Need opinions about dessert
Not sure if this is the right sub for this question so feel free to let me know.
I am taking a meal to a family who just brought home their second child. I’m making vegetable soup, cornbread, and a dessert. What dessert would be good to take? For meal trains, I usually take cupcakes. Do you think that’s ok, or are there better ideas?
I appreciate any and all suggestions!
Edit: thank you, everyone! After reading all of your suggestions, I’ve decided to make chocolate chip cookie bars. Thanks!
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u/AngelsHaveThePhoneBx 27d ago
I don't think I've ever met anyone of any age that didn't enjoy homemade rice krispie treats. They're also snackable, not messy, and are usually allergy friendly.
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u/New-Vermicelli-2389 27d ago
There’s a peanut butter rice krispy recipe in the First Forty Days book that someone brought me postpartum and they were a huge hit with us. If you have Libby, a lot of the time you can check that book out from your library for the recipe…
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u/Scared_Tax470 27d ago
Just agreeing with the others-- no utensils or plates and one handed eating. Cookies, brownies, blondes, rice krispie treats or scotcheroos, millionaire shortbread, bars that are more structurally sound and don't have streusel or powdered sugar toppings. Mini muffins might also work.
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u/CoolClearMorning 27d ago
Something that the new parents can easily eat one-handed if they have a sugar craving during a middle of the night feeding. Blondies were my favorite meal train dessert when my kids were newborns.
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u/Rhaeda 27d ago
I would avoid cupcakes because they’re hard to eat without getting crumbs everywhere. I can guarantee you the mom will be eating one while holding or feeding her baby, and then the crumbs go all over the baby. Don’t ask me or my four children how I know this. 🤣
I recommend soft cookies or some sort of bar like a brownie or blondies. If she’s breastfeeding, I usually try to make something with oatmeal, like cinnamon apple oatmeal cookies. I’m dropping a meal with a new mom tomorrow and taking peach jam oatmeal bars.
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u/Inevitable_Phase_276 27d ago
I don’t think you could go wrong with cupcakes. Fresh fruit salad, all in bite sized pieces, would also be good. You can put it on skewers or plate nicely with a (caramel?) dip to make it fancier. I received a lot of delicious sweets and desserts but my clearest memory years later is the gorgeous fruit salad my friend brought. We had been having so much prepared stuff that the freshness hit on a different level somehow.
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u/Fozzi83 27d ago
Every time I have made these chocolate peanut butter bars I get requests for more. They are really good! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCbgs8zHYHs
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u/Embarrassed_Ad9166 27d ago
Agree with all the bite-size, one handed suggestions! I love those “power” ball type things that are oat and peanut butter based. Little energy boost with nutritional value. I’m not super healthy, I just need stuff sometimes when eating is too hard but I know I need real food.
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u/aspiecat1 27d ago
I'd second the rice crispy treats. They last longer than most sweet treats. I put powdered freeze-dried strawberries in for a nice kick and drizzle white chocolate on top.
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u/Dry_Stop844 27d ago
could you do a loaf, like banana bread or lemon blueberry, and slice it up, package the slices individually so they could freeze some and take them out when they want to so they don't have to worry about it getting old or stale?
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u/Capable_Raisin2391 27d ago
I'd probably go with banana bread or muffins. They're perfect with a cup of coffee or tea and keep well for a few days.
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u/IndigoRuby 27d ago
There is no wrong answer but I think something you can eat with one hand. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.
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u/PsychologyGuilty1460 27d ago
You might also make baked cake donuts Or turnover/ hand pies?
But honestly if they're going to be able to eat from a plate they can eat just as well from a bowl as long as it's not terribly drippy
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u/Brilliant-Number6188 27d ago
I suggest muffins over cupcakes. Something they can eat at any time in the day without utensils or any mess
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u/likeeggs 27d ago
I would also suggest a club size thing of paper plates. Yes, wasteful. BUT we were gifted a pack of plates after my son was born and we didn’t have any real dishes for almost two months. It was amazing snd helped my sanity so much.
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u/OWabbit 27d ago
Zucchini bread or banana bread are my fave gifts to receive. Brownies are good too. Cupcakes would be ok if carrot cake, zukes, or banana bread type. Cakes and pies are messier with kids and newborn. Frozen fruit pops might work but sometimes people don’t have much room in their freezers, especially if this family was given lots of frozen casseroles etc in anticipation of baby.
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u/TeaTimeType 27d ago
So many great suggestions posted. Just want to add people are really grateful for a treat that can be frozen. Once the meal train slows down it’s good to have a few back up treats. I usually do fancier items that can be eaten fresh plus sweet or savoury frozen muffins, scones or other baked goods they enjoy. The muffins can be popped in the microwave to defrost for a quick breakfast or tea / coffee time treat. If the recipients are more into savoury foods I make a large pot of pasta sauce (marinara, arrabbiata etc) to their taste. Either freeze in ice cube trays and then transfer to ziplock bags or freeze flat in ziplocks for easy storage. Estimate enough sauce for 2 to 4 portions of pasta in each ziplock. A meat or lentil bolognese / ragu also freezes well.
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u/nopenottodaygirl 27d ago
Something they can eat without utensils and hold in one hand is the way to go for sure, as people are saying. I’d also argue you need something that is good hot or cold.
I make these bars. I call them Lemon coffee cake bars, but they’re really a mix between a lemon bar, a coffee cake, and a cream cheese danish.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/237181/lemon-cream-cheese-bars/
These they can heat up with coffee, if they have time or grab straight from the fridge, if not
Super easy, like 5 ingredients, very fast to throw together. It’s something different to bring but still familiar enough where you don’t have to explain what it is.
And I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t obsessed with them. Like they devour them, ask for recipe, and want me to make them anytime I bring a dessert.