Gosh, this is tough -- it's hard to think of whole meals that could be sent that wouldn't be easier just to shop for and prepare there. Probably the simplest would be prepaying for pizzas or carryout meals made in her town.

But even if you really aren't saving them trouble or expense in the end by sending actual food, they will feel loved and cared for.

You could assemble beans and seasonings for a just-add-water homemade soup, and include a pack of crackers.

Cheese and fruit and crackers.

Honestly, though, beyond the symbolic nurturing, it seems to me that there has to be a more practical way to help out. I can tell you really wish you could be there to cook for them!

Most of the cities in Georgia have a store named Wife Saver that prepares meals to order for pick-up. I have used this service on occassion and the food has been good, not too expensive. Do a search to see if there is one located near them. If so, you could call and arrange to treat the family.

Wow, that IS tough.

Simple meals, though, I think could be doable would include a box of spaghetti, a jar of commercial spaghetti sauce, a chunk of parmesan and a box/packet mix of garlic cheese biscuits. If your Dad bought some mozzarella and hamburger he could make a passable "quick and dirty" lasagna even.

Things like pancakes, biscuits, cookies are simple enough, just mix all the dry ingredients, pack into a container and add instructions for wet ingredients.

Lots of quick breads travel nicely, as do cookies. I ship honey wheat bread and home canned sugar free jam to Ohio to Elery's Dad regularly, just by regular mail. It gets there in two days. Heck, I sent a dozen farm fresh eggs to Dishesdone in New York City via the post office and all 12 got there unbroken!

Homemade granola is nice, if the kids would eat it, you never know about kids. Rice krispie squares pack and ship well, as does trail mix but real food is harder.

I think it might be easier to send your Dad one of those "5 ingredient" cookbooks and let him go shopping! (grin)

Annie

Thanks for the ideas!

I thought that I could measure out and pack the dry ingredients for simple easy step meals and include the recipe card all together in a single pack/ bag so that Dad or my nieces could just throw it together. I'd pack about 4 meals or so into a box and mail it weekly. I'd also include a grocery list in each box for all of the wet ingredients or meat that would go into the recipes. Then all Dad would have to do is shop and then all they would need to do is measure out the wet ingredients and throw it all together. I'd also include a gift cert. to a local pizza shop or something else that is nearby.

I really like the soup idea - there are so many good dry mixes out there! And I know she likes all kinds of breads! It's a shame that I can't get the Martha Stewart mac and cheese to her that I make and she requests all of teh time when we're together! Too many steps and ingredients for Dad or the kids to handle.

I will def. check out the Wife Saver store - sounds perfect! Any little bit to help.

Thank you for your thoughts - I will begin researching simple recipes to put together for them.

Annie - my daughter's name is Eleri!

You have a daughter named Eleri? Now that's very unusual, my husband Elery was named after one of the signers of the Constitution, and his grandaughter's middle name is Elerie. I guess there are more of them than he thought.

OK. so the martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese won't work, how about a very simple macaroni and cheese with dried pasta and a chunk of velveeta, or a simple Spanish Rice with rice and Rotel canned tomatoes? Tacos would be easy enough too, as would bean and cheese burritos or quesadillas. Or bean soup with cornbread? Chicken and noodles or chicken pot pie made with rotisserie chicken would be pretty simple too, your Dad could just buy the chicken, make it be the main dish for one meal and then have chicken salad sandwiches or chicken and noodles for another. Rotisserie chickens make the base for a lot of good, easy and fast meals.

Send lots of peanut butter, LOL. Good luck to your sister and to your Dad!

Annie

all I can think of is the postage costs....and am thinking you would be lots better off calling "wife saver" or Boston Market or perhaps someone could put you in touch with a caterer who would do meals to order.
One of our supermarkets will make and deliver meals....things like chicken or meat loaf and 2 or 3 sides, your choice....and lots of places will put up meals to go and all you do is pick them up.
Will cost more than home made....but not after you add the postage.
Then once a week or so send a love gift of cookies.
Linda C

The cost of shipping food is high relative to the value of the food. Many foods require insulated packing with ice packs or dry ice during hot weather. I've done it on rare occasions when there was a special reason to do it. It was never economical.

There are many options today for easy meals. All supermarkets have a prepared food department, rotisserie chicken, frozen meals, frozen entrees, etc. Pizza can cover one meal a week.

Probably the best way for dad and the girls to help is taking care of the younger ones and doing laundry and other household chores, although I certainly would not discourage them from doing any cooking they felt capable of.

Jim

Have you checked out dream dinners? It is one of those meal assembly places and the food I have tried was good. They offer options where they assemble the food, uncooked and place it in ziplocs with the cooking instructions. Very easy and very tasty. Somebody just has to pick it up and stick it in the freezer. You could order 2 weeks worth and they could spread the meals out over the month. If there isn't a dream dinners near by, there might be another chain that works the same.

ttodd:
As the others have said the Shipping is 3 or 4 times the
actual cost of the food.
Sometimes more , according to weight.

We ship canned foods and other Items, from the VFW, to our Troops, the cost is crazy.
You would think we would get a break ?
- - - - - - - -

If this is a small Community, maybe your Father could ask
the Police or stop at Local Firehouse.
Most Volunteer Fireman are willing to help, or might know a Local food Pantry,
where some food is available.
Also, How or where ? to buy food already prepared
They know everything that's going on in the Community.

Some of the suggestions sounded good.
This is a tough one. Would be nice to have a Magic Wand !!!

LOU

.

There's a plethora of recipes called "impossible pie" that are made with bisquick mix. They have few ingredients and can be easily put together by young children. Do a google search, there's plenty to pick from. You could pick out a few recipes that your dad can easily understand and pick up the ingredients locally. Shipping food is really cost prohibitive and there still has to be some preparation. Good luck to all of you. I just posted one on the one dish thread, quesadilla pie, and someone also gave me one for impossible hamburger pie that's simple. I can post that if you want.