Memorial services are often long, and many people may wish to stay as long as possible to share memories about the person they loved. Serving comfort food helps people nourish their bodies during a time when they might not feel like cooking. These eight types of comfort food are sure to be hits, and including a few of these in the gathering space encourages everyone to stay as long as they need.
1- Include Your Loved One’s Favorite Recipe
Many people have fond memories of cooking with their loved ones. In fact, you can even plan a custom memorial for your loved one that includes their favorite recipe on their headstone. Although it won’t be exactly the same, preparing your loved one’s signature dish can spark conversations around the food table.
2- Consider Adding a Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards allow you to pack lots of food options into a smaller space. If you’re hosting a memorial at your home or a small event area without lots of table space, then a charcuterie board encourages grazing.
3- Simplify Cooking With Casseroles
When people think of comfort food, they often think of casseroles. You can pick from a variety of different recipes to bring a dish to a memorial. Tuna noodle, spaghetti, and green bean casseroles are a few ideas to jumpstart your planning. Casseroles are also wonderful additions to the food display that bereaved loved ones can reheat later for meals.
4- Set Out Funeral Sandwiches
Funeral sandwiches are often smaller than what you might prepare for lunch. But they also leave lots of room for variety. You can make ham, turkey, or chicken sandwiches with different types of cheese. Egg salad sandwiches are another popular type to include on finger food trays.
5- Make a Pasta Salad
Memorials aren’t the time to cut out carbs. There’s something about pasta that people find comforting, but you might prefer to have something available that’s lighter than macaroni and cheese. Mixing pasta with a variety of vegetables also creates a meatless food option for vegetarians.
6- Put Out Fruit and Veggie Platters
For an early morning memorial, putting out some light food provides people with an option for sustenance when they might have skipped breakfast. Fruit and veggie platters are perfect complements to brunch and lunch spreads as well.
7- Serve a Warm Soup
Chicken noodle soup truly warms the soul, and you can’t beat having a bowl on a day when you need to raise your spirits. Soups are nice make-ahead meals that stay warm in a crockpot or slow cooker.
8- Bring a Simple Dessert Tray
Many people bring savory items to memorials, and it helps to add a sweet touch for anyone who needs the comfort that comes from indulging in a dessert. Brownies, cookies, and slices of pie are all great options to give people a taste of homemade comfort food.
Planning a memorial is challenging when you may already be dealing with the emotional effects of your loss. Remember to lean on the people around you for support. Knowing that you can trust others to help with honoring your loved one is as comforting for your spirit as food is for the soul. While it may be hard, you can rest assured that they are at peace as you honor their memory.