Meals to Make for Your Grieving Friend

Everyone can agree that receiving a homemade card, gift, or baked good warms the heart. Homemade meals bring back memories or share cultures. They allow us to connect, tell the other person about our day, or listen to jokes and reminisce. Home-cooked meals can taste a million times better than a fast-food order (even if it’s from Culver’s). Have you ever received a homemade meal from a friend after you lost someone you loved? Take this as your sign to return the favor. Here are ideas to make a real difference to those who are grieving. We are here to help.

Meal Idea: Lasagna and Mexican Lasagna

You can never go wrong with lasagna as a meal to share with someone who is grieving. This can feed a whole family! Plus, preparing lasagna ahead of time, wrapping it in tin foil, and stocking it in the fridge for a day will do it no harm until it is ready to be made. Remember that phrase, “Let the flavors marry”? Well, making lasagna right away or letting the flavors “marry” will work fine for your grieving friend who may need some time to make it. There is no rush to the griever. Would you like these two recipes? We will list the ingredients below and can provide a recipe at your request. They turn out amazing!

Lasagna ingredients include Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce, onion, no-bake lasagna noodles, cottage cheese, egg, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.

Mexican lasagna ingredients include Hamburger, taco seasoning, onion, green pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, flour tortillas, enchilada sauce, Mexican blend cheese, and refried beans.

Meal Idea: Soup and Stews

Sometimes, soup or stew is the best comfort food. Whether it is winter, fall, or early spring, the options are endless. From chicken noodle soup to white chicken chili, these are a perfect option for someone who loves leftovers. Soups or stews tend to taste better on the second day, as some say. It allows those flavors to marry more after cooking. We will list ideas for you below.

• Chicken noodle or chicken dumpling soup
• White or green chicken chili (or regular chili)
• Chicken tortilla soup
• Beef stew
• French onion soup
• Ham and potato soup
• Tomato basil soup
• Broccoli cheddar soup

Other Meals

Have you reached the end of this list and want to make something else for your friend? No worries! We have plenty of ideas to share. Try looking up some recipes as well if you need more inspiration.

Recipes to try:

• Sauerkraut hot dish (we can provide a recipe if you request)
• Green bean casserole (or hot dish. Check what Charlie Berens says)
• Spaghetti, alfredo, or mac and cheese pasta
• Beef stroganoff or bolognese pasta/hot dish
• A fancy pasta of shrimp scampi (make sure your friend loves seafood)
• Breakfast for supper if your friend can eat right away: eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, egg bake, french toast or french toast bake, sausage, etc.
• Chicken and rice
• Chicken parmesan or veal parmesan (this is paired with pasta)

Bakken-Young is Here

We have resources of support for the grieving. Pass these along to your friend, and we will help them in this time of pain. Grief is natural, and we all experience it uniquely. Resources of grief support we offer include; grief support groups, Coffee & Conversation, free grief webinars, and more events in our grief calendar. Contact us today if you or a loved one is struggling, we are glad to be of service and to help in this time.