What exactly is a meal train, you ask? 

It’s the process of organizing meals for people who are going through a significant life event such as a birth of a child, illness, or medical procedure. Friends and family organize meal trains to ensure their loved ones are well fed during busy and stressful times. 

If you’re asked or volunteer to join a meal train and are unsure of what to make, or just need some tried and true recipes, then you’re in the right place. 

We’ve gathered everything from salad and main dish recipes, to side dishes and desserts. All are winners and all will be a comfort to the recipient. 

Note: Always ask if there is a food allergy before bringing over home cooked meals. 

Fish

 

1. Roasted Salmon with Maple Glaze by Levana Kirschenbaum

One of my, and many of my regulars’, great favorites. The short and dazzling flavor lineup does its magic with practically no work. You will never say you are bored of salmon again! Bluefish will be suitable here, as well as any thick white fish (bass, mahimahi, halibut, etc.).

2. Fajita Salmon and Veggies by Ally Mawhirter

Sheet pan dinners are a wonderful trend for busy families – and when better to break out your trusty sheet pan recipes than Passover, when you’re likely cooking with different, simpler equipment than you have in your year-round kitchen? If you like, you can also make this recipe on the grill. Favorite this Fajita Salmon with Peppers and Onions recipe to make for a quick Chol Hamoed supper, and be sure to check out all of Ally’s 5-ingredient Chol Hamoed dinner recipes and you’ll be set for the whole week. Ally has kept the ingredient list simple, but you can spice up your salmon and veggies to suit your tastes.

3. Sheet Pan Lemon Rosemary Salmon by Ally Mawhirter

Salmon is what I make when I don’t feel like cooking. It’s super quick, filling, and if I try hard enough I can get dinner on the table with only one or two dishes in the sink #lazycook.   The lemon rosemary vinaigrette is a great way to make roasted vegetables more interesting! You could also substitute rosemary for any other herbs you like.   Read: 5 Sheet Pan Meals You Need to Try

4. Fries, Strawberry-Watermelon Shake, and Paprika Salmon by Sofia Shanbaum

One of my kid’s and (husband’s) favorite quick and easy dinners! Includes my trick for making the best fries and a shake recipe I made up one summer morning when I was frustrated at myself that the kids didn’t eat a lot of their veggies. They only like pink shakes! I also didn’t like it that they were eating so much sugar. Luckily, the strawberry-watermelon shake requires zero sugar and it is so sweet!

5. Everything Spice Roasted Salmon by Elizabeth Kurtz

This healthy salmon is super simple, very pretty, and incorporates both savory and sweet flavors. It can be served warm or at room temperature, which makes it perfect for both weeknight cooking and as a Shabbos-day appetizer.

Salads (some salads featured here are dairy)

6. Fresh and Healthy Asian Mango Lettuce Salad by Bat-El Gershowitz

If you are bored of your same old regular salad, this one will get you back on track! A really quick and easy assembly, with a really quick and easy dressing, and you’ve got yourself a wonderful treat! I’m telling you, I couldn’t get enough of it. It is so, so good.

Hope you can get mangoes wherever you are in the world, and don’t skip the avocado!

7. Cauliflower Israeli Salad by Chanie Nayman

This is the salad I make when I want something bright and fresh, which is pretty much necessary to go alongside every heavy Pesach meal.

8. Spring Mix by Mindy Neiss

Salads are in constant need of upgrade in our books. You’ll love this new one to add to your collection.

9. Easy Asparagus and Hearts of Palm Salad by Lisa Fleischman

10. Broccoli Salad by Miriam Zupnik

11. Daniel's Favorite Caesar Salad by Jessica Landa

This is the salad that pairs well with literally any kind of main dish. Not to be missed!

12. Everything Kale Salad by Daniella Silver

Every Shabbos, my good friend, Emily Hershtal, makes this delicious kale salad. We call it her everything salad because it combines just the right amount of salty, crunchy, and sweet for a satisfying mouthful.

Dairy

13. Dairy or Parve Mushroom Quiche by Brynie Greisman

I generally use only fresh mushrooms in cooking, but the idea here was for a quiche that is quick to prepare, using ingredients you have in your pantry. Hence, I relented and present you with this version. Enjoy it pareve or dairy (see note). My family voted it 100 percent scrumptious!

14. Enchiladas Casserole by Kelly Cohen

A healthy every-meal recipe, filled with fiber, protein and greens.

15. Macaroni and Cheese Casserole from the Nitra Cookbook

Here’s a really simple way to elevate your standard mac-and-cheese lunch or dinner.

16. The Best Baked Ziti by Danielle Renov

Always trying to find the perfect easy dinner? Look no further than Danielle’s tried and tested Baked Ziti. You won’t want to miss her tips for taking it from good to an unbelievable weekly staple. Watch here!

17. Everything-But-The-Bagel Quiche by Michal Frischman

Something about the good old bagel and lox always does it for me. This quiche is a fun play on familiar flavors and is a definite change from my regular Nine Days rotation of endless broccoli and mushroom quiches. Plus, I need a use for the three bottles of Trader Joe’s Everything Spice I bought one time in a burst of enthusiasm and never end up cooking with!

18. Vegetable Lasagna by Brynie Greisman

This recipe is a joint creation of my daughter Malka and me. Thankfully, she enjoys cooking and experimenting with food, and we have a lot of fun together in the kitchen. This lasagna is sooo good that when I offered a piece to both the photographer and the stylist, they ate it cold, before I had a chance to warm it up! It’s a real favorite in our house too.

Meat

19. Spaghetti and Meatballs by Danielle Renov

Watch Danielle create her Itallian masterpiece here!

20. Pulled Chicken Tacos by Sara and Yossi Goldstein

Two-ingredient pulled chicken served in tortillas with your favorite fresh toppings!   Find more quick, easy, and delicious weekday meals here.

21. Chicken Sloppy Joes by Faigy Grossman

I wanted to do something with ground chicken that would be different yet easy and tasty. I surpassed my expectations when concocting this dish. Try in any type of bread — pita, lafa, baguettes…. This sauce will taste amazing with any of them!

22. Shake ’n Bake Chicken Poppers by Tanya Ohana

Who doesn’t love a good SHAKE’N BAKE chicken recipe? These chicken poppers are the perfect easy, delicious, crowd-pleasing dinner! The best is that they’re baked.

23. Garlic Baked Chicken from the Dining In Cookbook

A perfect balance of fresh flavors. Very enjoyable!

24. Hamburger Salad by Molly Hagler

This salad with ground beef crumbles is so filling and has a beautiful presentation. It makes the perfect weeknight dinner that everyone will enjoy!

25. Forkless Shawarma Lettuce Wraps by Rorie Weisberg

Looking for a delicious, light picnic lunch or dinner that you don’t have to wash on or eat with a fork yet is still super filling because it’s a macro meal?   Look no farther! Forkless Shawarma Lettuce Wraps are a great easy grab-‘n-go macro meal for busy summer days when I’m carpooling everywhere and want to have a salad but don’t have time to sit with a bowl and a fork.   This has all the macros: protein from chicken, healthy fats from tahini, fiber from veggies, and fiber, starch, and a little extra protein from the chickpeas.   I love throwing chickpeas in as my starch component as much as I can. Aside from being a healthy carb, they have extra fiber and protein, making them a carb that is very good for blood sugar. Watch me make these delicious, nutritious lunch wraps here!

26. Maple Meat Tacos by Faigy Grossman

Chanie always tries to make it easier for our readers! Although I had suggested a pepper steak taco, she felt that ground meat is more attainable for most people and asked me to come up with a different version of the typical sloppy-Joe filling for a fleishig taco dinner. So here you have it! (And it’s finger-lickin’ good too, if I may say so myself!)

Sides

27. Teriyaki Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

This dish tastes kind of like a stir-fry — minus the meat or chicken, but more importantly, minus the frying, the pan to wash, and the standing over the stove!

28. Crispy Onion-Coated Potatoes by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

While many of us (myself included!) probably turn often to plain roasted potatoes coated with oil and spices, these delicious potatoes use a whole different method for achieving flavor: onion! These potatoes are crispy and flavorful — a guaranteed family fave.

29. Everything but the Bagel Spiced Green Beans by Elizabeth Kurtz

Crisp sautéed green beans with fresh garlic and this fragrant spice blend are a winning combination and will make your kitchen smell amazing. These usually get eaten up from the pan before I have a chance to serve them at the meal.

30. Garlic Smashed Potatoes by Michal Frischman

Oil-poached garlic may not have glutamates in it to qualify under the scientific definition of umami, but it certainly has deliciousness, so I think it applies. My favorite part about making smashed potatoes is boiling the potatoes in advance so when dinnertime rolls around, all I have to do is smash and season these and they’re done in 30 minutes. The garlic can be done in advance too. Use the remaining oil in salad dressings or to roast vegetables.

31. Butternut Squash Fries by Rorie Weisberg

Lightly seasoned, oven-roasted butternut squash spears.

32. DIY Seasoned Rice by Brynie Greisman

This savory rice starts with a seasoning mix you put together yourself. It adds depth of flavor to a typical rice dish, and you can serve it with fish, meat, or chicken. This is a keeper for sure!

33. Asparagus with Orange Vinaigrette by Elizabeth Kurtz

Blanched asparagus coated with an orange citrus vinaigrette. This fresh and light side dish is the perfect complement to a heavy holiday meal.

34. Easy Gluten Free Holiday Corn Bread by Blends by Orly

Dessert (some desserts featured here are dairy)

35. Dairy Chocolate Chip Cookies by Rivky Kleiman

Chocolate chips plus dairy plus cookies — you’ve been forewarned: You won’t be able to stop at one! Many thanks to my sister-in-law Judy for this outstanding cookie.

36. Professional Cupcakes from the Nitra Cookbook

These cupcakes really live up to their name! The finished product comes out with a perfect dome on top, moist and light, and they are super easy to make. Be sure not to overfill the cupcake holders or they will spill over onto the cupcake tray. Frost with your favorite frosting recipe, top with some sprinkles, and voila! Professional cupcakes!

37. Chocolate Fudge Pie with Pretzel Streusel Topping by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

This sweet and salty masterpiece is the perfect way to end a Shabbos or Yom Tov meal. It also happens to be ridiculously easy to make. Shhhh! Our secret!

38. Chocolate Chip Cake from the Nitra Cookbook

An easy recipe for classic chocolate chip cake.

39. Banana Cake or Cupcakes from the Nitra Cookbook

Whether you decide to make this as a cake or muffins, the batter is extremely easy to put together. A large cookie scoop is the perfect amount of batter for a regular size cupcake. The cake or cupcake rises really nicely, and is extremely light and moist. Feel free to add in nuts or chocolate chips to spice it up a bit.

40. Refreshing Fruit Salad from the Dining In Cookbook

This simple fruit salad is a quick, healthy dessert. In summer, try freezing this in cups with an upside down spoon in the center. Take off the cup and it’s a refreshing, healthy after-school or Shabbos afternoon treat.

41. Cinnamon Bun Pie by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

This recipe was originally intended for my first cookbook, Something Sweet. Sadly, under tight deadlines, I didn’t have the time to give this recipe the time and attention it needed. Luckily, I didn’t forget the idea completely, because once I had the time to develop this recipe properly, it became an instant hit and a family favorite!

42. Chocolate Pretzel Cookies by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

If you’re familiar with my blog, you’re probably familiar with one of its most popular recipes: Pretzel Crusted Chicken Fingers. They’re a staple in my home (and in the homes of thousands of my readers). These cookies might have never happened if not for the leftover pretzel crumbs in my pantry. One day, I wanted to make chocolate cookies — but I was in the mood for a sweet and salty overload. I wanted to make sure that every bite was an indulgence and packed with flavor. I opened the pantry door and saw the pretzels — and these cookies immediately started to take shape in my brain. And that’s why I keep extra pretzel crumbs in the pantry!  

43. Bubby's Chocolate Chip Cookies by Rivky Kleiman

Anyone who knows me from childhood remembers my Bubby and her famous cookies. Anyone who received her loving care packages — sent worldwide — was fortunate. Since her petirah we have all attempted to duplicate Bubby’s perfection, but we are all missing one integral ingredient — Bubby’s love.

44. Easy Double Chocolate Brownies from the Dining In Cookbook

Easy-to-prepare, gooey, and delicious double-chocolate brownies. For a cocoa-only variation, try this simple brownie recipe by Estee Kafra.

45. Passion Fruit Salad by Renee Muller

My kids are obsessed with passion fruit. They’ll pick a passion fruit over a bag of sour sticks any day of the week. It’s great, I know, but it’s the kind of healthy choice that will make me broke at $2.99 a pop.   I believe this obsession started on a trip to London, years back. I’m not sure why, but passion fruits are pretty common and cheap there. So as a result, every time I traveled to London, or, as a matter of fact, every time anyone I knew traveled there, I made sure we’d smuggle at least a dozen passion fruits back to the US. My sister from Golders Green knows this is her only ticket into our home.   Therefore, you can begin to understand my joy when I discovered passion fruit pulp in the freezer section of my local grocery! Granted, you cannot compare to eating the actual fruit with a spoon. But the flavor is all there.   When it comes to preparing a fruit salad, there are no set rules. A salad that’s prepared in August will not and cannot be the same  as the one prepared in January. Therefore, trust yourself and create your very own combination. I give you here a sample of fruits (the ones I used for the picture) but you can change it all to your liking. The secret here lies in the “sauce.”