Food is love!
Every now and then, a friend needs help after a surgery, new baby, or simply a rough patch. Creating a "meal train" to make sure they're covered in the kitchen is a great way to lend a hand.
In a nutshell, it's simply an online organizational tool to keep a calendar of meals that people are donating. Forget the endless emails; using a website like mealtrain.com is a much easier solution.
Getting a Meal Train Started
Have a quick conversation with the recipient and get an idea of:
- Any family members' food allergies
- Any general preferences or dislikes
- The family's favorite restaurants
- When the family would prefer deliveries to be made
- How long the meals will come in handy
Once you've got all that collected, go to the Meal Train website and set up your page.
Getting the Word Out
When you have posted a calendar and the aforementioned food preferences, you're ready to spread the news. Start by emailing the link to your meal train to the recipients' friends and family and share it on your own social media pages. People will be signing up before you know it.
Photo by Robert Anasch (via Unsplash)
Keep the Meal Train Going
Remember that the website is just meant to keep people on a set schedule of meals being sent. Each volunteer will need to order the food and make sure it gets delivered on their own. Remind people that they can use any of their favorite restaurants they deliver, drop off food on their own, or use a service like Doordash to make the delivery. Here is a list of common questions that may come up.
Have an idea of what you'll do if people need ideas on what to send. Make sure they're looking at the full calendar, including past meals, to get inspiration. Partners like Grubhub have links directly on the Meal Train website so you can send the family gift certificates and make their own choices.
"Sometimes it’s nice to have someone lend a helping hand." #Mealtrain has partnered with #Grubhub for more options on a Meal Train. https://t.co/mZibF2Ztks pic.twitter.com/MeDhBDKz4g
— meal train (@mealtrain) January 28, 2019
What do you think of the meal train system? Have you ever organized one or been a recipient? Tell us about your experience with it in the comments!
