Meal Train

Sometimes people need help.  Whether it is a ride to a doctor appointment, help with yard work, or providing a meal, there are times in our lives when we could use some assistance.  Generally I have been on the giving end, but this year I was fortunate enough to have a group of friends to organize a food train for us after my surgery.  What is a food train you ask?

A few years ago, I was introduced to www.mealtrain.com.  This website was started by a man who tried to organize meals to support a neighborhood family after the birth of a new baby.  He worked with another friend who was the technical expert and an entrepreneur.  This is a free easy-to-use site that simplifies the giving and receiving of meals for someone in need, whom I will refer to as the recipient.  The site has some great features.  First of all, the organizer, generally a friend of the recipient, sets up the train with basic information.  This includes requested meal dates, food preferences including dietary restrictions, the recipient’s preferred meal times, and e-mail address.  The train request may be for meals every other day for two weeks or it may be every day for a month.  It can also be adjusted as time goes on to shorten, lengthen, or change the frequency of the dates.  Whatever the need, the organizer invites friends of the recipient to join the train and sign up for one or more meals.

Once invited, friends enter their name, email address, and what they plan to bring.  This assures that the recipient will receive a variety of meals and not be destined to eat baked ziti every day for the next month.  Reminders are automatically generated to the person providing the meal, which is nice, especially if you signed up to bring a meal three weeks in the future.  The recipient can also log on to the site to see what their next meal will be. 

Gone are the days of phone calls, leaving messages, and repeating basic information.  Gone are the days of trying to keep track of various messages, phone calls, and sending reminders. 

While the website explains their mission very well, I would like to share this from their site:  “The concept of a meal train is rooted in the idea that the meal is symbolic of the willingness to help a friend. The meal is the vehicle that allows the giving party the opportunity to show they care, they hope to reduce the burden, and they will be there for the receiving party in the future. This outreach is a true interpersonal connection and is one that helps foster inter-dependence, dialogue, and compassion.”

Thank you for simplifying the process for those who want to help individuals or families get the meals they enjoy on the days that are most helpful.  Bravi!