Extras

There are a few things to consider when bringing someone a Hospitality Meal.  Here are a few of my thoughts:

Planning The Meal

Check for food allergies!  No one wants to make their friends sick!  My sweet nephew in Chicago is deathly allergic to peanuts and at one point he couldn't even be around peanut dust without a potential anaphylaxis danger.  Ask about any and all food allergies before you bring someone a meal!

Check for food intolerances too!  Someone might be lactose intolerant or someone might require a gluten-free diet for health reasons.  Maybe a new mama with a tiny baby is nursing and can't eat spicy foods.  Someone's medications might not agree with certain foods too.  
Be sure you know those facts!

Ask the family if they've had any cravings for something recently.  A lot of Hospitality Meals tend to be heavy on the pastas or rices, nice and warm hearty meals.  I love them!  But after so many, perhaps the family would love nothing more than a crisp, delicious salad and fresh bread!  You never want to hear, "Lasagne AGAIN????"

Can you cook in front of a crowd?  Ask the family if they want company!  Maybe you're bringing a meal because someone lost a job and they just really need to vent and cry to a trusted friend.  Sometimes a good meal with a friend is the best medicine and therapy around.  If your friend would love company, offer to cook the meal at your home (and be sure they get sent home with all the leftovers).  If they'd prefer to do it at their home, that's still an option.  Bring all your ingredients and even your own pots and pans (so you don't destroy their kitchen), cook for them, enjoy a meal together and clean up afterwards leaving the place cleaner than you found it.  Who wouldn't want a personal chef for the night?

Bringing The Meal

When bringing a hospitality meal to someone, think of any extras they might need, or anything else that might serve them, even if they probably already have it in the house.  Example, bringing a pasta dish?  Make sure you bring some parmesan cheese for topping.  Bringing someone Mexican food?  Take them some fresh lime and cilantro!  You never know when your friend might be out of something as simple as ketchup or salt and pepper.  That reminds me, I'm out of salt.

Bring meals in disposable pans so your friends don't have to wash and return any dishes to you.

Provide paper plates, bowls, plastic cutlery, napkins, paper cups so they don't have any dishes to do.

Think of a fun drink you might be able to provide too like lemonade for the kids, iced tea, sodas, milk.

Don't forget dessert!

This may seem a little presumptuous, but how many times have you received a Hospitality Meal and it was absolutely phenomenal and you had to ask for the recipe?  Some people aren't exactly good at getting back to you with recipe requests.  So, if you're giving someone a family favorite, maybe slip in the recipe too in case they love it.  If they hate it, they can just toss it in the trash with the paper plates.