Logo

Food and Funerals

Josh Bedell • February 6, 2025

Why is food such a fundamental part of any funeral?


Food provides comfort and strength. A gift of food shows that we care. It’s natural to connect food with the healing process of a funeral.


When should you give food? What’s helpful without being overwhelming? How do you accept food graciously without having to buy a second refrigerator?  


If you’re helping a friend who is dealing with the death of a loved one, a gift of food is appropriate before the funeral, at the conclusion of the funeral, and even weeks or months after the funeral. 


As you think about your gift, be aware that your friend may not even know they’re hungry. They likely won’t be able to tell you what they want or need.


Take the initiative and make it easy on them. Call with a simple offer that can be changed to meet the needs of those on the receiving end. You might say something like this:


“I’d like to bring your family dinner tomorrow evening. I thought I’d bring you a turkey roast with a broccoli casserole. Will that work for you? I’ll bring dinner by around 10:30 a.m. It’ll be all ready for you to warm in the oven or microwave.” 


When you’re on the receiving end, be gracious, but honest.


Your friends want to help you. If their offer won’t be helpful, give them an opportunity to make a different suggestion.


“Thank you for your offer, but we’re all set for the next few days. May I have a rain check?”


If you’re part of a close circle of friends, consider coordinating with others in your group to cover the family’s food needs on different days and with a variety of dishes.


Consider breakfast food. A basket with granola, muffins, or a breakfast casserole may be a nice change.  


Sheet pan dinners, where the entire meal is cooked on one pan in the oven, are easy for both parties. You can find lots of recipes online.


If you don’t cook, consider giving a gift card for a local restaurant that offers take out. 


Whatever you do, don’t forget your friend after the funeral is over. Most people find sitting alone at the dinner table one of the bigger challenges of their bereavement.


A loaf of your famous zucchini bread will be greatly appreciated and it’ll be even better if you can share it together over a cup of tea.


www.walkersfuneralservice.com

Since 1922, Walker’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services has proudly provided Chapel Hill, Mebane, and Hillsborough, NC, as well as surrounding communities, with personalized, compassionate care. Family-owned and operated, they offer funeral, burial, memorial, and cremation services, focusing on each detail to tell the story of your loved one in a meaningful, lasting tribute. Their locations in Chapel Hill, Mebane, and Hillsborough offer families state-of-the-art facilities and modern amenities amid the timeless beauty of these historic properties. Their privately owned crematory in Mebane enables families to rest assured that their loved one is always in the care of their empathetic, professional staff. Visit walkersfuneralservice.com to learn more.

By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Can I just say that funerals stick in the mind of a loved one years after a death? It’s important that you get it right. Please don’t put your wishes in the drawer with the rest of your files. Oh, and that thing where you tell the kids what you want. That’s not the best either.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Why should you attend a funeral? The presence of family and friends at the funeral is appreciated. We gather to acknowledge a life that was lived. We gather to comfort those for whom life has just been forever changed by the death of someone they loved.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Are you considering going to a funeral? Will you be a guest or, are you the survivor in charge and deciding if there will even be a funeral? Either way, before you just skip the funeral perhaps you should consider how elephants behave when one of their species dies. Perhaps we have something to learn from Dumbo.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
One of the realities of losing a spouse or a parent is the impact that event has on living arrangements. Are we living in the “right” place? Is the house too big? Is it too far away from family? Will my surviving parent be safe where they live? Should I move to be closer to mom or should mom move closer to me?
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Even months after the funeral it’s not uncommon to feel just not exactly right. We all lose our way from time to time. Things happen and we can’t find our JOY. It’s not really so much gone, as it is misplaced. Life feels dull and the days seem to drag. No matter what the circumstances, if you look for it, you can find your own personal JOY again. However, you will have to work a bit to find it and reconnect.
By Josh Bedell March 24, 2025
Emotions are raw when families are mourning a death. Tread lightly and be kind. Remember you may want to have Thanksgiving dinner with these people in a few months!
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
For most of us, one of our first questions when we think we need a funeral home soon is, “How much will it cost?” It’s understandable that everyone wants a simple answer to this question. Unfortunately, there is no one simple answer.
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
How does planning for your funeral in advance save you money? Doesn’t it just let the funeral home make money on your money? How big a part should emotion play in your funeral selections?
By Josh Bedell February 18, 2025
It’s late, why is the light on at the funeral home? Today, there was a funeral. People cried. Tissues were crumpled and left on the tables. Flower petals fell to the floor. Now, the cleaning staff is making things tidy for the family who will be here tomorrow.
More Posts
Share by: