Looking for a stress-free way to bring a meal to someone in need? Look no further, we’ve got you covered.
Today’s DIY isn’t a craft, but it’s an edible gift! One of those porpoiseful times in life is when you can reach out to loved ones during their milestone moments, like when a new baby arrives.
But working full time can make it a challenge to put a meal together for ourselves, let alone a transportable meal for new parents! So we thought we’d share with you an idea for putting together an easy stress free meal to take to someone, whether it’s for new parents or anyone else in need.
(To save this idea for when such an occasion arises, click here to pin it on Pinterest.)
As Southerners, we love our BBQ, so we made our favorite pulled pork. We used a slightly modified rub from Alton Brown (we make it in bulk and keep it in a jar in our spice cabinet), slow cooked it in the crock pot on low for 6 hours, then shredded the meat with two forks and added some of our favorite bottled BBQ sauce.
We saved half of it for ourselves out of a 4 pound Boston Butt, and put the rest in a reusable plastic container for the new parents.
A package of buns and some extra BBQ sauce completes the BBQ sandwich. (For those needing a gluten-free or Paleo-ish diet option, this works well because the meat is separate and the bun is optional. Just be sure to choose a gluten-free BBQ sauce; we love Stubb’s Sweet Heat.)
We bought packaged shredded cabbage and chipotle Ranch dressing for the new parents to mix together for the coleslaw side. We’ve also made a super-easy vinegar coleslaw using this recipe, and put it in a small container for our friends to toss with the shredded cabbage before serving.
To round it out, we added some fresh pineapple, lemonade, and chocolate kisses. We’ve tested it on a few families, and have easily swapped different kinds of fruit depending on the season, sweet tea instead of lemonade, and customized the dessert to the sweet tooth of our friends.
We also added packets of oatmeal for breakfast too. It seems that including something for the next day for breakfast, even so simple as oatmeal, can mean so much to new moms and dads who haven’t been able to go to the store for cereal!
It all packs nicely in a reusable grocery bag, with no worry of anything spilling. All that our friends will have to do is mix the coleslaw together and heat the pulled pork to add to the bun. With a card to congratulate and give any meal instructions, you’re all set!
Giving the gift of time to rest and be with family, not to mention relieving the pressure of having to figure out dinner, is such a tremendous offering that makes this type of gift-giving extra special.
And, when it’s made easy like this meal, it makes it even more enjoyable to give!
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