Designer Dinners

How Meal Preparation Stores Just Might Change Your Life

Many Triangle area moms no longer dread the question, "what's for dinner?" That's because they've discovered the phenomenon that's changing how families all over the country are eating diner - the meal preparation store.

In the evenings when it's time to prepare dinner, these savvy moms simply remove a gallon size storage bag that's been defrosting in the refrigerator. Inside there are a series of smaller bags filled with ingredients that they've pre-assembled at the meal preparation store. One might have a sauce inside, another the raw meat and yet another the vegetables. Moms simply follow the combining and cooking instructions on the bag. The result is a gourmet meal in almost no time at all. Moms do no measuring, no chopping, no grocery shopping and no meal planning.

According to former radio show host and Everyday Entrees co-owner Madison Lane. Moms turn to meal prep facilities when they value serving a home-cooked meal, but just don't have time "There are only so many hours in a day," says Madison. "When I was growing up, no matter what was going on, we had dinner together as a family. Even though they lead really busy lives, moms still want to have dinner together and to provide a healthy meal for their families."

Dave Honaker of Dinner A Fare agrees that meal prep facilities are convenient and a major time saver for moms. "They're on the way to the places moms go anyway--Target, Starbucks, Lowe's, or Borders. Moms stop-in and in two hours they can make 12 high-quality, nutritious meals, and they can do it with no shopping, no wasted ingredients, and--most importantly--no mess to clean up!"

What's the catch? There isn't one according to Madison. "It's really as easy as it sounds," she says. "Moms log on to our website and choose their entrees based on their preferences. Then, they come to our store for a session and assemble their meals. We have all the ingredients prepared for them, so in less than two hours most people can assemble enough meals for a month. If you'd like, we can even have our team prepare the meals for you so that all you have to do is pick them up at your convenience. We'll add extra cheese or whatever you'd like, and leave out what you don't want. We have free menu tastings each month so that you can come sample some of that month's menu items."

If you think it will cost more, you might be surprised. "We purchased the ingredients to make just one of our dishes with all the sides we give out and it came to $25.77," says Kathy Palahnuk of Dinners at Home. "If that same meal was purchased as part of our 12 dinner family package it would have only cost our customers $16.50 plus tax. Not only does it price out cheaper - purchasing our dinners eliminates frequent trips to the grocery store and everyone knows that each time you visit the grocery store you buy more items than you intended too!"

Twelve meals that each feed six people typically cost about $200-$250 - that's just about $3.00 per serving. They can be split into smaller portions if you have a smaller family. Many moms report that they spend less, now that produce isn't wilting in the refrigerator and they don't have to buy herbs for single recipes.

Not only are the entrees fast and easy, they taste great too. "We offer high-end, more innovative menu items that moms might not have made on their own," says Dave of Dinner A Fare. "We're also offering more ethnic dishes with a broader appeal. Moms can be culinary heroes at home with minimal effort!"

Meal preparation facilities are popular with all moms, but are a huge hit with brand new moms. "We know how crazy life can be when you are in those last few months of pregnancy or have just had your baby so we offer free assembly for three months to new mommies," says Kathy of Dinners at Home. "We have lots of new moms stocking their freezers with our healthy delicious dinners."

All three facilities offer private baby showers for expecting moms. (You can see one of them, hosted by Everyday Entrees on page 24.) "It's become a new pre-birth event," says Dave of Dinner A Fare. "Instead of having a traditional baby shower, many moms are having private parties with friends who give them enough food for months! This is especially great for their second or third time moms who might not have a traditional baby shower."

So, what are Triangle moms saying about the experience? "Without a doubt our customers LOVE that they can make 12 family style meals in two hours and not have to wash one single dish!" says Kathy.

"I'm hooked," said our editor Corey Williams. "Now, when I try to cook from scratch, I'm amazed at just how spoiled I've become. I love coming home and not having to think about what's for dinner until fifteen or twenty minutes before hand. The rave reviews I get from my family are icing on the cake."