Shared Meals

Giving Gifts of Kindness

I can hardly think of a nicer way to extend a bit of kindness to those in need than through the gift of a thoughtfully shared meal. I am blessed to be a part of a community where we do what we can to take care of our family and friends. This sort of kindness is an encouragement to both the giver and the receiver. Sometimes a meal is the only aide we can extend.

The recipes and meals listed in this section are meals that work well when it’s your turn to serve. Some are already doubled in portion size, while others are written for a single family – easy to multply as needed.

Give Your Thoughtful Best

Back in my early days of running my own kitchen, I went to great effort to take meals in my best thematic dishes, attempting to ‘lavish’ an experience on my loved ones regardless of them not being in my home. Although lovely, I inadvertantly put additional pressure on those I intended to care for by giving them dishes they needed to return to me – and my humble best at that!

Start your meal gift plan with what you know about the people you are serving. Ask if there are allergies to consider, particular preferences or timing to aim towards? Choose to carefully educate yourself and respect the differences you may encounter. You are giving a gift after all.

I encourage you to then think through the details of what best nurtures you in your time of need. Nowadays I exclusively use pans and containers that need not to be cleaned or returned. It is part of the gift. Still, I do my best to provide a beautifully nurturing experience with appealing presentation, and of course, delicious food.

God bless you and yours, with abundant kindness as you care for each other!