Taking Salads In A Jar to Friends In Need

Maybe you've been a recipient of a Meal Ministry or maybe you have made a meal to bring to someone going through a rough time. Either way, taking someone a meal is a ministry that has been a standard of Christian hospitality and service. 

Why Take A Meal

Usually, when something major happens in the life of a friend or family member you want to do whatever you can to help. Unfortunately, when you are watching a friend go through a difficult time, you feel helpless. The small things that you actually can do to help feel like nothing important. However, even doing small things like taking someone a meal can just send a message that you noticed their needs and care about them. While making a meal for someone can save them the time and money, it can also let them know that you see them and what they are going through, that you love them and want to do something to help.

Romans 12:10-13 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

1 Peter 4:9-11 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and  dominion forever and ever. Amen.

When To Take A Meal

• After a couple has their first baby
• Following a surgery or illness
• For a housewarming gift
• An elderly person who is having trouble cooking for themselves
• When a family (without children) is grieving

What To Take For A Meal

Great options for a meal to take include:

• Soups (chicken noodle, chili, beef stew...)
• Lasagna or pasta dishes
• Pot Roast
• Casserole
• Quiche
• Casseroles
• Or check out some ideas on Pinterest

Don't forget to take:

• Food packed in disposable containers, so they don't need to keep track of your dish
• Any directions for preparing the food
• A side dish (bread, vegetables, potatoes, or even a fruit salad)

And consider sending:

• Paper plates so they won't have to do dishes
• A dessert
• The recipe so they can make the meal again if they loved it

What To Consider When Choosing A Meal

Every family has different opinions on foods they like or don't like. Here are some things to consider when you are cooking for another family.

• Food Allergies - not only should you not send a food if the family has a member with an allergy, but you should clean your cooking area well to be sure you don't contaminate the food with traces of that food
• Dietary Restrictions - low fat, gluten-free, dairy-free - some people have food intolerances or other food restrictions based on health issues
• Food Preferences - vegan, vegetarian, dislikes (some of the most common ones are seafood, blue cheese, liver, and broccoli, and olives)
• Children - if the family has children, you may consider making meals that are more kid-friendly like spaghetti instead of a chicken broccoli casserole

A Different Idea

Sometimes you need a different idea. Maybe all of your ideas are taken by others or you need something with different dietary restrictions. So I decided to send some salads in a jar. 

Salads in a Jar are perfect for:

• First-time moms and dads
• Families with children not eating solid foods yet
• Single adults
• Couples without children
• Seniors
• Vegetarians or vegans

How To Make A Salad In A Jar

Salads in a Jar are very easy to make, especially in quantities. I use wide mouth canning jars with plastic storage lids. I line the jars up on the counter and then I layer in the following:

• Salad dressings, sauces, salsa, sour cream... anything wet
• Hard vegetables or fruit (carrots, onions, apples...)
• Soft vegetables or fruit (tomatoes, kiwi...)
• Meats or protein (chicken, beef, shrimp, tofu...)
• Cheese or hardboiled eggs
• Beans, grains (quinoa, couscous, rice...), or pasta
• Nuts or seeds
• Greens

Store any crunchy toppings (croutons, tortilla strips, wonton strips, cheese crisps...) in a separate storage bag or container.

You can use whatever recipe or combination you want. Chicken Caesar salad, steak gorgonzola salad, taco salad, BLT salad, or BBQ southwest salad. The possibilities are endless.

You only need to store the jars upright and they easily last 3-5 days. Then, when you are ready to eat them, shake it and add any crunchy toppings from your separate storage bag or container.

Gifting a Salad In a Jar

When you make a salad jar as a gift or to take as a meal ministry, make one jar for each person in the household. Then, add these tags with a hole punch and a ribbon so that they know how to reuse the jars to make salads for themselves.

I've recently gifted these... twice. They both were well received.