Meals Direct menus include Soul Food choices. Dishes from the Pennsylvania Soul Food hot-meal menu include jerk chicken with rice & beans and fried fish & grits. Use this guide to prepare questions about these dishes and current local choices. Menus vary by area and program, so always ask what is offered where you live now.
Food is personal. A familiar plate can make a meal feel more like home, and it is fair to ask about the food you enjoy.
Soul food menu questions
The Pennsylvania Soul Food hot-meal menu lists many dishes. Here are three of them:
- Jerk chicken with rice & beans
- Fried fish & grits
- BBQ pulled chicken with rosemary & garlic mashed potatoes and lima beans
That menu lists other Soul Food dishes as well. Menus can change, so think of these three as a sample of the menu, not a promise of what any one delivery includes.
A few words about the soul food tradition
Soul food is a tradition of home-style cooking.
The three dishes above share a familiar shape. Each one pairs a main dish of chicken or fish with a filling side, such as rice, grits or mashed potatoes, and two of them add beans.
Recipes differ from one kitchen to the next and from one family to the next. A dish on a menu may not taste exactly like the version you know. That is normal, and it is worth mentioning when you talk about what you like.
You never need to explain why you prefer a certain kind of food. Asking about it is always okay.
How to tell the team about your food preferences
When you talk with the Meals Direct team, it helps to be specific.
Before you reach out
- Jot down the dishes you enjoy and any you would rather skip.
- Note which menu interests you, such as the Soul Food hot meals menu.
- If a family caregiver, care manager or (in Pennsylvania) service coordinator helps you, share your list with them so they can speak up for you too.
When you talk with the team
- Say which menu you are asking about.
- Name a few dishes you like from our Meals page.
- Ask what is currently offered in your area, since menus vary by area and program.
- Ask how to update your preferences later.
- If you would like help in another language, ask which language support is currently available.
Keep private details private: please keep health details, ID numbers and case information out of social media comments and messages. To reach the team directly, call, email or use Request a call.
A note for Pennsylvania: The Soul Food dishes in this post come from the Pennsylvania hot-meal menu. Meals Direct is headquartered in Philadelphia, but that does not mean every dish is offered at every Pennsylvania address. Options vary by area and program. Programs and menus also differ in New Jersey and New York, so if you live there, start with our locations page and ask the team for your state what is offered.
Compare the dish, not just the menu heading
If you recognize a dish name, it is still reasonable to ask what comes with the version offered now. Sides, sauces and preparation can differ. Describe the parts you enjoy and ask which details the team can confirm.
For a family caregiver, a useful note has three lines: the member's favorites, any foods they prefer to skip, and any firm food requirements. Keep those categories separate. Ask about ingredients for the actual meal if an allergy or other requirement matters. The name of a cuisine cannot establish whether a meal meets a person's needs.
Once you have an answer, write down the date and which area it applies to. Use that answer for the current conversation and check again if the menu or the member's needs change.
