Coronavirus & Taking Meals

ADINA BAILEY

Many of you have asked how to best take meals to your friends as our nation battles against coronavirus. While I hope I'm incorrect, it seems likely you will have a friend or neighbor who is affected and needs meals. I'm not a doctor, but I want to answer your question in a way that protects and blesses both the meal provider and meal recipient during this time when we need each other.

Our country has already taken significant steps to slow the spread of the virus in order to preserve the medical resources needed to care for those who may have a more difficult time fighting it. On a smaller scale, we can continue that larger effort by taking meals in a way that eliminates the risk of spreading. In many ways we already do this because we are careful when we take a meal to a family with the flu or who has welcomed a new baby.

This is a time to continue and improve those healthy habits. Here are some important reminders of how to best take meals when the recipient is sick (and possibly contagious):

Don't take a meal if you or anyone in your household is sick. Also, don't take a meal as soon as you feel better because you could still be contagious.
Wash your hands and counters thoroughly before preparing and delivering a meal. Soap and water is far superior to any other form of handwashing. I found this article about how to properly wash your hands super helpful!
Arrange to drop the meal off on the recipient's porch and send a quick text to say the meal is outside. Don't forget to consistently disinfect your phone either!
During the meal delivery, don't touch the door or family pet. The pet may have been comforting the sick owner before your arrival and you could pick up the virus on your hands.
Don't take containers you want returned
Send along drinks, tea, honey (not for infants), lemons, cough drops, household supplies, etc. to go with your meal
Don't send a meal with excessive sugar because it has been proven that sugar reduces our immune function. Instead, send along healthy proteins and soups made from bone broth.
If you have an out of town friend or parent who could use a meal, we offer shipped, healthy meals at SendThemAMeal.com.

As always, be sure to stay afresh of the CDC's most recent guidelines over time. Coronavirus may keep us apart for a time, but our kindness and care for each other can continue.

Warmly,

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Welcome! We're thrilled you stopped by. A well-timed meal delivered by a friend is one of the best gifts imaginable. In this space, we share our favorite recipes, meal-taking tips, and other ways to care for those who are dear to you.

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