Whenever I’ve had a new baby, I’ve been incredibly grateful for every meal people have brought over. Having dinner taken care of during those exhausting early weeks is one of the greatest gifts! But after a few days of casseroles and heavier meals, a giant fresh salad starts sounding especially good.
So for this meal drop-off, I went all out on Caesar salad. I wanted it to feel like a full, satisfying dinner rather than something that’d leave everyone still feeling hungry, so I added grilled chicken and packed plenty of toppings separately. That way, everything would stay fresh and crisp until they were ready to eat, whether that was at 6 p.m. or much later after finally getting the baby settled. 😂
I rounded out the salad with a few easy sides and a pan of Carmelitas for dessert. Everything can be set out whenever they’re ready to eat, with very little prep and plenty of options for lunch the next day too. I’d call that a win!
I started with a big container of chopped romaine and plenty of my lemon garlic grilled chicken. My rule with a dinner salad is that no one should finish it and immediately start looking for something else to eat, so I was very generous with the chicken.
The toppings needed their own container, which feels like a very good sign for any salad. I packed:
Crumbled Parmesan
Shaved Parmesan
Cherry tomatoes
Persian cucumber
Lemon pieces
Crumbled bacon
Black pepper
An avocado
I also threw in a container of sourdough pretzel bites because dinner rarely happens exactly when planned with a new baby. My family loves these, and I think anyone you’re gifting them to will appreciate the easy snack that’s pretty mess free. (No having to wipe chip dust off little messy hands!)
Caesar salad is already one of my favorite dinners, but add warm garlic bread and I’m even more excited about it. I love tearing off a piece between bites of cold, crunchy salad, especially when the edges are crisp and the middle is soft. This pairing never disappoints.
I also packed a pesto pasta salad to round everything out. It can be eaten cold straight from the fridge, which is ideal for new-parent life, and it gives them another easy option for lunch or dinner the next day.
And for dessert, Carmelitas! These bars have layers of oats, chocolate, caramel, and plenty of gooey goodness. They’re rich enough that a small piece is completely satisfying, although I’ve never personally found it easy to stop at one. 😂 They’re my favorite dessert of all time, after all, so it was about time I shared them in a meal drop off.
These are some of the things I use to pack up the meal drop-off, or little extra things I like to add with it. Not essentials, but if you want the links, here they are!
Disposable containers so nothing has to be washed or returned
Labels so they know what everything is
Drinks, like juice boxes or mini sports drinks
This meal can be eaten right away or tucked into the fridge until there’s finally a quiet moment. Everything stays fresh because it’s packed separately, there’s plenty for everyone to choose from, and my favorite part? Nearly every part can be eaten cold! No reheating necessary, and one less thing for the new parents to worry about. 🙂
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