I'm sure others will have specific ideas for you, but the thing that came to my mind is to be sure the meals prepared are heart healthy. This means different things to different people, of course, but I know some who forego meat following heart surgery. It's really nice of you to do this for your friend and her family.

I made some meals for an elderly man from my Church. His wife had advanced Parkinsons and he was steadily losing weight to the point of being way too thin. Once I made a pork loin with a recipe I found on the internet. I made a few sides as well. He ate it as dinner, used it for sandwiches, and even brought some to a sick neighbor.

First, try to find out what foods they don't eat. I was on the receiving end of meal donations when taking care of family earlier this year. We received a number of dishes that were carb heavy and low protein - which I ate and appreciated - but I would prefer something different.

This is an easy one that I like: pan fried turkey kielbasa (Hillshire Farms) along with green and red peppers and onions sauted in a bit of oil. Send them along with some mashed potatoes.

Oh, yeah, a baked pork tenderloin would be easy, and give them options for sandwiches with the leftovers.

My standard meal train dish is Moroccan Chicken. You coat chicken in a spice rub and then brown. You make a sauce in the pan you browned the chicken, by sauteeing a minced onion and adding a can of diced tomatoes, and a can of drained chick peas and a 1/4 c of diced dried apricots. Then you nestle in the browned chicken and let it continue cooking in the sauce. Serve with rice of bread and something green. For a meal train I usually include a bagged salad and a bottle of dressing. I can give you the spice rub recipe if you are interested.

I will also often send a broiled salmon on a bed of rice and sauteed chard or kale. Or a couple of quarts of homemade soup with salad and bread.

I try to never send pasta, or cheesy things.

Add sauteed apples, green beans and mashed potatoes to the pork loin and it's a meal that many will enjoy.

Also be careful of using too many canned ingredients because of high sodium- usually restricted with heart issues

I send poached salmon with rice, a lot of roasted vegetables, two sheet pans at least, and a box of spring mix, and a jar of home made balsamic vinaigrette, plus loads of cherry tomatoes. The poached salmon is great cold with a salad for another meal. For dessert, i send pound cake and berries. It sounds like a lot, but it's all easy to make or buy ready, and I like the flexibility of the menu. The pound cake from the bakery at Whole Foods is a great substitute for hime made.

I haven't read the other post so excuse me if this has been mentioned. Our go to is chicken pot pie, it's a great comfort food. Easy and quick to make if you use a rotisserie chicken and pre made refrigeration pie crust. Nice of you all to help out :-))

I often do a baked Chicken Kiev. But.......It if prepared but not baked. This way they can out it in the fridge and bake when they want. I add a rice pilaf and green beans that can be quickly put in the microwave.

If you are dropping off at the dinner hour than cook all before heading over.

My chicken has been a hit when flexibility is important.

A good friend made me an entire roasting pan of chicken and veggies. It lasted s few days.

As some one who is one the receiving end of meals now, would they eat a make your own salad type of meal? Greens of some type, protein choice, cheese, veggie toppings, etc? That sounds good to me now and we have frequently been picking up carry out salads.

Sandwich fixings? I haven't always had much of an appetite but my husband still needed to eat. It was nice to have food that he could easily grab him something to eat.

We really enjoyed a fruit salad that a neighbor provided. Maybe some veggie marinated salads, pasta or quinoa salad.

I would second the warning on watching portion sizes. Although if you are taking servings for 4, a larger casserole could have the leftovers frozen for another day.

local...your morrocan chicken sounds good....I think I have a similar type rub on hand.

Loving all the suggestions! I’m sure i will do more than one meal for them so glad for the different ideas.

Roasted chicken is always good, hot or cold.

I was at the receiving end of a meal train one time and it really was a lifesaver. My friend who is a baker but not much of a cook brought bread and a cake, along with a huge supply of paper plates.

Another thought, things like Stromboli, that can be sliced and sent as a cold lunch, or baked oatmeal, that can be breakfast or snack, are often appreciated.

If you believe they have lots of leftovers, perhaps a gift card for takeout that they can use at their convenience (perhaps later, after the leftovers are gone).

Here are the last 3 meals I've taken to sick/injured/etc. families. 1) a pasta casserole (beef/pepperoni/pasta/sauce/cheeses/pepper/onions, etc.) with a tossed salad and garlic rolls, along with a chocolate pound cake. This was for a young man's family (he was injured in a wreck and in critical care. Family was shuffling in and out of house to hospital.) 2) Chicken salad with grapes/nuts, etc. along with fresh sliced tomatoes, cukes etc. and pretzel rolls. This was for an older woman who lived alone. 3) pot roast with veggies, broccoli casserole, cornbread. A family of 4 where the guys do not like many veggies but the mother and daughter did.

I agree with the idea of breakfast items. Muffins, a small breakfast casserole, fruit, etc. This time of year I'd also make use of fresh veggies and produce. Also try to put everything in disposable dishes so they don't have to be returned. The tossed salad I made, I put in a large zip-lock bag. Takes up less space in the fridge and they can just dispose of.

Also a good baked ham is usually a good choice as you can add some side dishes and leftovers can be used for sandwiches.

I'll be the ungrateful curmudgeon. We too were on the receiving end of a meal train. Our wonderful friends took great care of us by bringing us their favorite dishes. The thing is, they were THEIR favorite dishes and some of them were just not good for us at that time.

Ask them what they would like, and expect that they will not want spicy or ethnic or cheesy meals. Allow them their preferences or just send gift cards for takeout. Some of the dishes here don't seem heart healthy, and some seem too spicy for a convalescent. We love spicy ethnic foods, but we sure didn't when we were convalescing.

keep it simple, in disposable pans.

I agree sheesh...beefy, creamy, cheesy/dairy, salty food is NOT what someone with heart problems should be eating, but lots of favorites have recipes adapted with less of those ingredients, or lighter version. Chicken without skin, veggies, low sodium bean dishes, vegetarian and grain dishes without dairy cheese. Lots of websites have great ideas for low fat/low cholesterol/low sodium dishes that are easy to prepare.

Eating Well: healthy comfort food makeovers

I apologize if this was already mentioned. Please find out before bringing any food into someones home if there are dietary restrictions. For example I am allergic to all nuts, and dairy. Spicy (hot) foods cause great digestive distress and a family member is vegetarian. We are a difficult family to cook for. I would appreciate anything folks provided, but would truly be hesitant to eat anything in fear of a tiny bit of butter used or a stray nut. I know I am unusual, but also know that various people avoid foods for many reasons they may not be comfortable sharing.

Maybe this varies regionally but the OP said "meal train", so, to me this is not people randomly dropping off food. Mealtrain.com is often used. And it will collect and communicate dietary requirements. It will also show all participants what everyone is contributing to hopefully eliminate dupes (and excess pasta).

The organizer will send out invitations, this controls the cooks. I have been the recipient of invitations in which it is stated "do not share due to the family's very stringent dietary needs there is a need for a controlled group. If they receive food from others it will not be able to be eaten due to fear. "

Mealtrain also tells you how to drop off, where and when, and how to collect your dishes back.

Its free last time I checked.

The person organizing this is just sending out emails with dates. It seems pretty loosey goosey at this point. No set time for deliveries, no mention of dietary restrictions or dislikes. I did text my friend and asked her to be honest about dislikes and she wrote back that anything is fine.

You may want to recommend mealtrain to the organizer. If used properly, it streamlines things and helps insure that donors are providing meals that will best suit the family, which i think is desirable for both the donor and recipient. I know that the last thing I want to do is put my time and energy into a meal without knowing if it suits the family's needs at all.

I think what you're doing is wonderful. I would be over the moon grateful if anyone offered a meal to me and mine.

That said...maybe label whatever it is that you send. You don't have to note all the ingredients, but, as hcbm noted, maybe note (like they do any any packaged food now) whether it's gluten free or been in contact with nuts--

Not that you don't know what your friend can eat, but she may have someone stop in that has restrictions.

And plain, roasted chicken is comfort food and can be eaten in "stages" ending in chicken salad.

I wouldn't worry about excess. Almost anything can be frozen.

Now don't you foodies roll your eyes, but with it being summer my favorite dish (dh is on restricted salt) Taco Salad is a good. I don't know who doesn't like Taco Salad, it's fast and easy.

Brown 1 lb. ground beef, drain.

Add taco seasoning (home made won't have the sodium)

Add water and simmer.

Cool and put in container to take to friend.

Put the following ingredients in their own container to keep the lettuce from wilting.

Chopped/Shredded lettuce.

Chopped tomato

Chopped onion (Tomato & onion can share a container, along with the avocado)

Chopped avocado (optional)

Shredded Cheddar

Either Frito's (my favorite), crispy white tortillas broken into pieces.

Catalina Dressing

To serve, heat the meat mixture then add everything together.

When I first made this I thought the Catalina Dressing sounded weird, but it's what makes it refreshing.

I think I'm craving it now.

Sorry I missed the heart surgery - apparently I read too quickly. I also assumed there was a program being used and those do show dietary restrictions. I would never take a meal that conflicted with someone's restrictions.

Oakley, since Catalina dressing, cheese, and Fritos are all high sodium foods, how do you make this fit into a restricted sodium diet? Do you have low sodium substitutes you use besides skipping the commercial taco seasoning?

DH will use just a tad bit of Catalina mixed with Picante. He limits cheddar cheese but for one dinner it's not that bad if he uses more. He has so many miligrams of salt he can eat daily and his BP is great now and he usually goes over his limit.

A year ago he was hospitalized for three days with high blood pressure, which is normal now. Took a LONG time to get there. He doesn't limit cheddar but he doesn't go overboard either. No Salt is good for seasoning.

He'll eat a few fritos, but he'll also crisp up some wheat tortillas in OO or Pam.

Thanks! I am always looking for low sodium subs.

Olychick - this is a wonderful spice mix with no salt I bought it at Kroger's https://www.soupsonline.com/p-3563.aspx?searchEngineName=mrs-dash-garlic-herb-seasoning-blend&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwcDbsOjO4wIVzoCfCh0QgwuMEAQYAiABEgJrOvD_BwE

I went through 5 months of chemo in the winter. My friend made beef barley soup, chicken noodle soup, tapioca pudding for me. I made strawberry jello with sliced bananas in it. I could eat plain cheese pizza. So it depends on why you're sick. Kid's lunch box sized applesauce was always in the refrigerator for me. I buy the unsweetened stuff.

When I was well, I participated in a neighborhood meal train but it was for the parents of an adult son with ALS. The meals were only twice a week to give them respite and enjoyment. They were adventuresome eaters and she was a really good cook. So it was fun to share meals with them and I know they enjoyed it but once I saw her in a grocery store and she told me my green chicken curry was just at the edge of their heat tolerance!! They lost their beautiful son last year. It aged them greatly.