What do you think of the Make/Freeze your meals stores?
Entree Vous is on the south side of South Bend in Erskine Village, but there is another similar store in the Grape/Main Street area in Mishawaka. I have only read brief descriptions of these stores and it seems nice and convenient to just go in and make the meals you want how you want to freeze at home, but kind of pricey too. Has anyone been to one of these retailers? Did you find it worth the money?
Meals
Never heard of it. But sounds stupid!
I would consider it
What are the prices on something like this? I've been wondering how well Entree Vous is doing on this side of town. It always looks closed when I go by. We have gotten a few things in the mail for them. I'm not sure it would be something I would do often, but maybe a girls-night-out sort of thing once in awhile. How many meals do you make, and can you pick what you want? May be worth it to make the mess in someone else's kitchen and make several nights worth all at once. I guess I've never really considered doing it because I just figured it was pricey. I suppose I would do it once and see how good it was!
Jessica
~ Mommy to Luke and Shawn
JessicasCandles@gmail.com
They are closed on certain
They are closed on certain days of the week. Other days they are open for picking up meals, but you can also schedule times to come in to make your meals. That's why they look like they are closed. They are open depending on what they have booked.
I've made a few meals there, and they have been delicious!
Antonette
Wife Mom Interpreter SKI-HI PA Sign Language Instructor
make and take meals
I've actually been to both Entree Vous and Dream Dinners, and it's not stupid at all.
They have monthly menus that you can choose from, and you either schedule a time to come in and make the meals you want to, or they have pre-made meals that you can come and pick up.
Prices vary depending on what you are making. Beef entrees will be more expensive than say chicken. Entrees at Entree Vous start at $19.99 and go to $25.99. They also have sides and desserts to choose from.
All the meals feed either 4-6 or 6-8 people, and you can split meals into smaller groupings. When I went, I would make a recipe for 6-8 people and split it into 2 or 3 servings, since there are only three of us at home. They are made to be frozen, and have the cooking instructions included.
For those of us who work outside the home (I have a two hour commute), having something in the freezer that my husband can get cooking before I get home works for us. If you break it down into servings, you are spending around $4 per serving.
I have made meals and had them on hand for friends who have given birth. I can help out with meals without having to figure out when I am going to find the time to get into the kitchen.
These places are also great if you belong to a non-profit and are looking for fundraising ideas. A couple of local groups I am involved in have done fundraisers, and we earn a percentage based on how many meals people make. And it's a fun way to get together with the girls to chat and prepare meals.
Antonette
Wife Mom Interpreter SKI-HI PA Sign Language Instructor
sounds like fun but too pricey for us
I think they are a great idea just a bit on the pricey side for us 4 a serving would be killer on a regular basis...i always thought you could get a group together once a month at someones home and do something simiar, each person would bring their fav recipie and the ingredients also enoujgh for 4 or so attending then everyone would go home with 4 new things to try that are virtually ready to pop in the oven
freezer meal swap . . .
Yes, we've done the freezer meal swap with our mom's group at church before and I've also done it with a small group of friends. Once we did it all together in a church kitchen and once we just each picked two meals and made multiples of each and then passed them around. I really loved it and thought it was not only fun but saved a lot of time and money.
Sometimes I also double a meal and freeze one and we eat the other. I especially did this a lot when I was pregnant so I would have meals after the baby arrived. I've got some recipes that I think freeze really well. Let me know if anyone is interested!
Monica
Mom to Brian, Wesley, and Curtis
Wife to Lavon
www.MonicasBooks.com
Dream Dinners
Dream Dinners offers fundraisers for my children's school and that is the only time I've participated with all three kids in tow. I made for meals that serve 6 and split them in half in fifteen minutes. They are gourmet foods, so it's restaurant quality for the $20 price. It is well worth it. When the noodle or rice is added the meals are huge. We only eat the half portions. Very good and lots of variety.
Dream Dinners
I have been to Dream Dinners twice when friends hosted a night there. I think it seems a little pricey, but the food is great and I would never cook gourmet meals like that at home...I would be overwhelmed on my own! We really liked them and also were able to split the meals in half to feed 4 of us. On those nights my husband didn't have leftovers for lunch the next day though.
It's also a fun thing to do just to get together with friends and then you have meals on hand for days you are busy or just want something easy.