you have an idea of who wants to get involved in the meal train, it's time to put together a calendar.

“Establishing a meal train calendar requires careful coordination and a keen sense of timing, since meals have a cadence, and avoiding overlaps or gaps is important,” says Daniel Morris, founder of My Caring Plan, a site dedicated to seniors and caregivers.

“There are many online tools available to make this process easier while simplifying coordination among contributors,” says Morris.

While you can create and share your own spreadsheet calendar with participants, using an all-in-one platform like Meal Train, Lotsa Helping Hands, Care Calendar, or SignUpGenius can make the process much easier by offering a variety of scheduling options. The TakeThemAMeal site even allows recipients to specify their dietary preferences.

Your meal train calendar should include the following information:

• The recipient’s name, address, phone number, and email address
• Meal preferences, allergies, and special instructions
• Number of servings needed per meal
• Drop-off time and location
• The name, contact information, and dish of each meal provider
• Instructions on how to sign up for an available timeslot or change an existing one

After doing all that you can to organize participants to cook healthy and delicious meals, make sure everyone knows how to package their food so that the recipient can enjoy it without issues or hassle.

“It comes down to three words: clarity, convenience, and care,” says Morris. “Ensure all meals are clearly labeled, indicating contents, potential allergens, and necessary reheating instructions. And packaging should be simple to open and resealable if possible, considering potential mobility issues for some.”

Keep these tips in mind to help ensure a successful delivery:

• Package food in reusable containers that are leak-proof, freezer-safe, microwave-safe, and oven-safe.
• Portion out the food, which can make it easier to freeze and reheat later. Consider including condiments, utensils, or napkins.
• For hot meals, use insulated containers or delivery bags to maintain the temperature. For cold items, use ice packs or coolers.
• Drop off the food at the agreed time and place and follow the recipient’s preferences for contact. If possible, call or send a text to let them know you’re on the way.
• Be respectful of the recipient’s privacy, and don’t expect to stay for a long visit unless they invite you in.

After the meal train kicks off, make sure to check in with the recipient occasionally to ensure that the food deliveries are helpful in their day to day. Remember that while the goal of a meal train is to ease the burden on someone in need, it can also be a powerful reminder of how important human connection is for us all.

“The final touch is to add a small note of encouragement or friendship — a reminder that the meal is not just a dish, but a gesture of love and care,” says Morris.

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