It is often a tradition to take a meal to the household who has lost a loved one. Or to drop by the residence of the new baby in town to help out with the cooking and enjoy the new addition.
Coordinating the meal being taken with other family members can be a bit stressful when everyone involved have different schedules and priorities.
It can also be a bit tedious having to come up with a meal that can be easily transported and kept warm (or cold) enough to be enjoyed once it arrives at its destination.
Nobody can say they thoroughly enjoyed cold casserole.
It can be agreed upon that planning with others and having to send out reminders to make sure everyone brings their dish can be a headache as well.
Imagine having a system that sent out these reminders. One would just provide the information for the parties involved, and like magic, reminders are sent and everyone is on one accord with the meals.
Now imagine if there was an option to get the meal there safe and sound without having to dirty up the kitchen or have a piping hot pan in the backseat?
This review will serve the purpose of offering you a solution and reviewing a product that does just that, helps plan the meals or gets them delivered for you.
Meal Scheduling
Take Them a Meal offers an option called meal scheduling.
Its purpose is to simplify meal coordination so that meals can be taken to friends without the hassle. Using their website, one has the option of creating an online signup sheet that friends and family would have access to.
This gives them access to what is to be bought and even sends out reminder emails so no one forgets to being the dish.
Take Them a Meal takes care of sending out the emails once provided with the information of the family or friends.
If someone is looking for the meal schedule once it has been created, there is a search feature that allows this to occur.
All of these features are free of charge when meal scheduling.
Recipes
Take Them a Meal offers a variety of recipes on their website.
Each recipe has been tested to ensure that it transports well when being taken to its destination so both parties involved in taking and receiving are not overwhelmed.
These dishes vary from main dishes, to side dishes and desserts.
An example of a main dish recipe Take Them a Meal offers would be “World’s Best Lasagna”.
There are even options for those who have dietary restrictions such as gluten-free, dairy-free, low sodium and those with diabetes.
Other options include paleo, potluck, breakfast and vegetarian.
Take Them a Meal offers subcategories for these recipes that can be broken down into things such as number servings or “quick and easy”.
Send Them a Meal
As previously mentioned, just because someone wants to be sure that their family member or friend is comforted with food during their time of needs, does not mean they have the culinary skills to make it happen.
Or maybe this friend or family member is far away and the meal would be no good by the time of its arrival if it were to be taken by car during a visit.
Take Them a Meal offers select dishes, depending on your area, that can be shipped the people in need.
The meals are shipped frozen via Fedex and then reheated by those who receive it.
For example, in the Eastern United States “A Bowl of Good” would be the provider of the meals shipped. Their average serving size serves ranges from 2-3 or 3-4 people.
There are not any options of single serve meals although there is an option to purchase a pint of soup packaged individually but sold in a bundle of six.
If a pint is not enough, one could order the quart option, packaged individually, but sold in a bundle of five.
Their recipes are said to be made fresh, internationally influenced and made using local ingredients.
Depending on the area would depend on who the distributor would be.
Costs
The costs associated with sending a meal can vary.
What should be taken into the calculation when weighing taking versus sending should be the time it would take to prepare the meal. The time it would take to take the meal. The cost of the ingredients. Then lastly, the taste of the meal once it is received.
After making this calculation and weighing the options, the free meal scheduling may be the way one would choose to go.
If many states away, sending may be the better option.
When sending in the Eastern United States the lowest cost option for sending the meal would be $39.95 plus the cost of shipping. This would be for a serving size of 2-3.
Some examples of $39.95 meals would be chicken noodle soup, chili, turkey and wild rice soup, or vegetable soup.
The most expensive meals, at a cost of 64.95 plus the cost of shipping, would have the larger serving size of 4-5.
Some examples of these meals would be braised beef and vegetables, pulled pork with chow chow, ravioli with marinara sauce or for more variety Asian stir fry.
Shipping would be a flat fee of 9.95.
Ordering would be done through the Take Them a Meal website which has authorize.net as their merchant to ensure the credit care purpose is secure.
Send Them a Meal Review Summary
In closing, Take Them a Meal would be a good option for those on a budget and looking to send a little love to those they care about or those looking for a resource to organize the planning process to taking a meal.
Comfort food is an international language.
Whether preparing the meal in the kitchen, or buying the meal from the website to be shipped, Take Them A Meal can assist in the process.
