Inside: Want to bring a meal to a new mom but don’t know what to bring? This post has you covered. Read on to find 10 easy, delicious and satisfying meal ideas that new parents and older siblings will love!
Happy Tuesday everyone! We survived Monday so already the week is looking up. 😉
This week’s Twin Tuesday is a collection of some of my favorite meals to bring to new moms. After our twins were born, we were so grateful to our neighbors and friends who showered us with meals the first couple of weeks we were home from the hospital. I really don’t know what I would have done without them, I was barely holding it together with two newborns just back from the NICU.
Josh and I could have survived on take out and cold cereal but our older boys needed the stability of warm, family dinners when everything else was crazy. (I mentioned this and other tips in my post on how to help your older kids transition to life with two brand new babies.) Knowing how much of a comfort it was to us to not have to worry about dinner, I love to bring meals to friends who have just had babies.
I’ve put together a list of 10 of my favorite meals to bring to new moms. They are all easy to put together and delicious, so you won’t go wrong with any of these choices!
A couple extra tips I learned from being on the other side:
- Bring your meal in a disposable foil container or Ziploc food storage container. It’s easy to reheat in the same container AND that exhausted new mama does not have to worry about washing and returning your container.
- Bring an easy and fresh side to go with the main dish. When we were running back and forth to the NICU and finally when both our babies got home, I truly had not even seen a fruit or vegetable in weeks. It sounds terrible, but our lives were in total chaos so we lived off hospital food and granola bars in true survival mode. A couple of our sweet neighbors brought over meals with bagged salad, carrots and dip and a fruit salad. I swear, those fresh fruits and veggies were a complete lifesaver for us and our older kids.
- If your meal needs condiments, bring it with just in case they don’t have it!
- Make something that can be easily be stuck in the freezer and reheated if they have a full fridge or dinner plans.
- Do NOT try to stay or get in to see those babies (or baby). I was so,so grateful for meals that people brought but I have to say that people that also wanted to come in to see my babies that had just gotten home from the NICU (while I was nursing and trying to hold everything together) was so stressful. Drop off your meal, offer congratulations and mention that you would love to come visit once things have settled down.
Click the link or photo below to find each of the delicious recipes!
1.) This Easy Taco Casserole from Eating on a Dime is a huge hit in our family. Whenever I make this to take to someone, I always make one for our family too! I usually bring a bag of tortilla chips and a small jar of salsa with this one.
2) I’ve made these Chicken Parmesan Sliders from Homemade Interest several times and have always had a great response. Plus, this is seriously the easiest recipe listed here! Assemble in a foil container, bake and deliver!
3) Another family favorite of ours, this Lazy Girl’s Ravioli Lasagna from Iowa Girl Eats is easy to put together and looks like you did way more work than you actually did!
4) I’ve already raved about this one but this Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese from Brown Eyed Baker is the ultimate comfort food to bring to a new mom. Who doesn’t love a steaming pan of Mac and Cheese? Any older siblings would love this choice too!
5) Chicken Spaghetti is one of my go-to meals to make because this delicious recipe from Lauren’s Latest can be made in the crock pot! I usually cook it all day in the crock pot and then right before I leave to deliver it, I add in the cooked pasta and dump it into a foil pan. Easy!
6) Soup is another great choice! I love bringing soup in the cooler months with a side of rolls. Chili and potato are some of my favorites to bring because they are so filling!
7) Spaghetti Pie from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. This one is a bit more work than some of the others, so when I bring this one I always make a double batch so we can have it for dinner too. It’s my oldest son’s favorite!
8) Barbequed chicken or pork with buns is an easy cook in the crock pot all day meal to bring. There are so many good recipes out there but I’m partial to this one from Mix and Match Mama. It never fails!
9) I feel like anything with tator tots is ultimate comfort food. This Taco Tater Tot Casserole from Spend With Pennies is a classic favorite and perfect to bring in a 9 x 13 foil pan!
10) Finally, meatballs and sauce for meatball subs (paired with mozzarella cheese and buns) or a pan of sloppy joe meat (and buns) with a fresh side is a perfect and easy meal to pack up and bring!
Any of these choices are a delicious and satisfying meal that takes at least one thing off a new moms to-do list in those first weeks of sleep-deprived overwhelm. Don’t forget to pin this post for the next time someone you know has a baby!
Update: Check out my FREE Printable meal delivery notes. They are perfect to attach to any of these meals! Print, cut, and write out the name of your recipe, baking (or freezing!) instructions, and a quick note to your friend. #ditchthestickynote
6 Comments on 10 Favorite Meals to Bring to New Moms
Us church ladies always bring in a weeks worth of meals when the mom and baby comes home. We make everything you have listed and then some. Plus we do a week of freezer food for her. Big help.
Reply
Great list! With my first little, we received lots of meals! It was a great blessing! Although, with our second little, we lived further in the country so most of our meals came from my make-ahead freezer meals! I knew a few families getting ready to add a blessing to their home. I am going to try a couple of these (I may try them for our home too!)
Reply
These all look so tasty! Thanks for sharing
Reply
These look delicious! And I love the tips, especially using a container that doesn’t have to be returned. It’s already stressful with new babies without having to worry that someone wants their fancy dishes or containers back.
Reply
Oh my! These all look so yummy! I would’ve loved to have had these when I was first home from the hospital after having my LO!
Reply
This post came at a perfect time for me, because my niece just had a baby Tuesday, and I’ve been going back and forth about what to bring her for a meal. Although, as I was going through your post, at each recipe, I would say “Oh, yes, this is the one!”. Now I have 10 more options to choose from. I also wanted to say that I like how you mentioned bringing the meal in a disposable container, and also to bring condiments, etc. That was SO helpful when people did that when my son was born!
Reply
