If the thought of using a meal preparation service, like Dream Dinners or Delightful Dish, sounds appealing, here are some tips to consider.
Before You Go
- Buddy Up - Cooking is much more fun with a friend! Enlist a friend to accompany you the first time. If you're not sure whether the service is right for your family, you may be able to take a test drive by splitting a meal session with a friend. Some companies also offer a group discount or party plan, an excellent option for a multiples club or group of multiple moms.
- Do Some Research - Before you go, do your homework. If your town offers several outlets, check them out to find the best option for your family. Nearly all of them have extensive websites so that you can compare menus, prices and policies. While a visit to the website will be informative, you can also visit the venue itself to get a feel for the staff and facilities. Investigate policies to make sure they work for you: Can you split meals? Order more than one of a favorite entree? Do the meals includes sides or desserts? Compare serving sizes, prices and menu offerings. Ask about their suppliers. Some feature fresh, locally grown produce, are associated with a restaurant or provide vegetarian alternatives.
- Clean Out Your Freezer - Clean out the freezer before you go so that you'll have ample space to store your meals. Meals are usually packaged in freezer bags or foil pans, so enusre that you have ample space to accomodate everything.
While You're There
- Listen up! Listen carefully to directions and thoroughly read all the instructions before beginning.
- Wash hands thoroughly. Wash before you start and after you finish, and follow guidelines for handwashing during your meal prep session.
- Label your meals. Your service should provide labels to indicate what you've prepared, along with cooking and serving instructions. In addition, you should label your meals with your name, so that you're sure you're taking home the ones you prepared.
- Finally, have fun! A good meal assembly service will provide a relaxing environment; this is supposed to be a diversion from the drudgery of preparing meals at home. Enjoy!
Once You're Home
- Take Inventory. Keep a list of what you have prepared and cross off what you've eaten. Don't let things go to waste because you forget about them! Coastal Cooks provides a handy list with recommended sides, so that I can anticipate if I need any additional ingredients as well as plan for cooking times.
- Shop for Sides. I keep a stockpile of easy side dishes, like brown rice, whole wheat pasta, frozen veggies and frozen dough for dinner rolls. I shop weekly for fresh produce for salads and fruit to supplement our meals. Some meal services include side dishes and even desserts as part of the meal, while others make them available for sale separately. Our family prefers to make our own
- Take It Out of the Freezer! You still have to remember to thaw your meals. Coastal Cooks recommends thawing in the refrigerator for two days before serving, so I do have to think ahead somewhat. Follow the recommended guidelines for thawing, handling and preparing meals to protect your family from food-borne illness.
- Check Your Seasoning. Some outlets do not use salt and pepper in their prepartion, so I always season to taste before serving.
- Enjoy! Most of my meals require minimal preparation, such as baking, sauteeing or grilling. I generally only use one pan or baking dish and many dishes cook right in their foil pan. Clean-up is a breeze! I love not having to wash as many dishes.
Meal assembly is a huge time-saver for me. But I must admit that there are months when I simply can't find time to schedule a cooking session. Fortunately, most stores provide a service whereby they will prepare the meals for you to pick up at your convenience, although there is usually an additional fee.
Have you used a meal assembly store? Talk about it on the message board.
