Adopt a Family Meal Idea

[wilkeliza]

I really like the idea of like a Christmas type dinner! And Christmas treats. You think can frosting is okay or ingredients to make butter cream?


Maybe a breakfast basket? Get some kid cereals, oatmeals, breakfast bars, poptarts to help jumpstart the family mornings?



I found a really cute idea on pinterest where they put a pair of pjs in a box with a movie for the kids to do the night before Christmas, I thought that was a sweet idea! Maybe make a family basket with pjs rolled up for each kid, a movie, some popcorn and other treats for a movie night? We are going to have six kids total between the two families.

Get as much information about the family as possible. Just know some families doesn't have Blue Ray or even DVD players still. We got a DVD in our box way back when but did not have a DVD player. We still had our very old VHS player so the DVD went unused. The worst part was my brothers were given video games for a system we didn't have. The families heart was really in the right place as my brothers had asked for playstation games but I guess the PlayStation 2 had been out for a year or two at that point and so the family picked up a bunch of Playstation 2 games. Problem was we had a Playstation not a Playstation 2.

I'm only saying what I've said as someone who has been the gift receiver. It is best to ask if the exchange organizers can see if they have a DVD or Blueray player etc before you do something like that.

Great Idea though just make sure the family can actually use it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just wanted to adding with the food I understand what TwoMisfits is trying to say as someone who has worked in food banks but as someone who actually went to those food banks my mom would have not cooked with clam sauce (us kids wouldn't have eaten it) and the box of different pastas besides maybe Lasagna, Spaghetti, Shells, and Macaroni would have sat unused. We were simple kids and ate chicken and veggies, spaghetti and sauce, mac and cheese and pork chops, etc. Nothing super duper fancy. The pantry we went to was run by a local church and often had nicer options but my mom passed them up as she knew we would never eat them as a kid and she felt bad taking something we wouldn't eat. I do remember fondly getting to go in with her one time and they let us pick desserts! We got a box each from the dessert section as a extra special gift for the end of the school year after the pantry leader heard each of us had gotten an award at school. It was probably for grades or good behavior or something. I just remember thinking it was so cool we got boxes of Little Debbies.

 

[Scambone]

Get as much information about the family as possible. Just know some families doesn't have Blue Ray or even DVD players still. We got a DVD in our box way back when but did not have a DVD player. We still had our very old VHS player so the DVD went unused. The worst part was my brothers were given video games for a system we didn't have. The families heart was really in the right place as my brothers had asked for playstation games but I guess the PlayStation 2 had been out for a year or two at that point and so the family picked up a bunch of Playstation 2 games. Problem was we had a Playstation not a Playstation 2.

I'm only saying what I've said as someone who has been the gift receiver. It is best to ask if the exchange organizers can see if they have a DVD or Blueray player etc before you do something like that.

Great Idea though just make sure the family can actually use it.

Oh jeeze that would be a bummer. I'll have to compile a list of questions so when they call Friday I can see if they can find out.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Just wanted to adding with the food I understand what TwoMisfits is trying to say as someone who has worked in food banks but as someone who actually went to those food banks my mom would have not cooked with clam sauce (use kids wouldn't have eaten it) and the box of different pastas besides maybe Lasagna, Spaghetti, Shells, and Macaroni would have sat unused. We were simple kids and ate chicken and veggies, spaghetti and sauce, mac and cheese and pork chops, etc. Nothing super duper fancy. The pantry we went to was run by a local church and often had nicer options but my mom passed them up as she knew we would never eat them as a kid and she felt bad taking something we wouldn't eat. I do remember fondly getting to go in with her one time and they let us pick desserts! We got a box each from the dessert section as a extra special gift for the end of the school year after the pantry leader heard each of us had gotten an award at school. It was probably for grades or good behavior or something. I just remember thinking it was so cool we got boxes of Little Debbies.

The things I'm suggesting if you go the pasta route are easy to use. For different pasta - dry tortellini (filled with protein and/or veggie and it just gets boiled - instructions on the bag), gnocchi (can also just be boiled with instructions on the bag and/or added to a pan with olive oil and garlic), whole wheat fettucine (since it stands up to Alfredo), orzo, fusilli, veggie-based pasta, etc...I'm not talking going waaaay out of the box - just something a little special that the whole family might enjoy that they don't normally get. I haven't met a kid who won't try pesto or alfredo, and these sauces are again not the things people tend to donate to a food kitchen. I liked the clam sauce as an extra protein sauce - some love it, some won't try it - but I provided a lot of options (I wouldn't put everything I listed in a basket b/c it wouldn't fit - pick and choose the best things...also, things like the pesto and alfredo (and the olive oil and spices) are multi-use - they can be used to flavor veggies, proteins like chicken, etc (this is important, so leftovers don't go bad or unused

I would caution against the "Christmas" dinner, unless you know the family isn't receiving one. Most adopted families will also receive the Christmas meal from a center and then you are just doubling everything they are already getting. Plus, most of those products are also ones that would routinely show up in their food aid (except maybe the canned ham)...

Oh, and something I forgot to mention - if you go the fresh food route, possibly include a small multi-purpose knife (if allowed), a veggie peeler, and a plastic cutting board. Again, you can't assume they will have anything in their kitchen outside of a few pots and pans and utensils.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I really like the idea of like a Christmas type dinner! And Christmas treats. You think can frosting is okay or ingredients to make butter cream?


Maybe a breakfast basket? Get some kid cereals, oatmeals, breakfast bars, poptarts to help jumpstart the family mornings?



I found a really cute idea on pinterest where they put a pair of pjs in a box with a movie for the kids to do the night before Christmas, I thought that was a sweet idea! Maybe make a family basket with pjs rolled up for each kid, a movie, some popcorn and other treats for a movie night? We are going to have six kids total between the two families.

Breakfast basket is also a great idea. If no fresh items, I would lean towards country ham (100% shelf-stable), the shelf-stable fully cooked bacon, powdered just-add-water pancake mix(es), maple syrup and/or honey and/or a sugar shaker, just-add-water muffin mix(es) with muffin liners, all-fruit preserves, dried fruits (like dried apples, raisins, cherries, cranberries), regular oatmeal (the dried fruits and sweetener and preserves above could be easily added and then you're not picking a flavor they hate, a nut butter or two (which could be added to the pancakes, muffins, or oatmeal), tea bags (again to use with honey), a 100% juice, cheerios and/or rice krispies and/or Kix, etc. I'd stay away from the sugared cereals/poptarts/etc, and enable the sugar to be an add-in (like the honey, preserves, or dried fruits)...

I think this type of basket would be a great Christmas breakfast (and it you want to add a true treat, add a complete treat, like chocolate, rather than sugars in the main foods...

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I really like the idea of like a Christmas type dinner! And Christmas treats. You think can frosting is okay or ingredients to make butter cream?


I have included sugar cookie mix, canned cream cheese frostin, red and green sugar, sprinkles and a cookie sheet before. I also threw in some candy canes and christmas chocolates and candy for stockings just in case.

 

[abcboys]

I like the idea of a Christmas basket but our town already does that once for Thanksgiving and once for Christmas with all of those items already mentioned. It includes a turkey or ham. I don't know if your town already does that or not.

Otherwise I really like the idea of a breakfast basket. Pancake mix, syrup, oatmeal packets, cereal, poptarts, cereal bars, fruit like cuties and bananas.

I agree with staying with items that most kids/adults already eat and like.

 

[Scambone]

I'm not real sure what my town does for holidays but I think I like the breakfast basket idea the best. Seems...safer? I'll have to look into this shelf stable bacon...where does one find that?

 

[TwoMisfits]

Most bacon companies (Oscar Meyer, Hormel) have shelf-stable fully cooked bacon boxes in most stores - they are usually NOT where the normal bacon is, so you may need to ask around. Amazon has a link to a rather big box of it (usual boxes in stores are between 2-3oz)...http://www.amazon.com/Hormel®-Black-Label-Fully-Cooked/dp/B00F54QG1S) - this box is the equivalent of 4 boxes of normal bacon. And here's an equivalent for Oscar Meyer (maybe more useful b/c boxes could be opened 1 at a time)...http://www.amazon.com/Oscar-Mayer-F...1446752767&sr=8-2&keywords=fully+cooked+bacon

These should be cheaper in a store (and available in the single box size), so I would look in some of your discount groceries before going to Amazon.

And, you could put a variety, like a small box of the bacon, a Hickory farms sausage, and/or a country ham slice to cover all breakfast protein likes.

 

[LostMason]

Here are a few other non-food ideas:
winter scarf and gloves
family board games
slipper socks
nail polish

we also always give a laundry basket filled with cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, paper towels, etc. Not very "exciting" gifts but things all families need and cant' use food stamps to buy.

 

[Eureka]

I was also thinking a breakfast basket and you can add in whole wheat bread, jam, and peanut butter...things that get pricey, especially when you have several kids to feed. I'd nix the pop tarts because as yummy as they are (when my kids were little, I'd get them on sale for dessert and would always sneak one) they are full of fat and not much nutrition, and instead put in canned pears, peaches, mandarin oranges, etc.

 

[smokeyblue]

I wouldn't be so set on giving a special meal or anything especially exotic. Chances are they have a family or something planned. Every day stuff that they can eat is probably more useful. My mom works at a food bank and things like pasta, sauce, pancake mix, syrup, mac & cheese and ramen go over the best. Some people don't have the best cooking facilities, pots and pans or utensils and easy to make meals are best.

Gifts for the household like toilet paper, paper towel, detergents, bath products, dish clothes and towels would be very useful to adults. Adults can always use multi-packs of athletic socks and dress socks, gloves, hats and scarves. A good skillet or nice cooking utensils would be nice too. As I said before, people often don't have the best means to cook their food.

 

[LovesTimone]

A friend and I decide to each adopt a family for Christmas. We are receiving the info on the kids this Friday but they rarely give us info on the adults since they're focused on making Christmas best for the kids. We thought maybe we could do a dinner in a basket for the parents but all I'm coming up with is pasta and sauce. Does anyone else have any ideas what to add to a pasta basket or have another meal idea? I'm not real sure when we give them the stuff just yet so I think anything cold (cheese/meat) is not an option. We're mainly interested in a single dinner in a basket rather a basket filled with random snack items. TIA!

Are you going thru a charity or church? or will you be delivering yourself? If thru a charity there will be a delay time for the family gets the items once you drop off, and where they store the items would come into play waiting for delivery. So I would be careful about fresh produce and /or perishables. There are so many things that a family could use grocery wise, if you stock some pantry items, then they might have some extra cash to choose a special meal for themselves and give the family a little wiggle room. My go to was coffee and a flavored self stable creamer, and hot chocolate and a bag of marshmallows for the kiddos. Personal care items are always well received, putting them in a stocking makes more special, bubble bath or tub crayons for the little ones, with kid friendly shampoo, soap and maybe something to play with in the tub. For parents, shower gel, lotion, shaving cream, razors. I like to throw in a few candy canes, and such. Also you might want to check to see about a small gift that the children can give to mom and dad.

We did family adoptions thru our church so we did get more information on each family, So basket and gifts where only kept over night and delivery started bright and early the next day.

On a side note, there are lots of elderly people that get forgotten at this time of year. So if you can think about maybe donating to a Senior angels program, food items are very much appreciated.