Meals are a way to help individuals connect daily and sit down to dinner increasing their overall well-being. This is no different when someone who has passed away and the family is looking at funeral homes in Columbia, MD, to lay their loved one to rest. A home-cooked meal not only expresses creativity but offers care and support in a different manner and offers a sense of presence even if you’re not there. Here are some tips for creating a meal that will show you are thinking of them.

Getting Organized

Before you start creating a meal for the family or individual, there are some vital pieces of information that you will need to obtain.

Allergies

The priority to ask is if the individual or family members have any kinds of allergies. Today, many people have gluten or dairy intolerances. Their allergies can be something as simple as a tomato base that can trigger their symptoms and create another stressful situation they must deal with. The last thing you want to do is offer a home-cooked meal that they cannot eat because their body cannot tolerate what is in the recipe.

Preferences

The second valuable piece of information is to see if there is anything specific, they won’t eat or preferences in what they like to eat. This can be especially true if the family has younger children as they may be unwilling to consume certain items, putting more stress on the parents. Being mindful that this is a way to help make their lives easier is a crucial factor instead of what you may think they need.

How To Start

• To get started, you will offer between three in five fully prepared meals that the family can choose from.
• Be mindful that other individuals such as extended family staying with them will need to be included in the plan.
• It is helpful to make enough products to have leftovers the next day or offer an additional meal they can go in the freezer.
• It is an extra caring touch to add the cooking instructions into a form of a sympathy note.
• Make sure they have the appropriate cooking utensils or machines for what you are providing them.
• Always include the desert and drinks for everyone involved.

Caring for the Community

There is no doubt that losing a loved one is extremely painful, and if you can provide any sort of support or relief for the individual, it will be welcomed. If you prefer not to cook, alternative options include fruit and vegetable trays, prepaid gift cards to local restaurants, or meal delivery services. There are many other options to help the family particularly with providing a meal.

If you have recently lost a loved one and are looking at funeral homes in Columbia, MD, you want to find a quality company you can depend on. Snowden Funeral Home understands grief and how hard loss can be, so let us help you with compassionate care and kindness with your planning services.