OT-Need some help

Hook_emHornsfan_74 · August 2016

So a good friend of ours just had a double mastectomy. My wife and I are going to bring them dinner on Saturday to help out. I am stuck trying to think of something to egg that will stay hot, and or could be reheated and still taste good. They always come to our pool parties and the last time over, we had pulled pork. Want to make something different. . They live like 5 miles from us. My plan is to deliver the food around 5:00 - 5:30 Saturday evening. I am having a senior moment and drawing tons of blanks. Thank you in advance for the help.

WeberWho · August 2016

Pulled Beef? (Chukie)

northGAcock · August 2016

A Lasagna.....Easy to reheat and leaves them with more than one meal.

Hook_emHornsfan_74 · August 2016

northGAcock said:

A Lasagna.....Easy to reheat and leaves them with more than one meal.

I was kind of leaning that way. Proteins like chicken don't reheat well in my opinion.

Wolfpack · August 2016

+1 for Pulled beef

RRP · August 2016

A nice egged ham can provide several meals.

Eggscuses · August 2016

Brisket would be good

bgebrent · August 2016

Meatloaf

da87 · August 2016

Sorry to go so long and deep, but this touches a spot for me...

First I hope your friend is doing well. My wife went through that surgery a year ago - really a challenge emotionally as well as physically. From our experience you're already doing the most important things: caring, looking to help, and supporting them both. What meal you bring is just a bonus.

Second, again based on our experience and all the reading I did in advance of my wife's surgeries a lot depends on how far into post-op she is and how her recovery is going. Lighter is better the first couple of days and often as long as she is on pain meds. For me as the caregiver, multiple meals I didn't have to worry about were a Godsend.

All the comments above sound great to me, I might suggest that since the grill is already lit (and assuming this works for you financially and time wise) you throw on a very lightly spiced/sauced chicken breasts for the first meal - along with something like rice and some veggies - and then have lasagna or pulled pork to provide some follow on meals that can easily be portioned and warmed up. Again, the important thing is that you are there for her and a bonus if you happen to remember her favorite food or desert, that will get you the most desired outcome - a real smile.

Thoughts and prayers, and from family that's been there thank you for going out of your way for her and her caregiver(s).

fishlessman · August 2016

lasagna, enchiladas, stuffed peppers, those all reheat good

bigbadben · August 2016

da87 said:

Sorry to go so long and deep, but this touches a spot for me...

First I hope your friend is doing well. My wife went through that surgery a year ago - really a challenge emotionally as well as physically. From our experience you're already doing the most important things: caring, looking to help, and supporting them both. What meal you bring is just a bonus.

Second, again based on our experience and all the reading I did in advance of my wife's surgeries a lot depends on how far into post-op she is and how her recovery is going. Lighter is better the first couple of days and often as long as she is on pain meds. For me as the caregiver, multiple meals I didn't have to worry about were a Godsend.

All the comments above sound great to me, I might suggest that since the grill is already lit (and assuming this works for you financially and time wise) you throw on a very lightly spiced/sauced chicken breasts for the first meal - along with something like rice and some veggies - and then have lasagna or pulled pork to provide some follow on meals that can easily be portioned and warmed up. Again, the important thing is that you are there for her and a bonus if you happen to remember her favorite food or desert, that will get you the most desired outcome - a real smile.

Thoughts and prayers, and from family that's been there thank you for going out of your way for her and her caregiver(s).

This is how I would approach the situation. Light and healthy food.

fishlessman · August 2016

this is the only "adult" mac and cheese ive ever liked and ive tried dozens of recipes

http://www.nutmegnanny.com/2014/02/26/gorgonzola-bacon-mac-cheese/

YukonRon · August 2016

I would cook a large vat of home made chicken vegetable noodle soup for one of our dearest friends, who eventually lost her battle. I would make a huge pot they could reheat food several days, and My Beautiful Wife would bake bread and take it to her and visit. She loved it, it was easy for her to warm up whenever she wanted, and she made sure to tell me whenever she was down to 1-2 bowls left.

It is nutritious, kept her hydrated, and kept her electrolytes up. That would be a great meal that will last and provide many bowls of warm goodness.

da87 · August 2016

+1 on the soup, great suggestion and even better with a chicken from the egg

Killit_and_Grillit · August 2016

I don't know how many friends she has bringing her food, but my dad went through chemo twice and my mother in law went through the mastectomy thing so we had a bunch of people bringing food on a me off for about 18 months...to the point it got painful.

The things that kept showing up were:
soup, (especially chicken noodle), pastas, heavy desserts we would normally never eat, and the restaurant down the street. (And casseroles...maybe it's the curse of being a church goer in the south but I was ready to strike down the next casserole that came in that house)

Anything we could freeze and reheat with ease was good. A couple I remember was meatloaf and veggies, fajitas, chicken pot pie, good salads, chicken salad and croissants, fruit pies, pot roast, pork tenderloin, BBQ sandwiches, and pizza. All are easy to share with a big group and hold well. Prayers going out to the fam.

Edit: Big thing is find out what she eats on the regular and if anyone has food allergies. Also if there are kids around make sure there aren't any picky eater requests!

Acn · August 2016

Killit_and_Grillit said:

I don't know how many friends she has bringing her food, but my dad went through chemo twice and my mother in law went through the mastectomy thing so we had a bunch of people bringing food on a me off for about 18 months...to the point it got painful.

The things that kept showing up were:
soup, (especially chicken noodle), pastas, heavy desserts we would normally never eat, and the restaurant down the street. (And casseroles...maybe it's the curse of being a church goer in the south but I was ready to strike down the next casserole that came in that house)

Anything we could freeze and reheat with ease was good. A couple I remember was meatloaf and veggies, fajitas, chicken pot pie, good salads, chicken salad and croissants, fruit pies, pot roast, pork tenderloin, BBQ sandwiches, and pizza. All are easy to share with a big group and hold well. Prayers going out to the fam.

Edit: Big thing is find out what she eats on the regular and if anyone has food allergies. Also if there are kids around make sure there aren't any picky eater requests!

This is all excellent advice. Also, I know the impetus here's as something you can cook, but think that there might be a lot of people bringing food and checking if there is anything else they need. I know that when when we were going back and forth to the hospital and hospice with my grandmother, the people who really stand out weren't the ones who brought food; it is the three ladies from grandma's church who called my mom and offered to come and do a quick cleaning at our house, and the neighbor who would come a few times during the day and walk the dog.

Fangenbaum · August 2016

Big pot of fresh vegetable beef soup. Cube boneless check and plenty of it. Nothing is more comforting to me than a big pot of fresh vegetable soup with a ton of melt in your mouth chuck (or brisket) cooked to spoon cut tenderness. Now, in my neck of the woods, we pair that up with a couple of loaves of french bread and butter. Leftovers easily reheated and very satisfying.

yljkt · August 2016

Fangenbaum said:

Big pot of fresh vegetable beef soup. Cube boneless check and plenty of it. Nothing is more comforting to me than a big pot of fresh vegetable soup with a ton of melt in your mouth chuck (or brisket) cooked to spoon cut tenderness. Now, in my neck of the woods, we pair that up with a couple of loaves of french bread and butter. Leftovers easily reheated and very satisfying.

Well, whether or not you have Cancer may change your perspective. And the various treatments involved. Just saying. YMMV.

Toxarch · August 2016

There is a free website to coordinate meals and let others know what they had or will have. You can sign up for what day you want to provide food (cooked or bought) and what you plan to provide. That way 10 people aren't bringing meals on a Sunday or they aren't getting 5 lasagnas in 1 week. Someone did this for my cousin's family so all the relatives, neighbors, and friends could access it and sign up for whenever. Also lets you know that someone is providing meals when you can't.
http://www.takethemameal.com/

As for a meal, I wouldn't call this light, but a stuffed pork loin is always good and will stay warm for a little while.

Killit_and_Grillit · August 2016

Toxarch said:

http://www.takethemameal.com/

+1. This is what we used. My wife ran it all four times. If anyone needs any help on how to run it let us know.

Mickey · August 2016

As said, the ham

Elijah · August 2016

I have relied on things good in the freezer in the past. Pulled pork, soup, lasagna that have all been mentioned. It seems like a lot of time meal support drops off quicker than the need does in these situations. Everyone wants to bring something when the problem is fresh on their mind.

OT-Need some help

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