Hi, everyone, we're doing a new meal train for Ellen! Ellen gave birth to Aiden on Monday, August 26th and she now could use your support! We want to reward her with some delicious, nutritious foods that are good for postpartum healing and keep the entire family well-fed. Although home-cooked meals are best, you do not have to cook any meals to participate. This request is a little different than Hannah's. Over the course of 4 weeks, Ellen has requested two (2) things: 1.) Complete meals for her family 2.) Freezable bite-sized stuff to pack for Alison's lunches, including muffins and finger foods that are NUT FREE.**** (NY Kids Club is nut free) If you can do both--make lunch and dinner--that's great. If not, focus on the complete family meal instead. We are looking for 1 assigned helper per week. **If you are volunteering for both dinner and lunch prep, I know it's hard to make it all at once, so you may break up the delivery into two days.** See my example as the first volunteer. I will help fill out gaps for lunches/meals, if there are any. And if anyone wants to help with that, please let me know! In the calendar, choose one date and time you'd like to contribute a meal. Please indicate a general description of what you're going to bring (i.e. lasagna, broccoli and ice cream). If for some reason you can't deliver on time or need to reschedule, please let the recipient know first. Thank you for being here and helping out! IMPORTANT: Please read the “Special Notes” section before participating!!! No matter what food or meal delivery gift cards you provide, the new parents in your life will be grateful for the help. It really does take a village to raise a child, and ensuring healthy, hearty meals is one of the best ways to provide that support from day one. If you have any questions, please let me know! - Karan Special Notes Who are you feeding? What are their preferences? Ellen, Rob, Alison and possibly other family visiting members. They eat everything and have indicated no preferences! What Foods Should I Bring? Other than their favorite foods, a meal that checks these boxes is sure to be a winner: - Hearty and filling - Warming comfort food - High in protein/fat/iron/collagen/B vitamins/glycine for postpartum healing and nourishment ** slow-cooked meats 🍖 🥩 ** slow-cooked stews 🥘 ** bone broth 🥣 ** beans ** fish 🍣 , fatty and high in Omegas ** chili (consider hidden liver) ** casseroles and lasagna 🍝 ** curries 🍛 - High in fiber - High in calcium - Cooked vegetables (e.g. baked sweet potatoes 🥔, roasted broccoli 🥦 , sauteed greens 🥬 ) - Multi-course meal: not just the main dish, but sides and dessert too - Provides enough for leftovers - Freezes well - Easy to reheat - If some foods are easy to eat with one hand, that’s a bonus (i.e. oatmeal cookies, muffins, salmon cakes, cut up fruit, etc.) Too busy? Can’t cook? No problem! Meal trains don’t have to be homemade; restaurant delivery via DoorDash, GrubHub or UberEats is totally fine too, as are gift cards. What’s the address? How do I deliver? Ellen Kim, 5203 Center Boulevard, Apt 929, Long Island City, NY 11101 Take a picture of the food you’ve left at the apartment door and text the new parents to confirm they’ve received their special package. This will ensure the family knows when the food is delivered so they can eat or store it promptly. Food safety is important! If you have any containers you need returned, arrange for a pick up later. ***** Keep in mind: Delivering a meal is not an invitation to visit and meet the new baby. Unless you’ve been specifically told by the new parents that it’s okay to stick around, plan to just drop off the food and leave. Thank you!!!