Jill Pfeiffer is the Great Lakes Bay Moms’ organizer and keeper of the calendars. She is a mother to two beautiful children who keep her on her toes attending story time, play groups and lots of other fun events. In her free moments you can find Jill rowing down the Saginaw River, knitting or trying new homemade meals.
Are you looking for a really awesome gift to give someone you know who just had a baby? How about making them a meal, actually how about a whole month of meals? This may sound quite daunting but in reality it is quite easy. Simply, ask the new mother’s friends, family members, coworkers and neighbors if they are willing to cook one meal. Create a schedule with the help of www.takethemameal.com and your finished. The new mama doesn’t have to worry about dinners for a month.
This fabulous gift was given to me after arriving home with my second new born child. Every other day I looked forward to visiting with a new friend. Often they brought their own children to play with my two year old daughter. The visit also gave me the much need adult conversation I was lacking that first month. These ladies brought me casseroles, roasts, soups, salads, and desserts. I had so much leftover that I was able to freeze some to eat the following month. The stress of planning, shopping and preparing a dinner was taken away, which allowed me to focus completely on my young family.
Since then, I have been able to pay it forward and organize schedules for most of my friends who have had a new baby. Takethemameal.com makes the process so simply:
Create a username and password
Fill in the new mom’s contact information, along with information about allergies, food aversions and food delivery instructions.
A calendar will automatically be set for the time span requested.
Insert emails of possible cooks or put a link on facebook for quick and easy access to the calendar.
You are done!
The website sends out reminders to both the organizer and the individual cooks.
Stuff to consider when creating a schedule:
Ask everyone to cook enough for two meals
Have meals delivered every other day
Make sure to include allergies or food aversions
Mention the ages of any other children
Request that the food be delivered in disposable dishes, so the new mom does not have to worry about clean up and returning items.
Suggest a salad and dessert be included.
This is easily the BEST present EVER for a new mother!