Dinner or Gift Card?

I have two experiences with this. First one: I make a lovely meal from scratch for a mom in a mom's club - I do not know her. I drive over to her house (in the rain with my 1 year old). We walk in the door of their very expensive home and the woman is clearly distracted and rude and jumps out of her skin when my daughter walks within 3 feet of her newborn because I guess my daughter might attack the baby. The husband was nice but the woman was awful and they clearly had enough money that they could simply order take out. I'm sorry I guess I just had to get that off my chest. Second experience: Meals brought to us...the concept that anything you grab from the store or take out is appreciated. It's not. Good food is appreciated. My husband can go to the store and grab a pizza or a chicken. He can't make a home-cooked meal. I vote for the meal - if you can handle it and if you think it will be appreciated. Good-luck.

I say meal. I was so tired the first few weeks, the last thing I wanted was to try to be presentable enough to go out. Then, trying to keep a 5 year old and a 2 year old under control while waiting for food. With a newborn. And being tired... No thanks.

I would have appreciated a meal far more than a gift card.

Do a gift card, but maybe not Mexican-- only because if she breastfeeds, she may be very particular about what she's eating so as not to upset baby's tummy. Sherry is right, too, that keeping it more 'mainstream' might work better for her kids, and yes to the take-out option.

Gift card but I would go with a very main stream place. Pizza, burgers, chicken etc. The 2 and 5 year old may not eat Mexican food. Mine would not have..

Something else that is a big help is to bring a jug of milk and some cookies or a treat.

I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

On the one hand, having a home-cooked meal brought to me would probably be more nutritious than a restaurant meal, and it'd be less hassle to eat at home rather than to bring all the kids out.

On the other hand, if she feels cooped up in the house, a restaurant might be a welcome escape.

Either way, it is very nice of you to do that for her family.

ETA: If someone were to give me a gift card, I'd love for it to be for The Patio, since they have both dine in and drive-thru options and GREAT, healthyish food.

Great question. If I had little ones at home, I think I would prefer someone to bring me a meal vs. a gift card. It's often a task and more work to pack everyone up and take them to a restaurant.

If you do go the GC route, I'd recommend it be to a restaurant that offers take out.

Get a gift card to a local place that also delivers!!!!! Best of both worlds!

I love gift cards. The meals were wonderful too.

If the location is close to her house or her husband's work even better. CPK and PF Chang's have curbside pick-up along with other places.

Gift card as long as the place has take-out. a 5, 2, and newborn would be alot of work in a restaurant when the idea is to relax :)

I would prefer a meal more than a gift card because it requires absolutely no effort from me. My MOMS Club always does meals when someone has a new baby and all of the moms agree that the actual food is better than the gift cards, though some moms still contribute to a gift card if they don't have time or don't like to cook.

The meal you bring absolutely does not have to be home cooked. Go to your local market and buy a roast chicken, a bag of salad, a loaf of yummy bread, and a dessert. Your friend gets a great meal and you don't have to do any work outside of shopping and delivering. Win-win situation.

Gift card, best thing for both the giver and receiver at this point!

If you are not super close then go with the GC to a place that does takeout. Unless I know the people really well I just don't like eating home made food plus my family are very picky eaters.😀

How about a gift card to some place where they can order delivery?

Honestly, I would prefer someone to bring me a meal. Just make sure all containers are disposable so she doesn't have to worry about getting anything back to you. When our dd was born it was so nice to have people bring food. You are a sweet friend.

I would do a homemade meal. If you can't do that then a gc from a place that delivers is good too. I would mention it to her since she probably wont shlep her kids out for a while.

In your case, I would go with the gift card. Sounds like they have a lot on their plate, and you don't even know if they will have a working refrigerator in the next few days. Good luck!

Either way but not Mexican.

A lot of chain restaurants do curb side carry out where you can call in your order and they will bring it out to your car for you. I would do a gift card to one of those places. I know Carrabas, Macaroni Grill, Applebee's, etc. all do that service and usually sell their gift cards at places like Target.

ideally take them a meal. but if you're too busy to cook for 'em, the gift card isn't a bad second choice.
khairete
S.

See what she says they will or wont eat and decide from that. She may not want to go out to eat right after the baby. So if you do a gift card make sure its somewhere that you can easily get take out or delivers.

I got both when I had my last kiddo...it was perfect. We were able to stop on the way home from the hospital and grab Outback. Then we had dinner brought over the next few nights. So really, both were fabulous!

I'd be careful with Mexican...spicy may not go well for the new baby if she is breastfeeding.

Gift card to a place that delivers!

I was in a similar situation as my friend had her first baby 7 weeks after I gave birth to my second. The gift card we gave to a place that did carry out was much appreciated and I think appropriate here too.

Honestly, I would prefer a gift card--but probably not to a Mexican Restaurant.

And just because $30 might not cover everything at a different type of restaurant, it doesn't mean that you have to spend more or that you can't do a gift card if you don't go with Mexican. Really.
I would have been very happy to receive a gift card to a BarBQ place (they almost always have "feed 4 for" meals) or somewhere like a Cracker Barrel. We wouldn't likely go OUT to eat, but it would be most convenient to call an order in ahead, go pick it up and come home to eat it.

That way, it is there when it is most helpful (that random day that everything with the kids goes wrong, the 2 yr old blows a diaper before you finish grocery shopping, etc etc) and dinner just doesn't get cooked and WHAM it's 5:30! What's for dinner now?? AHA! I'll just call _______, and go pick it up. Amazingly, Dad always was willing to keep the kiddos at home while I got a moments peace to run out ALONE and get it, too. :))

If you can afford a gift card ($30 is fine... it doesn't have to be a huge amount of $$), then go ahead and do that. If your own budget is tight, then let husband grill something that makes enough for you both... and take half over to them. :)

How nice of you to be thinking of her and her family.

I would make a meal you do well or one your husband does well and take it to them. I wouldn't go to the grocery store and buy a pre made dish and bring it to them.

Good luck to you and yours.