A COVID-style holiday may be a little different than many of us are used to, but that doesn’t have to dampen the holiday spirit! Giving food to friends, family, and neighbors is a great way to connect, especially when in-person gatherings may be restricted in your area. 

Party Extras

If someone isn’t able to come to a party or holiday gathering due to quarantine, guest-count restrictions, or other reasons, taking them some food can help them feel like they didn’t miss out completely. If delivering food from a party, dinner, or event, make sure it’s packaged well so your good thoughts don’t feel like an afterthought. Individual meal-prep containers are good for this, as are sturdy disposable plates or platters. Dress it up a little, if you can. Doesn’t have to be fancy, but people eat with their eyes, first. Table scraps do not a holiday-Instagram make. 

Communicable Diseases

COVID-19 has us hyper-aware of infectious diseases this year. Unfortunately, the crisis facing the world on this issue has turned many practices that were once courtesy into political talking points. When making food for others, however, impeccable hygiene is still an absolute must. Your kitchen is now a restaurant of sorts, and while sharing food is a highly-encouraged holiday activity, sharing germs is not. 

Hand-washing

Wash. your. hands. Just get in the habit! When you walk into the kitchen, wash your hands. When you get food splatters on your fingers, wash your hands. If you touch your face — you guessed it — wash your hands! This time of year can be cold and dry, so an effective hand-lotion might be a good investment. 

Gloves

When touching ready-to-eat food, wear food-safe gloves if you can — COVID or not! This may not be realistic in your situation, but I’ve found having a box or two around helps a ton during the Christmas-cookie season. Just remember to change them often, and of course, keep washing your hands. 

Masks

When delivering food, especially this year, consider wearing a medical-grade mask. Disposable ones are pretty available this far into 2020. You may not agree with the various politicized issues surrounding masks and COVID, but respecting other’s beliefs is an awesome thing to do around the holidays. Unless you know they don’t want you to for some reason, mask up for the drop-off. Small tokens of courtesy and care go a long way. 

Allergies

If at all possible, check-in about any food allergies. Common allergies are tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, milk, and eggs. For some, allergies are an annoyance, but for others, even being around the allergen can be fatal. Good to check in before bringing over that shrimp alfredo casserole with a side of peanut butter cookies. 

A note about chronically ill or homebound neighbors

Make sure any home-bound individuals can actually get to the door for a drop-off and/or they are okay with visitors bringing it in for them. During the holidays, illnesses abound and many people are trying to stay safe. Chronically ill or immuno-compromised families may have special restrictions. 

If bringing the meal doesn’t work for them, be gracious and flexible. They appreciate the thought! A little creativity can go a long way toward working out a plan, but if they insist that you don’t bring food, perhaps write a quick happy note and put it in the mail, instead. Most people like to be thought of and served, so never hesitate to reach out — just be aware that they may have special circumstances. A generous dose of consideration and respect might be just what the doctor ordered.