Our neighborhood ROCKS! Seriously. After we had little Coleman, we received many meals from friends and neighbors (which is like a dream come true for me). We have also had lots of meals brought in over the years while Jason has been in the hospital, etc. So you might say that I have learned a few things about what is the most helpful when it comes to taking a meal to someone in need.  Don't get me wrong - I LOVE any meal in any form coming to our home but today I thought I would share my Top 5 Tips of "How to Deliver a Meal to Someone in Need":

1. Disposable Dishes
2. Disposable Dishes
3. Disposable Dishes
4. Disposable Dishes
5. Disposable Dishes

You got it - it doesn't really matter what is brought or when it's brought - it's all about the containers.  In this day and age of "Gladware" and Ziplocks and aluminum pans with those plastic lids, it is so much easier to send food over to someone in disposable container.One of the hardest things for me after receiving all these delicious meals was having to return the dishes.  I finally asked a friend to help me do it because as a new mom it was too much to even think about.  My friend was thrilled to help out and have a "real" job that she could do (which is a great lesson in itself - when people ask what they can do to help then let them)  but it was also so great to just be able to toss the containers that some of the food came in instead of having to return dishes.Here's how you do it - don't worry about being "pretty" - this is a function over form kind of a deal.  Make it simple for the person to enjoy the meal both during and after it's over.  My favorite idea that someone had was to put the salad she made in a large Ziplock bag - it was fabulous to just dump it out, eat it up and toss the bag.  I loved that so much that I did it myself while taking a meal to a neighbor who was sick yesterday.  Now I know that she doesn't have to worry about bringing me back a container.I have to admit, though, that I am not the best at taking meals to others.  I don't enjoy cooking so it's kind of a stressful thing for me.  For those of you out there like me, who aren't as good at whipping something up in your kitchen, here's what I do when I want to help with a meal for someone in need.Buy something pre-made.  This can be going to Cafe' Rio and ordering some entrees, picking up or having a pizza delivered, or just heading to the grocery store to see what they have already cooked and ready to go.  Our grocery store almost always has roasted chickens - hot and ready right there at the front.  Grab a loaf of French bread, a bag of lettuce and some cherry tomatoes and you have a meal.

I shouted for joy when a local deli started offering "take and bake" options.  Many stores have these as well.  What could be better than a pan of lasagna ready to go?  Keep it simple.  There are more options to helping someone with a meal than slaving away in the kitchen all day.  Give yourself a chance to surprise someone with dinner when they don't expect it but might need it most.And for those of you who are already cooking dinner for your family - keep some aluminum pans on hand and consider making an extra pan of those enchiladas and sending them over to a neighbor's house...maybe because you know they need it or maybe just because you want to surprise them with something kind.Or simply forget the extras and just send the entree...or better yet just give dessert!  Every meal that we have received over the years - whether it was a full spread that we could eat for three days or a plate of food just for that night, it was appreciated.  Deeply appreciated.  Don't make it too hard - just give.  Whatever your method or reason is - go for it.Just try to make the containers disposable.