I remember sitting out front of our first, little home on the stone border of my flowerbed. I was talking on the cordless house phone with my best friend from college.
I remember telling her of a new idea I had. I said, “I’m going to cook and sell made-to-order meals, and I’ve got the cutest name, UnCorked Cuisines!”
“Really? And when do you think you’re going to do this?”
“When Luke naps.” Luke was the furthest from an easy baby, but once I got him down, he napped big time. Usually for about three hours each day.
“And you think you’ll be able to pull that off?”
“Yep.”
“UnCorked Cuisines… cute. That’s because you usually cook uncorked?”
“Yep.”
“Does this mean you’ve succumbed to day drinking?”
“Ha! No.”
A few days later after an order on vistaprint.com for brochures and business cards, I kicked it off!
At the time, our Sunday school class always had a meal train set up for new babies, and our class became some of my biggest customers.
I’d noticed a trend back then of people swinging by a couple local stores that sold ready-to-eat meals. I’d had several of those meals from around town that were delivered to us after Luke was born. At the time, I was incredibly grateful! But I honestly wasn’t a big fan of them.
Most of them were either bland, or coated with entirely too much cheese, and when I priced them out one time I just about choked! There was no way those meals were worth those prices. But, to a busy mom wanting to carry on a hospitable, Southern tradition out of the goodness of her heart, it was probably the best option available.
That was my light bulb moment. I knew I could make better-tasting meals at a much better price. I loved to cook, loved the way good food made people happy, and honestly… I was broke as a joke and a little extra cash sounded great!
When Smith and I made the decision that I would stay home after Luke was born, we knew we’d made a pretty tight situation for ourselves. We watched every penny, and we budgeted everything Dave Ramsey style. It definitely paid off in the years to come, but those first several years were tighter than one of Donna Martin’s 1990’s body-con dresses!
I had a limited menu of made-to-order options that you could purchase for yourself or for someone who could use a home-cooked meal. They were purchased by friends or family for couples with new babies, for someone recovering from surgery or illness, or when there was a loss in a family.
Bringing a meal, something baked, or a casserole is a long-standing tradition. I don’t think it is just a Southern thing, but I do think it was a lesson that was instilled in most of us at a young age.
I was raised in a small town, and helping take care of others was just something we did. It was more of a reaction. Someone might say, “Did you hear about so-and-so and what happened…?”
And the natural reaction would just bubble out without much thought. “Who’s getting the food together for them? I’d like to help.”
You helped out by taking care of dinner and giving them one less thing to worry about. I’ve wondered lately, though… is this tradition fading away?
I know it’s not completely gone. I know www.mealtrain.com still gets used a lot. But I’ve noticed something on two different occasions in the past couple of years.
The first, was several years ago after I had knee reconstruction. I was in the school pick-up line when a sweet teacher helping my kids into the car (who’d also had the same surgery) asked, “Someone’s doing a meal train for you, right??” It hadn’t even occurred to me that I would need that kind of help.
In the next day or so, a meal train was set up to help us for a couple of weeks after the surgery. Come to find out, I drastically underestimated the recovery. I was more thankful for those meals than I was after all three c-sections, combined!
Now, this is absolutely an observation and not a critique, but I noticed that a few of the meals were cooked, but the majority were picked up from somewhere. Regardless, please know every single one was enjoyed, greatly appreciated, and devoured by us all.
The second, which was just here recently, I was sent a link to a meal train for someone and I saw a new layer to this tradition unfold. There was the typical sign up where you sign up for a specific day, check any important dietary needs or preferences, and a spot to let them know what you planned to bring.
But then, there were two more options. You could “send a gift card” to DoorDash or other delivery service or you could just “send cash.”
Send cash???? I’m pretty sure some sweet Southern grandmothers are rolling over in their graves right now. Where is the hospitality in that?
Bringing takeout because you work full-time, manage 2.5 kids’ schedules, care for elderly parents, but still want to help a friend? That I get. 100%.
Sending DoorDash because you either live out of town or have all the same or similar spinning plates to juggle as the mom picking up the takeout? Again. 100% get it! (And extra points for those out-of-town friends for going out of their way to show the love!)
But cash?? I’m going to have to draw the line there.
We bring each other meals to show we care. No matter how you do it, food is nurturing. It’s comforting. It’s life-giving to be loved on like this. And for the over-loaded mom, it gives her sanity and peace of mind.
You may not be able to take care of a friend and bring a meal each and every time. But when you do, having been in those shoes a few times now, I can say with absolute certainty you are appreciated more than you know.
I had to let UnCorked Cuisines go when I stepped back into the political world, accepting a position as a congressional fundraiser. But my love of caring for people through food never stopped.
Just this past week, I was able to bring meals for a new baby and an old friend who’d come in town to check on her mother who’s been ill and is having a slow recovery.
I feel like I got the better end of the deal because I got to hold one of the most beautiful baby boys I’ve ever seen, and I got to visit with my friend. And I mean, really visit! I don’t think we’d had a chance to catch up like that since college, which happens to be an uncomfortably long time ago.
No matter which way you go about it, I still believe this tradition is one that we need to make sure we continue. It’s still one of the best ways I’ve given and received love, and it is truly a gift no matter which end you are on.
P.S. – Here’s the meal I made. I’m curious… would you be interested in the recipes? I’m considering sharing some from time to time.
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
- Seasoned Avacado w/ Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes
- Black Bean Soup (Easy and easily devoured)
- Tortilla Chips
These were all super simple, could be made ahead, and easily doubled to feed your family, too. If you’re ok with not having specific measured-out ingredients, I’d be willing to share.
“The most indispensable ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for.”
-Sophia Loren
