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By JANET K. KEELER © St. Petersburg Times, published October 18, 2000
If you have been on the receiving end of a casserole or pot of soup made by caring hands in your time of need, you know the relief of not worrying about cooking. People in stressful situations want to save their energy for caretaking or getting well. Though nutrition is important, meal planning is a chore that can sap strength and quickly move to the bottom of the priority list. Lynn Lippincott, family coordinator of Ronald McDonald House of Tampa Bay, knows how important a nutritious, homemade meal is to families coping with sick children. She oversees a cadre of volunteers who cook dinners for families staying in the three Ronald McDonald houses in St. Petersburg and Tampa. "The meals are one of the most important things we can offer," Lippincott says. "It means everything to them. The food helps to comfort and rejuvenate the family." I see that look of relief monthly when my friend Karen and I cook dinner at one of the St. Petersburg houses. The appreciation is apparent and the "thank yous" are many as weary parents and worried siblings load their plates with roast turkey and trimmings or meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Something as simple as a fresh green salad or homemade applesauce can soothe ragged emotions, if just long enough for families to catch their breath. "It makes a day easier to have loving hands make your dinner, but it was more important that your giving us dinner brought us all together in the same room," wrote one house resident in a thank you note. Even if you're not cooking for 50, you can make a difference. The key is to focus on the needs of the people for whom you are preparing the food. Take into consideration the nutritional requirements of a new mother if she is nursing. Food passes through mother to baby and can upset tender tummies. Stay away from garlic, onions and caffeine. The rest of the family can probably adapt to whatever comes their way. Something special for young siblings, such as cupcakes, is a nice thought. If you are part of a group of people making food for a family with a desperately ill member, designate one person as contact. The contact can find out about food preferences or restrictions, as well as storage capabilities. It does no good to deliver six casseroles to a home that doesn't have the freezer space for them. It is also important not to overwhelm caretakers with phone calls. In this situation, you are probably cooking for family members and caretakers rather than the ailing person. Do you have new neighbors? Take them dinner on moving-in day, but don't forget utensils, napkins and plates. Theirs are probably packed in a box who knows where. In this case, a quiche, salad and cookies easily can be eaten among the boxes. Bring drinks. Don't cook but still want to help? Gift certificates to restaurants are welcome in households where someone is able to do the pickup. Snack items are also good additions to care packages. Here are some other tips for preparing food for friends in need: n Bring food in disposable containers. Don't put the extra burden on the people you are trying to help by expecting them to keep track of what Tupperware is whose. If you are using aluminum baking pans, make sure they are sturdy enough for transport. You may want to double up. n Store items meant to be frozen in the proper containers. Zip-sealed freezer bags or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids are perfect; cardboard, paper bags, glass or pots with loose lids are not. Cardboard and paper let moisture in, and glass breaks under freezing temperatures. Loose-fitting lids encourage freezer burn and cause the food to absorb other flavors. Cool food in the refrigerator completely before freezing. n Attach heating instructions. As a general rule, reheat frozen casseroles for just less than double the original cooking time. For example, if you baked a pan of lasagna for 45 minutes, then cooled and froze it, it will take at least an hour and 15 minutes to reheat it. If it's thawed in the fridge overnight, less time is needed to reheat. n Remember that the person heating the food might not know how to cook. Besides the heating instructions, provide other pertinent information, such as "remove plastic wrap before cooking" or "remove foil for last 10 minutes of baking." n Some foods do not freeze well, including hard-cooked egg whites, which become rubbery; salad greens and most raw vegetables; mayonnaise and cream, which tend to separate when frozen, though a small amount is okay; and most fried foods, which lose crispness. Never, ever freeze stuffing in the cavity of raw or cooked poultry. n Liquid expands when frozen, so leave a little head room in containers of soup or stew. n Making tons more food than is needed is wasteful and can make the recipient feel guilty if she has to throw it out. If you're cooking for one, provide enough for four or fewer servings. Save the rest for your own family. n This is not the time to show off your culinary skills by trying obscure recipes. Keep it simple and fresh. n Include side dishes to complete the meal. Bagged salads maintain freshness for several days, and many include dressings. Refrigerated crescent rolls or biscuits are tasty accompaniments to soups or stews. Buttered noodles or rice can be made ahead, then frozen in bags. Blanch fresh vegetables such as green beans or broccoli before freezing. Cookies and brownies are good choices for sweets because they freeze well. Above all, remember that food nourishes the soul as well as the body. The hand that stirs the pot adds love to the stew. * * * Information from the Web site http://busycooks.about.com was used in this report.
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