When my boys were in college we frequently went to the football games. We always took tons of food and left the leftovers with them. Sometimes we even packed cooler bags with ingredients for their favorite dishes along with the recipe so they could cook at their apartments. I still do this occasionally for my younger son.
My son had a cookbook called “Help, my apartment has a kitchen!”. (I think he may have left it at college.) The boys didn’t seem that interested in cooking until after they graduated but now they have a new appreciation for home cooked meals and saving money! We all know how expensive it is to eat out constantly. My son is coming home this weekend to visit so I’ve packed a few insulated grocery bags for him to take back home. (I’m still trying to make sure he eats well.)
I made a list of a few of his favorite dishes and bought the ingredients at the grocery store. All of the recipes are simple and don’t require many ingredients. Another plus is they make plenty. If a recipe had meat, I packaged it in one pound packs and froze them. He can pop them in his freezer when he gets home and pull each out as needed. The ingredients for Elegant Beef below:
To keep the refrigerated items cold in transit, I filled a few empty plastic juice bottles with water and froze them. When he gets home he can empty and recycle them.
I included some Velvetta Shells & Cheese, some canned veggies and some boxes of Hamburger Helper for some quick and easy meals. (I purposely try to send things high in carbs in hopes of packing a few pounds on him!) I’ll make him some cookies to take home too!
When my boys were away at college I always sent goodie boxes to them during exam time for them and their roommates. Nothing perishable of course. I figured some yummy treats would help them study. Penn State had a program were they would send a box for you with a note that said, “While you are thinking about your studies, I’m thinking about you!” I loved that. But, I liked to send my own boxes because who knows what my children like better than me? Still do.
Ingredients for spaghetti (frozen ground beef in the freezer):
Ingredients for tuna salad along with frozen olive rolls from our local deli:
I guess this is my version of Fresh Direct where they send you a box of food with directions and you make it at home! Bon Appetit! xoxo
2 comments
Home cooked food express care and love of a mom and yes, it is the best treat we can give to our kids who are living away from home. Good efforts, Dell.
Thanks, Maya! I agree!