For tough times, comfort food is the hug we all need. Bringing dishes like baked sandwiches, cheesy potatoes and pasta salads are a great way to show your love and support.
40 Comforting Funeral Foods For Those in Need
Updated Feb. 01, 2024
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Favorite Baked Spaghetti
This yummy baked spaghetti casserole will be requested again and again for potlucks and family gatherings. It’s especially popular with my grandchildren, who just love all the cheese. —Louise Miller, Westminster, Maryland
Editor’s tip: Consider setting up a meal train to help support the grieving family. This recipe is a great meal train idea to bring.
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Cuban Sliders
These Cuban sliders are packed with ham, cheese and pickles and baked with a buttery, Dijon mustard topping.
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Three-Cheese Hash Brown Bake
Serve up comfort food for breakfast with this cheesy casserole featuring frozen hash browns. It requires just 10 minutes of prep before you pop it in the oven. —Nancy Sidhu, Franklin, Wisconsin. Here are a few funeral desserts to console your loved ones.
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Orange Gelatin Pretzel Salad
Salty pretzels pair nicely with the sweet fruit in this refreshing layered salad. It’s a family favorite that is a slam-dunk at potlucks. —Peggy Boyd, Northport, Alabama
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Chicken & Cheese Noodle Bake
This is the recipe my daughters and I often make for new parents when they come home from the hospital. With its creamy spaghetti filling and melted cheese topping, this casserole holds a nice cut and comforts hungry tummies. —Fancheon Resler, Bluffton, Indiana
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Funeral Potatoes
Don't let the melancholy name fool you! Funeral potatoes are really just a cheesy potato casserole with cornflakes. The creamy texture, melty cheese and crunchy topping make this recipe the ultimate comfort food for any occasion.
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Lime-Honey Fruit Salad
Nothing is more refreshing to me than a seasonal fruit salad enhanced with this simple honey-lime dressing. —Victoria Shevlin, Cape Coral, Florida
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Chicken Salad Party Sandwiches
My famous chicken salad arrives at the party chilled in a plastic container. When it’s time to set out the food, I stir in the pecans and assemble the sandwiches. They’re a hit at buffet-style potlucks. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
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White Texas Sheet Cake
This classic white Texas sheet cake is delicious, and surprisingly quick and easy to make. You won't even need to wait for the cake to cool completely before icing it!
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Chicken Zucchini Casserole
Fast and delicious, chicken zucchini casserole is an effortless weeknight dish to use up your summer harvest of zucchini.
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Chocolate Chip Blondies
These chocolate chip blondies are a comforting treat that's ready in just 30 minutes. Meet your new go-to potluck dessert!
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Hot Antipasto Sandwiches
I usually make this popular dish as an appetizer for holiday get-togethers. But I also like to serve it with salad as a satisfying meal. —Lisa Berry, Fayetteville, West Virginia
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Balsamic Three-Bean Salad
Here's my little girl's favorite salad. She devours it just about as fast as I can make it. I suggest preparing it ahead of time so the flavors can get to know each other. —Stacey Feather, Jay, Oklahoma
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Lemon Cranberry Quinoa Salad
As the family cook, I appreciate how easy this is to throw together on a busy weeknight. Plus, this salad never gets boring. One of my favorite variations is to substitute diced fresh mango for the cranberries, cilantro for the parsley, and lime for the lemon juice and zest. —Mary Shenk, DeKalb, Illinois
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Cranberry Pineapple Salad
Impress dinner guests with this delightfully different take on traditional cranberry sauce. The nuts add a tasty crunch. —Dorothy Angley, Carver, Massachusetts
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Midwest Meatball Casserole
I've relied on this recipe many times as a soothing finish to a hectic day...and since I usually have all the ingredients on hand, there's no last-minute rush to the store, either. —Judy Larson, Greendale, Wisconsin
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Tuna Mushroom Casserole
I love to serve this dressed-up version of a tuna casserole. The green beans add nice texture, color and flavor. The first time I made this dish, my uncle asked for seconds even though tuna casseroles are not usually his favorite. —Jone Furlong, Santa Rosa, California
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Easy Lemon Bars
Easy lemon bars are one of those trusty desserts you can always count on to taste good, and they're easier to make than they look. Just make a thin crust, add a layer of homemade lemon filling and enjoy a refreshing treat.
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Favorite Cheesy Potatoes
My family loves these potatoes. I make a large batch in disposable pans and serve them at all our get-togethers. The holidays aren't the same without them. It's also a wonderful recipe for Christmas morning brunch. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan
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Tri-Color Pasta Salad
Our tri-color pasta salad is bursting with summer flavors and is easy to pull off for your next cookout. Grocery store pasta salad has nothing on this recipe.
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Chicken Florentine Casserole
Creamy and comforting, this chicken and spinach bake is sure to be a hit at dinnertime. The toasty bread crumb topping delivers a bit of a crunch. —Dori Jackson, Gulf Breeze, Florida
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Pizza Noodle Bake
Here’s a family-pleasing casserole that comes together in a snap, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Double the recipe and freeze one for later! —Bernice Knutson, Soldier, Iowa
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Honey-Melon Salad with Basil
Put the taste of summer in your salad! Loaded with juicy cantaloupe and honeydew, and glazed with a sweet honey dressing, this dish will be gone in minutes. Watermelon is a tasty addition, too. —Khurshid Shaik, Omaha, Nebraska
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Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake
I got this easy chicken cordon bleu recipe from a friend years ago. I freeze several half recipes in disposable pans to share with neighbors or for when I'm pressed for time myself. —Rea Newell, Decatur, Illinois
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Dilly Potato & Egg Salad
Everyone has a favorite potato salad, and this is mine. As a young bride, I was eager to learn how to cook and make things that my husband would love. I combined my mom's and his mom's recipes, and this potato and egg salad the delicious result. —Angela Leinenbach, Mechanicsville, Virginia
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Layered Veggie Tortellini Salad
Tortellini and a Parmesan dressing give this layered salad an unexpected twist. It's great for a potluck. —Dennis Vitale, New Preston, Connecticut
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Ham & Cheese Potato Casserole
This recipe makes two cheesy, delicious casseroles. Have one tonight and put the other on ice for a future busy weeknight. It's like having money in the bank when things get hectic! —Kari Adams, Fort Collins, Colorado
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Cranberry Waldorf Gelatin
We enjoy this easy-to-make salad in the fall when apples are in season. Their crisp freshness adds so much to a favorite dish. — Debbie Short, Carlisle, Iowa
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Italian Cheese Loaf
Here's a deliciously different sandwich. It's yummy warm from the oven or off the grill at a cookout. The cheesy filling is complemented by a mix of garden-fresh ingredients and crusty bread. I usually serve it with a salad and onion rings. —Mary Ann Marino, West Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Chocolate-Glazed Brownies
These moist and fudgy squares are bursting with such rich chocolate flavor, you'd never know they're low in fat. They're ideal for taking to bake sales and family gatherings. For holidays, I like to dress them up with colorful candy sprinkles. —Deb Anderson, Joplin, Missouri
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Potluck Taco Casserole
This is the dish I most often take to potlucks, and the pan comes home empty every time. —Kim Stoller, Smithville, Ohio
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Creamy Hash Brown Casserole
This versatile side dish is so good with grilled steak, and is delicious with other meats as well. A creamy cheese sauce and crunchy topping make this potato casserole popular for family dinners and potlucks. —Teresa Stutzman, Adair, Oklahoma
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Church Supper Spaghetti
Because this recipe feeds so many, I often take it to church dinners and potlucks. This colorful dish also comes in handy when we have lots of help to feed on our farm. —Verlyn Wilson, Wilkinson, Indiana
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Layered Picnic Loaves
This big sandwich, inspired by one I tried at a New York deli, is a favorite with our football-watching crowd. Made ahead, it's easily carted to any gathering. Kids and adults alike say it's super. —Marion Lowery, Medford, Oregon
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Authentic German Potato Salad
The most popular salad at the table? Hot German potato salad with smoky bacon and a sweet-tangy dressing.
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Marinated Three Bean Salad
Fresh herbs and cayenne pepper provide the fantastic flavor in this marinated salad featuring fresh veggies and canned beans. —Carol Tucker, Wooster, Ohio
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Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf Recipe
Satisfy your coffee shop treat cravings with this copycat Starbucks lemon loaf cake recipe.
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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sheet Cake
I love peanut butter and chocolate, so I combined recipes to blend the two. This chocolate peanut butter cake is heavenly served plain or topped with ice cream. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, TexasOriginally Published: April 22, 2019
