Top Indianapolis Take-and-Bake Meals for Easy, Delicious Dinners

We’ve all experienced a time when even the thought of preparing dinner is overwhelming. This may be due to illness, surgery, grief, or the birth of a child. Ordering takeout is an option, but few things are more comforting than a home-cooked meal.

I feel this way right now. I just welcomed a new baby girl, and I’m adjusting to life as a mom of two. Both my heart and my hands are full. I don’t have time to cook, so I’m leaning heavily into local businesses that make take-and-bake meals.

My favorite options are easily accessible and large enough to feed our entire family (two adults plus one toddler).

The Food Florist

The Food Florist owner Trisha Nusbaum has sold frozen prepared meals for the past 28 years. She makes everything fresh daily and works with suppliers to ensure all ingredients are either local, organic, or all-natural.

The Food Florist sells a wide variety of choices for breakfast, dinner, and dessert, as well as gluten-free, vegetarian, and seasonal options. Nusbaum keeps her Fishers store fully stocked with all menu items. She says the only time it’s necessary to order ahead is around the holidays.

You can also find The Food Florist meals at local farmers markets ( schedule here ), at pop-ups for businesses, and at school fundraisers.

My personal favorite is the deluxe enchilada casserole. I cook the 9×13-inch pan from frozen for 45 minutes covered and then 45 minutes uncovered. The flavors are very well-balanced, and we

usually get two meals out of one pan.

Pots & Pans 

Clarissa Morley established Pots & Pans Pie Co. in 2016 when she started selling her products at local farmers’ markets and pop-up events. Morley opened her brick-and-mortar location at the corner of 49th and College two years later.

The business is well known for its monthly rotation of sweet pies (peanut butter and jelly is my personal favorite), but they also sell seven different savory take-and-bake pot pies that make a filling and delicious meal.

My family’s favorite is the Green Chile Pork Pot Pie. The 9-inch pie takes about 75 minutes to bake, and we usually have two servings left over. It has a little kick to it, but it isn’t too spicy for my 2-year-old daughter. And I love the big chunks of tender pork.

If you’re local, you can pick up the pies from their South Broad Ripple location or you can get it delivered through Market Wagon. They also ship their pies nationwide via Goldbelly.

Send A Friend Lasagna

Stephanie Daily started Send A Friend Lasagna after she made lasagna for a friend whose wife passed away. She realized it was a good idea for a business, and she started selling lasagna in May 2019. She left her full-time job to focus on the business in November 2019, and now people from all across central Indiana order from her.

Daily makes six varieties of lasagna, as well as a seasonal option and a gluten-free option. She doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location, so she delivers all orders. The delivery fee is $10 for locations within the I-465 loop and $15 for orders outside the loop.

I ordered a 9×13-inch pan of vegetable lasagna on the website and scheduled it for delivery two days later. I couldn’t believe how heavy the pan was! It took about 40 minutes to bake, and we had enough leftovers for four meals. We had so much left over, that I froze a few servings.

Nicole-Taylor’s Pasta + Market

Nicole-Taylor’s operates as a restaurant and an Italian market. They sell freshly made pasta and sauces, as well as grab-and-go items, including pans of lasagna, eggplant parmesan, and meatballs.

I like to buy a few servings of their pasta and a container of sauce for a delicious homemade meal with minimal effort. They recommend one serving of pasta per person and one container of sauce for two to three servings of pasta.

My favorite combination is the Italian sausage sauce with rigatoni. I’m also a big fan of the hazelnut romesco and the vodka sauce.

It’s also important to mention that Nicole-Taylor’s makes their pasta without eggs. I’ve had several friends switch to egg-free diets while breastfeeding due to their babies’ food sensitivities. Fortunately, they could still eat at Nicole-Taylor’s.

You can purchase Nicole-Taylor’s products at their storefront near 54th and College or at the Binford Farmers Market. You can also get it delivered via Market Wagon.