Have you heard of Lasagna Love? I think it started during the pandemic. The concept is simple. If you want a lasagna, you sign up on the website. Then you are matched with a volunteer who will make one for you! No explanations needed, though many do so when they’re going through tough times.
When I first learned about Lasagna Love, I felt inspired to start one called Lumpia Love. I’m a Filipina and it’s one of the foods we’re known for. I envisioned dropping Filipino food on a doorstep with fresh steamed rice and chicken adobe. While that idea never came into fruition, I still longed to sign up for Lasagna Love.
I finally did it last week. You can sign up to do it just once, which is exactly what I did. Between my work schedule and my family, I was unsure about committing to it on a regular basis. After all, making lasagna is a labor of love. I spend a good three hours in the kitchen making the sauce and prepping the pan with its many layers. By the way, this is the recipe I’ve used for almost twenty years. Back in the day when they had paper magazines, I had a subscription to Bon Appetit. I don’t know if that magazine is still in print (and I know it makes me look dated). But I discovered this lasagna recipe and it’s my go-to.
It didn’t take long to be matched with someone – an older lady that lives down the street. So off I went to get the ingredients and assemble this dish. Then I started to think about how to present it. I would need a greeting card to write a note. I sketched a square of lasagna on a plate. Then for the wording, I looked on the internet for ideas. There aren’t a lot of lasagna greeting cards, most of them were for birthdays. I decided be more general with the wording. Lasagna is a comfort food, so I made a comment bubble saying, “Everything’s going to be ok.”
I wrote my message with a short introduction. I talked a bit about the ingredients in the recipe. And that I hoped they would enjoy the dish!
Boy did the kitchen smell delicious, especially when I pulled the lasagna out of the oven.
One tip. I found the aluminum pans to be flimsy and shallow. When you’re at the store, look at the depth of the pans. Choose one with a good amount of depth to accommodate all the layers. I ended up putting mine in a box to stabilize it. I also added a box of extra noodles and garlic bread sticks (yum).
I drove over and knocked on the lady’s door. Then greeted her and handed her the food. She said thanks, there wasn’t a whole lot of conversation. And that was it.
Would I do it again? Maybe. I love to cook and bake. I’d be willing to make someone a dinner. Maybe something less labor intensive than lasagna. I don’t know of any organizations that do this. Maybe Take Them a Meal? I’d have to look more into it. If you’re reading this and know of other organizations, let me know!
