10 Healthy and Heartwarming Meals Perfect for Sharing with a Friend

When a friend is going through a challenging time - whether it's welcoming a new baby, recovering from an illness, or navigating grief - a home-cooked meal can provide immense comfort and support. Food is often a tangible expression of care and concern, offering nourishment and a break from daily responsibilities. Instead of the usual lasagna or casserole, consider these options for healthy, delicious meals that will truly brighten your friend's day.

The Perfect Accompaniment: Frozen Cookie Dough

Before diving into meal ideas, consider adding a bag of frozen cookie dough to your delivery. This thoughtful touch allows your friend to bake one cookie at a time, which is especially appreciated when they are inundated with food and sweets. Simply roll the dough into balls using a small cookie scoop or spoon, freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and then transfer them to a Ziploc bag for easy transport.

Here are a few cookie recipes to consider:

Coronado Cookies: A popular and often-repeated recipe.
Gluten-Free Coronado Cookies: A phenomenal gluten-free version using GF cornflakes or any crunchy, flaky gluten-free cereal.
Salted Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies: An elevated and delicious take on the classic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

Choosing the Right Container

Presentation matters, so consider the container you'll use to deliver the meal. A Lodge cast iron skillet makes a perfect drop-off vessel for one-pot meals, and you can tell the recipient to keep it as a gift. It’s great because they can reheat the meal right in it, and then they either have a brand new cast iron, or if they already have one, they can gift it to the next friend in need of a meal. Alternatively, restaurant-style to-go containers are a practical and affordable option.

Delicious and Nutritious Meal Ideas

Here are some healthy and comforting meal ideas that are perfect for delivering to a friend in need:

One-Pot Wonders

Meatballs and Orzotto: A comforting and flavorful dish that can be easily reheated in the oven. To reheat, the recipient can just throw it in the oven, covered with foil, at 300°F for 15 minutes. Stir and serve.
One-Pot Chicken Tikka Masala Stew: A delightful and protein-rich stew that offers both plant and animal-based protein. It can be easily adapted into a vegetarian option with a few simple swaps.
One-Pot Cheesy Cajun Chicken and Rice: An easy-to-reheat dish, especially when gifted in a cast iron skillet. Cover it in foil and instruct them to reheat in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken, and stir the rice over low heat on the stove if not warm enough.
One-Skillet Mediterranean Gnocchi: Enjoy a super fast and delicious meat-free meal at home. This Mediterranean inspired gnocchi and vegetables skillet will surprise you by its association of textures and flavors.
Garlicky Cajun Carrots Mushroom Chicken: This one skillet chicken with garlic cajun sauce is perfect for a midweek dinner with minimal fuss.

Bowl-Based Delights

Thai Basil Beef Bowls: A customizable meal where the recipient can build their own bowls with beef, rice, sauce, and veggies. In a sea of casseroles, this meal will stand apart.
Beef Bulgogi Bowls: Similar to the Thai Basil Beef Bowls, these offer an explosion of flavor and the option to create personalized meals.
Greek Chicken Bowls: Hands down, one of our FAVORITE meals and it is such an easy one to gift!

Salads

Chopped Asian Peanut Salad: A refreshing and healthy alternative to carb-heavy dishes. Throw the entire salad into one container, and keep the dressing separate.
Parmesan Chopped Salad: This parmesan chopped salad is light, flavorful, crunchy, and takes only 5 minutes to throw together. Enjoy for a light and easy dinner or lunch at the office!
Chicken Cobb Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette: This protein-packed salad is perfect for someone recovering from surgery and it keeps well in the fridge for several days! The recipient can eat it for lunch or dinner!
Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad: I like this recipe because you can buy all the ingredients prepped already so it’s a breeze to throw it together.
Build-Your-Own Pulled Pork Salads: A platter with diced cucumber, tortilla strips, avocado, shredded cheese, black beans, corn, carrots, tomatoes, and avocado ranch. On the side I package up some romaine lettuce and include a pound of pulled pork from a really good BBQ restaurant in town! This semi-homemade meal is so easy to pull together (just had to chop all the toppings) and looks really pretty.
Jennifer Aniston Friends Salad: The salad that went viral - for good reason. This is the freshest salad that is a perfect pick-me-up for a friend in need.

Soups

Creamy but Cream-less Tomato Soup and Cheddar Biscuits: Comforting tomato soup paired with delicious cheddar biscuits. Be sure to tell them to reheat the biscuits (a few minutes in a 350°F oven should do the trick) for the yummiest results.
Sausage & Cheese Tortellini Soup: Our family’s FAVORITE soup of ALL TIME. You cannot go wrong with this soup.
Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup: This is our family’s second favorite soup and is a reader favorite.

Sheet Pan Meals

Sheet-Pan Poblano Steak Fajitas: Another "choose your adventure" drop-off meal. You could even make a batch of rice so that they have the option to make tacos or burrito bowls. Cheat by buying really great store-bought guacamole and salsa to send with it.
Sheet-Pan Maple-Dijon Sausage and Fall Veggies: This easy sheet pan dinner is loaded with seasonal vegetables and protein. You'll love the combo of roasted veggies and the smokey flavor of sausage.
Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas: This effortless shrimp fajita recipe is baked on a single sheet pan for an 100% hands off dinner! Throw bell peppers, onion, and shrimp on the rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle fajitas seasoning, olive oil, toss to combine, and bake in a hot oven for less than 10 minutes.
Sheet Pan Garlic Butter Chicken and Asparagus: Crisp at the perfection, this simple one pan meal will have your family gathering around the table in no time on a busy weeknight!

Foil Packet Meals

Salmon and Asparagus Foil Packs with Garlic Lemon Butter Sauce: Whip up something quick and delicious tonight! Salmon and asparagus are baked together with a rich buttery sauce in individual foil packs. The bright lemon flavor pair perfectly with butter, and garlic adds a pungent touch to this wonderful care-free dinner. This easy oven baked salmon in foil recipe is a winner!
Pineapple BBQ Chicken Foil Packets in Oven: So easy and packed with tons of flavor. Moist and tender chicken breasts are cooked to perfection in foil packets with sweet pineapple and delicious summer veggies.
Honey Dijon Chicken and Veggies Foil Packs: These honey dijon chicken and veggies foil packs make for a savory and nourishing dish. Chicken fillets are steamed with spices and veggies, perfect for a quick and healthy dinner.
Lemon Garlic Butter Salmon in Foil with Pineapple: This healthy lemon garlic butter salmon is a breeze to make and the method of cooking it all together in a foil pouch seals in moisture and keeps the sweet aroma intact. A no-fuss weeknight dinner with no clean up!
Lemon Garlic Herb Shrimp in Foil Packets: Enjoy the hearty flavors of a nourishing dinner with these lemon garlic herb shrimp in foil packets. This quick, healthy dinner is so easy to make, anyone can do it!

Pasta Dishes

Healthy-ish Turkey Bolognese: A What To Cook favorite. It actually makes enough sauce for 10 servings, so you can feed your family too, or send them one serving for tonight, and one to stash in their freezer for later. I’d go ahead and cook the pasta (especially if it’s for a new mama!), just cover it with a damp paper towel in an airtight container.
Tomato Spinach Shrimp Pasta: A low effort, nourishing dinner ready in just 30 minutes. Al dente pasta is tossed with spicy grilled shrimps, tomatoes, fresh spinach, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. This healthy meal will become your new favorite for busy weeknights!
One-Pan Tomato Spinach Tortellini: Easy, healthy and family friendly, on the table in 20 minutes. This delicious comfort food is the perfect answer to your weeknight dinner prayers!
Quick Pesto Chicken Pasta: You’ll be delighted by this pesto chicken pasta, packed full of mediterranean flavors. A fresh and easy dinner, ready in 30 minutes.
Zucchini Noodles in Creamy Tomato Sauce: Try these zucchini noodles for a low carb comfort dinner that will be on your table in less than 20 minutes!

Other Recipes

Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Asparagus: This easy chicken recipe with asparagus is a winner for dinnertime. Chicken bites are so juicy, tender, and delicious you’ll eat them hot right off the pan! This low carb, keto-friendly one-pan chicken dinner is ready in under 30 minutes. So much flavor and so easy to throw together!
Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon With Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Smothered in a luscious garlic butter spinach and sun-dried tomato cream sauce, you won’t believe how easy, fast and simple it is to cook salmon this way! These deliciously seasoned, Tuscan salmon filets are juicy and tender on the inside with perfect crisp edges.
One Pot Chicken and Vegetables Skillet: This one-pot chicken breast recipe with vegetables takes 20 minutes to make and will wow your family with its fantastic flavor!
Garlic butter Steak Bites with Lemon Zucchini Noodles: So much flavor and so easy to throw together! Sirloin steak cubes are marinated and cooked to perfection in a delicious garlic butter sauce and served with healthy, low carb zucchini noodles. Ready in 30 minutes or less, this easy healthy recipe will make all of your family go crazy!
15-Minute Garlic Butter Chicken with Parmesan Cauliflower Rice: Crispy, soft and SO delish!
Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad with Avocado, Tomato, and Basil: This healthy chicken pasta salad is loaded with tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil.
15-Minute Lemon Garlic Butter Steak with Zucchini Noodles: So much flavor and nearly IMPOSSIBLE to mess up!
Air Fryer Chicken and Vegetables: Air-fryer is a small appliance that yields big result when it's dinner time!
Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles: Shrimp and zucchini noodles make a perfect low-carb option when you’re looking for a quick, light dinner that’s packed with flavor.
Garlic Butter Chicken Bites with Lemon Zucchini Noodles: These delicious chicken bites are so juicy and tender you'll eat them hot right off the pan!
Crisp-Tender Baked Garlic Chicken with Potatoes: Loaded with garlic and delicious roasted potatoes, chicken is incredibly crisp-tender and totally fool-proof.
Baked Honey Garlic Salmon: A whole salmon fillet coated in honey mustard garlic sauce gets baked in foil and broiled to a flaky finish. A no-fuss, healthy dinner recipe on the table in just 25 minutes!
Juicy Garlic Pork Stir-Fry: This quick pork stir-fry recipe is an easy way to get dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes tonight!
20 Minute Healthy Sausage and Veggies One-Pot: This one-pot sausage and veggies is a down home, healthy, inexpensive, and delicious meal that you’ll love to make again and again.
Healthy Teriyaki Shrimp with Zucchini Noodle: A delicious, low-carb, healthy weeknight dinner made with spiralized zucchini and shrimp with teriyaki sauce and toasted sesame seeds. This stir fry is so quick and easy to make, and takes less than 20 minutes in total!
Sausage, Pepper and Cauliflower Fried Rice: A nutritious blend of flavors for a delicious dinner ready in 20 minutes. Cauliflower rice is a wonderful low-carb substitute and it cooks so quickly.
Spicy Shrimp with Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Mash: Packed full of flavor, this low carb, paleo dinner will blow you away. Spicy, savory shrimp are cooked just right, until they’re perfectly tender, and served on top of a creamy broccoli mash specked with parmesan. Dinner’s ready!
Roasted Harissa Chicken Breasts: This quick, wholesome recipe for chicken breasts is downright simple. Just rub chicken breasts with harissa and bake in the oven. Lovers of spicy flavors will be delighted!
Easy Pesto Baked Pork Chops: These baked pork chops stand on the healthier side of the scale.
One-Skillet Mediterranean Gnocchi: Now you can enjoy a super fast and delicious meat-free meal at home. This mediterranean inspired gnocchi and vegetables skillet will surprise you by its association of textures and flavors.
Spicy Honey Garlic Salmon: This Spicy Honey Garlic Salmon is perfect for a quick weekday evening: smother your pan seared salmon fillets with a garlic honey mustard glaze and dinner is ready in under 20 minutes! Say hello to your new favorite healthy dinner!
Balsamic Honey Skillet Chicken Legs: This crisp chicken skillet makes for a crazy-easy dinner with a punch of flavor.
Stuffed Tomatoes with Chicken Quinoa: These healthy quinoa stuffed baked tomatoes are filling, delicious and incredibly nutritious!
Chicken Breasts & Asparagus Foil Packets: Keep all the good-for-you nutrients with this healthy dinner option using parchment pockets to steam chicken and asparagus.
Spicy lime Chicken with Herbed Quinoa: This garlic lime chicken tenders and quinoa is a whole and satisfying meal, perfect for a dinner for two.
A simple and comforting chicken soup with tons of flavor.
Spicy Harissa-Glazed Salmon with Yogurt Sauce: Salmon is so easy to cook comparing to other types of fish.
Cashew Whole Cauliflower Curry (Slow Cooker): A filling main course packed with good-for-you nutrients. Throw cauliflower in the slow cooker with plenty of spices and forget it until it's dinner time.
Garlicky Cajun Carrots Mushroom Chicken: This one skillet chicken with garlic cajun sauce is perfect for a midweek dinner with minimal fuss.
Crock Pot Potato Carrot Beef Stew: This stew using ground beef cooks faster than regulars chunks of meat.
Healthy Baked Tandoori Chicken: Healthy and delicious Indian flavors you can enjoy right in your home.
Bacon Egg and Spinach Fried Rice: This nourishing fried rice is loaded with bacon and spinach and only takes 20 minutes to make! Customizable with any of your favorite ingredients, it makes for a quick dinner everyone will love.
Oven Roasted Salmon with Zucchini Noodles: Roasting is one of the fastest and easiest ways to prepare salmon. Crispy on the outside and juicy inside, these healthy oven roasted salmon fillets with cajuns spices over zucchini noodles are ready in less than 20 minutes.

Additional Ideas

Tacos: Chicken Tacos or Beef Tacos using Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe. Make the chicken or beef start to finish. Place cooked meat in one half of a dispoable 9×13 aluminum pan.
Taco Salad: Taco Salad is a show-stopper dinner, if you do it right. Plus it's healthy!
Potato Soup: Potato Soup is dreamy creamy, kids and adults love it, and it’s SO easy to make. Make the soup start to finish. Buy garlic bread at the store (or make Homemade Garlic Bread or French Bread). Transport wrapped in heavy duty foil.
Baked Ziti: Bake the casserole start to finish in a 9×13 aluminum pan, OR divide between two aluminum 8×8 pans. Cover with foil or lid. Make a big salad to balance all the pasta.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff: Make the recipe start to finish. Spoon the chicken into one half of a disposable aluminum pan, trying to keep it to one side. Butter the noodles well and spoon them into the other half of the pan. Steam a bag of frozen broccoli in the microwave or blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Season with plenty of salt and dot with butter. Store in a medium tupperware, or you could even pile onto a paper plate and cover with foil.
White Chicken Chili: Make the chili start to finish. Make cornbread, baked in a disposable aluminum pan. Use a cornbread mix if that makes your life easier. If they have a really large family, include a salad kit as well.
BLT’s: Plenty of cooked bacon, drained and cooled and stored in ziplock. Deliver with a loaf of white bread and a stick of butter.
Raspberry Balsamic Meatballs: Make the meatballs start to finish in the slow cooker. Make rice. Spoon the meatballs into one half of a 9×13 disposable pan. Fill the other half with cooked rice. Make Oven Roasted Broccoli, or microwave some frozen broccoli or snow peas, or buy a bag of salad with dressing.
Beef Barley Soup: This soup is lovingly simmered on the stove or in the crock pot to produce the richest Beef Barley Soup recipe I've ever tasted.
Ravioli Lasagna: Make the casserole start to finish in a disposable pan. Bake it if they are eating right away; or find out if it would be better to deliver unbaked. Buy a bag of salad. Buy garlic bread at the store (or make Homemade Garlic Bread or French Bread). Transport wrapped in heavy duty foil. Make sure it is sliced and ready to eat.
Baked Pesto Chicken: Make the chicken start to finish. Slice against the grain (if they have kids, do them this favor!) Transfer to one side of a disposable pan. Make rice (One cup of dry rice serves about 2 adults generously) or pasta or Mashed Potatoes. Transfer to the other side of the pan with the chicken, or a new pan if necessary. Make Broccoli Bacon Salad, or pick up a similar veggie side dish at the deli counter. Transport in a ziplock bag.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork: Make Literally the Best Mac and Cheese I’ve Ever Had as a side dish. Bake in a disposable aluminum pan. Make Coleslaw, or pick some up at the deli.
Brown Sugar Balsamic Pork Tenderloin: Make the pork tenderloin start to finish, including the broiling step. Transfer to a disposable aluminum pan. Make rice (One cup of dry rice serves about 2 adults generously) or pasta or Mashed Potatoes. Transfer to the other side of the pan with the pork, or a new pan if necessary. If they have a large family, make Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes.
Freezer Breakfast Burritos: These are a labor of love but the batch quantity makes it worth it. If your recipient is going to be down for a while, I highly recommend making some breakfast burritos!
Easy Breakfast Bowls: A tortilla-free breakfast option that is perfect for someone who prefers to start the day with a healthy meal. These are Whole30 approved and are protein-packed.
Sweet Potato & Brussels Sprouts Breakfast Casserole: This freezer-friendly casserole is perfect for a large family.
Homemade Banana Bread: Not only is this a great breakfast food, it’s also perfect for snacks and dessert too! And it’s sure to be a hit with kids too.
Hawaiian Ham Sliders Two Ways: Don’t bake these before gifting! Just prep them and let the recipient know to pop them in the oven with the foil still on for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Deli Sandwiches: This is a GREAT no-cooking required meal to bring someone. Package up some deli meat, sub rolls, shredded lettuce, sliced cheddar cheese, sandwich pickles, sliced tomatoes, and condiments! It’s that easy and is such a thoughtful way to feed someone for multiple days!
Homemade Jersey Mike’s Bowls: Shredded iceberg lettuce, Bacon crumbles, Diced tomatoes, Sliced banana peppers, Diced pickles, Diced ham, Diced turkey, EVOO, Red wine vinegar, and dried Oregano. The instructions for the recipient are to fill each bowl with iceberg lettuce, then everyone can load up their bowls with toppings. The last step is drizzling some olive oil and red wine vinegar over top and then adding WAY more oregano than you think you’d need.
Easy & Healthy Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps: This recipe contains minimal ingredients and is a breeze to throw together.

Sweet Endings

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies:
Peach Cobbler: Use canned or frozen peaches to simplify. Bake in an aluminum pan.
Chocolate Chip Cookies:
No Bake Cookies:
Rice Krispie Treats:
Nana’s Famous Fudge Brownies:
Banana Cream Pie: Bake in a disposable pie tin.
Puppy Chow:

Additional Tips for Meal Delivery

Consider Dietary Restrictions: Always inquire about any dietary restrictions or allergies before preparing a meal.
Provide Clear Instructions: Include reheating instructions and a list of ingredients for those with allergies.
Package Thoughtfully: Use disposable containers for easy cleanup and consider including serving utensils.
Coordinate Delivery: Arrange a convenient delivery time that works for both you and the recipient.
Offer Condiments and Sides: Don't forget to include necessary condiments and complementary side dishes to complete the meal.

Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run

Read also: Mobile Dining Revolution

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