Help me with gift ideas for my adult working ft pregnant daughter

[PrincessMommy]

They live in a small 2 bedroom apt. and she's pregnant with #3.  They don't need STUFF.    Her husband does limited cooking.. she does all the laundry, shopping, etc.  She just started an internship that is working her very long hours.  I know they eat out a lot at FF (McDonald is often mentioned by the g-kids - don't get me started).

 

I want to give her something that lightens the load.  My thoughts are either Hello Fresh for 2-3 months or Blue Apron for easier meal prep.  Youngest two don't eat much and are picky preschoolers.  Does anyone have experience with these?  Maybe there's a better idea?

 

[ktgrok]

Instant pot plus recipes? Fast meal prep.

 

Otherwise, a gift certificate to a take out place that has healthier meal options, like Panera? 

[PrincessMommy]

Instant pot plus recipes? Fast meal prep.

 

Otherwise, a gift certificate to a take out place that has healthier meal options, like Panera? 

 

I got her an Instant Pot last year.  I don't know if she uses it. 

[Bambam]

Is she close? If so, I'd make a bunch of just--stick-in-the-oven meals, freeze them, and deliver them.

I'd make coupons for more, so when she was low, she could let me know. Or I'd do a monthly delivery.

 

Is there a Waitr deliver service there? If so, maybe gift cards to them or the restaurants with healthier options? (Jason's Deli, Panera, McAlister's, etc)

 

A 30 minutes/quick 5-ingredient cookbook? 

[Mothersweets]

I like Bambam's idea of making a bunch of meals for her - that would definitely be the easiest thing for your dd. BUT, doing Hello Fresh or Blue Apron is a good idea, too. 

 

I've been using Hello Fresh for the past month or two and it is convenient and I know they have family meal options where the recipes are geared for younger/picky eaters. The only thing is that I'm starting to feel that the meals all have the same flavors and it's gotten a little boring. Maybe you could change up the services? For example, Hello Fresh one month, Blue Apron the next? 

 

It's so thoughtful of you to think of this for your daughter! As a young mom, I would have LOVED pre-made meals or a meal service as a gift!

[Cinder]

I want to give her something that lightens the load.  My thoughts are either Hello Fresh for 2-3 months or Blue Apron for easier meal prep.  Youngest two don't eat much and are picky preschoolers.  Does anyone have experience with these?  Maybe there's a better idea?

 

No personal experience but I've heard great reviews of Hello Fresh on one of the knitting podcasts I listen to. The podcasters are known for giving honest reviews of other products and only accept sponsors that they can give genuinely great reviews for. They've given HF very solid reviews for quality of ingredients and ease of use as well as for the tastiness of the meals.

 

If even this is too much for her time/energy then maybe gift cards for healthier option places would work better. But I'm imagining she chooses McD because of the ease of driving through--especially if she has the dc with her. A lot of healthier choice places don't have drive-thru. I know you can order ahead but there's  often still a bit of waiting to collect your order. Sorry, I'm rambling now because I'm out of ideas. I hope you're able to figure out something that works for them.

[Angie in VA]

If there is a Chipotle near her, I'd give a Chipotle GC. A big one. ;) 

 

I like your ideas of Hello, Fresh or Blue Apron, but on nights that are late, stopping at Chipotle would be appreciated - at least here. 

[wendyroo]

I don't know.  I think a meal service might actually add to her stress.  Yes, the ingredients are all included, but they still require finding the time to cook...often more time to put together a semi-fancy meal than it would take to make something simple like soup and grilled cheese.  And since they show up at your door on a schedule, you have to find time to do that cooking relatively quickly (while everything is still fresh) even if it is a particularly busy week at work or both the kids are sick.  Plus, you never know exactly what meals you will be getting, so once you cook them there is a fair chance one or both of the kids will reject them and then you have to deal with that.

 

What about Subway gift cards?  Their kids' meals are relatively healthy (but also pretty plain kid food) and it includes a toy like McDonald's, so that might help sell the kids.

 

Wendy

[fraidycat]

A freezer full of heat and eat meals - lasagna, mac n cheese, casseroles, etc. Even pre-cooked meat options such as burgers, sausages, etc. that can be thawed and heated quickly and served with a bag salad or frozen veggie side. And pre-chopped bags of stuff to toss in the crockpot or Instant Pot - all the ingredients for soups, pot roast, etc. so she can grab a bag, dump it in and go.

 

Or pre-made components such as a bag of meat sauce that she can just thaw, heat, and toss over pasta. Pre-cooked taco meat, etc.

Edited December 7, 2017 by fraidycat

[Jaybee]

I really like the idea of giving her pre-made dishes that won't require much prep. Maybe some of the recipes where you only have to put in the oven, etc. Pioneer Woman has a really good recipe for meatballs for freezing, then you can prepare them in different simple ways, for example. She is probably too busy and tired to think of prep.

[highspirits]

I don't know. I think a meal service might actually add to her stress. Yes, the ingredients are all included, but they still require finding the time to cook...often more time to put together a semi-fancy meal than it would take to make something simple like soup and grilled cheese. And since they show up at your door on a schedule, you have to find time to do that cooking relatively quickly (while everything is still fresh) even if it is a particularly busy week at work or both the kids are sick. Plus, you never know exactly what meals you will be getting, so once you cook them there is a fair chance one or both of the kids will reject them and then you have to deal with that.

 

What about Subway gift cards? Their kids' meals are relatively healthy (but also pretty plain kid food) and it includes a toy like McDonald's, so that might help sell the kids.

 

Wendy

Agreed. Those things say like half an hour prep time, which is usually a full hour if you have kids underfoot. Too much work! Plus if her kids are picky they probably won’t eat the meal and then she’ll still has to come up with something for them to eat.

I think it’s great you are trying to help her out. Homemade frozen stuff would definitely be the way to go if you can, or chik-fil-a gift cards (drive through, play place, the food isn’t bad AND they usually give a book instead of a toy in kids meals)

 

 

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[Annie G]

A meal service would stress my dd (mom of four). The stuff arrives and she has pressure to cook it before the fresh ingredients go bad, and then deal with finding something for the kid who will refuse to eat it. 

 

She would appreciate takeout gift cards, because eating out with young kids is not her idea of fun.

 

I know fast food isn't the ideal, but it's not forever. Your dd is super busy right now and the kids are young and picky. One day soon the kids will be older and things not quite so crazy and she'll be able to expand their food horizon. But right now she's probably just getting through each week and fast food is their default.  But maybe you can find out which fast food places are on her route home and choose a couple that are slightly more healthy than McD's. Chick fil A, Chipotle, etc. 

 

Does your dd like to cook? If she loves cooking but shopping for ingredients is holding her back, then maybe a meal service is a great idea. 

 

[TechWife]

A gift card for a cleaning service for several months. Having someone come in even just once a month is very helpful.

[sassenach]

What about an Uber Eats gift card? (If they operate in her area)

https://about.ubereats.com/en/gift-cards/

 

I am a fan of the boxed meals, but it does take a certain amount of buy in to try all new recipes and actually cook the food. My family is getting a little tired of new food all the time, so I’m planning on backing off for awhile.

Edited December 7, 2017 by Sassenach

[maize]

A gift card for a cleaning service for several months. Having someone come in even just once a month is very helpful.

This is a great idea!

[cera2]

A gift card for a massage

A gift card for a cleaning service

A "gift card" for pre-made meals from you each week for XX number of weeks (ie: the first Sunday of every month you will drop off 5 premade meals to eat or freeze)

[Carol in Cal.]

I've had friends try Blue Apron and love it, but they weren't working super long hours.  There is still a bunch of prep needed.

I wonder whether Costco frozen entrees might not be a better fit for this season of life?  The Ling Ling potstickers are pretty good, as is the General Tso's Chicken.  There are tons of rav or tortellini options also.  What about a tiny stand alone freezer to go with it, if you want to make a more substantial gift?

[bettyandbob]

Cleaning service is a great idea.

 

I know you'd really like the kids to eat better, but those meal prep companies still require some work.

 

I had a cleaning service once a month when I had littles and was working. I dropped it when I became a SAHM. I didn't start again when I returned to work because I didn't have extra money. I do wish o could afford it again. I loved coming home on cleaning day. Everything looked great. It made me feel less stressed immediately

[PrincessMommy]

While I love the idea of a cleaning service I don't think it would be practical.  They'd first need someone to help with major de-cluttering (the H word sometimes comes up amongst her sibs).  I think it would stress her out and she'd be the one doing all the prep work, if you get my drift.   And getting a de-cluttering company may look like a judgement upon them.  Believe me, I've thought about it but I try not to go there... it stresses me out.

 

They only have a small freezer on the fridge.. I babysit the 2 kids 2x per week.  I don't know if *I* want to add cooking a few times a week for them to the mix.  I can only imagine what some of my other kids would say... :rolleyes:   (esp. the middle kids LOL).

 

I like the idea of Panera, Chipotle, or Chick-fa-la... I may look and see what is on her route home or her husband's.  He can at least go *get* food for them.  :001_rolleyes:

[Sandwalker]

Dinners made and put in their freezer. That was the best shower gift I got with my second.

[ktgrok]

Could you buy a bunch of freezer meals and then store them in your freezer, and deliver when you babysit?

[caedmyn]

How about hiring a personal chef service for her? Maybe you could hire someone to make freezer meals for her. I would be thrilled if someone hired a personal chef service for me.

[Elizabeth86]

If you wanted something just special for her I vote for a prenatal massage. I'd LOVE one, BUT I'd never in a million years actually use our money for something like that for myself. As far as what would lightener her load, I would just have to know her better kwim? Could you just ask her? I would love to have a cleaning service mich more over food, but maybe she doesn't need that??

Edited December 8, 2017 by Elizabeth86

[wendyroo]

Could you buy a bunch of freezer meals and then store them in your freezer, and deliver when you babysit?

 

This is along the lines of what I was thinking.  But to really make it work, you might have to pop it into your oven and give it to her cooked, at least most of the way, when she picked up the kids.

 

I just picture myself in her shoes, picking up kids, freezer meal in hand, knowing that it will probably take 45 minutes in the oven after we get home.

 

Also, you might have to really look to find a meal that both her kids will eat.  A lot of freezer meals are lasagna or stir fry or something else with lots of ingredients mixed together.  That might be a no-go with picky preschoolers.

 

Wendy

[itsheresomewhere]

What about a grocery service delivery? You could give a gift amount and all she has to do is put the delivered groceries away after she orders them online. She might enjoy not having to go out to buy groceries after a long day. That might be the best solution besides gift cards to restaurants.

[Pippen]

If husband does all the cooking then I would check with HIM in advance to see if he'd appreciate a Hello Fresh sort of approach. If your daughter is pregnant and working long hours and didn't cook before, then (understandably) there's zero chance she's going to start now. 

 

 

[PrincessMommy]

If husband does all the cooking then I would check with HIM in advance to see if he'd appreciate a Hello Fresh sort of approach. If your daughter is pregnant and working long hours and didn't cook before, then (understandably) there's zero chance she's going to start now. 

 

She does the majority of cooking.   I think she is just pushed to the limit and cooks less now.

[cjzimmer1]

She does the majority of cooking.   I think she is just pushed to the limit and cooks less now.

In this case, I think the Hello Fresh would not be a good idea.  I'm a pretty accomplished cook but when I did a test box of Hello Fresh and Plated, they still required a fair amount of time.  I would say most of them ended up being close to an hour even when they recipe indicated less time.  So for someone who is short on time, I would think cooking would just be an added stress.  

[Wabi Sabi]

How about an IOU for homemade meals? If you're babysitting twice a week you could prepare the food at your own house and have it ready for her when she picks up the kids, or if you watch them at her apartment you could always bring a casserole or a pre-prepped crockpot meal with you. As for what your other children would think, who cares? Remind them that you can choose whatever gift you'd like for your own daughter, and that if the day ever comes when they have kids of their own that they may find themselves on the receiving end of a similar gift. 

[lavender's green]

What about a grocery service delivery? You could give a gift amount and all she has to do is put the delivered groceries away after she orders them online. She might enjoy not having to go out to buy groceries after a long day. That might be the best solution besides gift cards to restaurants.

 

Careful about hidden costs, though. We were recently researching it, and our local one has hidden fees, even after you've paid the big annual fee. Plus tips are expected. The delivery person only makes about $1 for the delivery (or so DH mentioned. That does sound awfully low. Maybe it was a guess or exaggeration. Still, they're not making a boatload off it and it's a tip-based job).

 

I'm sure other places have different cost structures, but be sure to look into it ahead of time. It would be sad to get them something they never use because they can't or don't want to pay extra.