Let's Dish! Food for Thought » Family Matters

Respect Your Elders (And help them eat well)!

Rick Corcoran — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:30:09 +0000

Most of us owe a whole lot to our parents and grandparents. They raised us and provided for us and so sometimes it’s nice to give back. We’ve realized that Let’s Dish! can help with that.

Since we opened in 2004, we’ve had a loyal following of seniors who truly adore our product. They typically split (or use the new HALVES option) because they are usually feeding just 1-2 people. Many prefer to dish themselves because it’s a fun and social outing. It makes their lives easier by simplifying meal time, saving money, and limiting necessary trips to the grocery store.

When we launched DishDelivery, things got more interesting. A handful of our customers were having our meals shipped to their parents or grandparents, especially if they lived a bit farther away (we’re able to ship our meals along the eastern seaboard as far as Hartford, CT and Albany NY in the north and Raleigh, NC in the south). We saw spikes in this around holidays. Sometimes it was just a nice gift; other times, the recipient had lost some mobility for one reason or another and this was a big help.

My wife and jumped on this trend. For a few years, we had been bringing our food with us when we visited relatives. Now, with delivery, we started shipping. With the help of both sets of our parents, we’ve been sending meals to each of our grandparents, who range in age from late 70’s to late 80’s (and still looking great, I might add!). We do it fairly regularly and it’s really a nice feeling to know they are eating healthy food and don’t have to trouble themselves much with grocery shopping or complicated meal prep.

So to all the grandmas and grandpas and moms and dads and aunts and uncles out there to whom we owe so much– thanks, and enjoy the meals!

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To Your Health!

Holly W — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:28:27 +0000

People are often surprised to learn that the Let’s Dish! meals they know and love are actually good for them. As I develop the monthly menus, I am fully aware that these are the meals you will be feeding your family. I want them to taste good (hey, we all know some picky eaters), but I also want them to be fit naturally into your health-conscious lifestyles.

Here are some of the principles I always keep in mind:

Fresh, high-quality ingredients: Whether it’s our all-natural chicken breasts or ice-packed, never-frozen salmon, I’m always on the lookout for top-of-the-line ingredients. We offer whole grain pastas, pitas and brown rice. Not only do they taste better, they’re better for you. Our vegetables? Always colorful and picked fresh. Ifwe need to freeze them, we use the “individual quick freeze” method, which retains optimal flavor and nutritional value.

Information and balance: We want you to have the data for good decision-making. That’s why we make all nutritional information as accessible as possible, including fat, calories, Weight Watchers POINTS, etc. Each menu includes at least 4 meals that meet American Heart Association recommendations for heart-healthy living. That said, we always offer our Decadent Molten Chocolate Cakes too, because, a-hem, nobody’s perfect. In any case, you’ll find all the info you need through the “i” icon on our monthly menu, or if logged in, on the My Cookbook page.

Portion control: At a time when portion sizes are inflating as fast as waistlines, our ”dishes” generally provide 6 standard servings as stipulated by FDA guidelines. Our chicken breasts, for example, are 5oz each… which is what the government recommends. If you divide your “full” meals into 6 portions (e.g., 5 dinners and 1 leftover for lunch), you know you’re eating the “right” amount of food.

Convenience: What does convenience have to do with health? A lot. Families often make their worst health-related decisions when they feel trapped by their busy schedule (5pm piano lessons, 6pm soccer, 8pm PTA… sound familiar?). By making our healthy meals convenient too, we enable good decisions even when time is short and the drive-through is beckoning.

I am proud of how Let’s Dish! allows busy families to eat right, on a budget, with limited time. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact me through the “comments” section below.

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Dear Mom and Dad, Please Send Food

Rick Corcoran — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:53:45 +0000

Many college kids eat a lot of day-old pizza and hot dogs and other questionable fare. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In the 4 years Let’s Dish! has been open, we’ve noticed a clear trend: Let’s Dish! food being consumed by college students. Typically, the parents buy the food for their son or daughter over school holidays and breaks and then the student takes the food back to school in a cooler.

Great thinking (guess that college education is paying off!) Relative to other options for students, Let’s Dish! offers value, ease, and nutrition. Meals can be split (perfect for singles) or dished in full, regular sizes (perfect for roommates and suites). Students often have adequate fridge and freezer space, but smallish kitchens, so it’s much easier to have complete meals on hand rather than having to store ingredients. And what college student wants to shop anyway! The whole thing has gotten even easier this year with our launch of DishDelivery. Now parents are shipping meals directly to their kids at school. (We ship next day Fedex Ground in insulated boxes with ice packs and can reach schools in a very big geography– as far north as Hartford, CT and Albany, NY and as far south as Raleigh and Winston Salem, NC). How’s that for the ultimate care package!

Here’s what some parents have said to us:

- “I rest easy knowing that Jenn is eating well. I worry about her much less.”

- “I like that John is developing good food habits. He’s more aware of his food and he’s learning to function better in the kitchen.”

- “I like that Jessica can cook the meals with her friends in her suite. It’s a nice social situation and they can all share the cost.”

So, college students, ask your parents for the “Ultimate Care Package”– Let’s Dish! meals– and you’ll be saving time and eating and feeling better. Parents, rest easy knowing your kids are eating well and therefore taking full advantage of that great education you are paying for!

DishDelivery to college- yet another way Let’s Dish! makes your life easier!

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
> “Surging costs of groceries hit home“: Boston Globe article
> “More time and money are just a dish away“

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Let’s Dish!: Sensible Solutions For Tight Budgets

Rick Corcoran — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:12:19 +0000

It’s hard to turn on the TV or open a newspaper without a reminder of the economic challenges our nation is facing. As the turmoil on Wall Street hits home on Main Street, more families are turning to Let’s Dish! for a solution. Here’s why:

Let’s Dish! costs less than dining out. What was the check last time you brought the family to Applebee’s? $50? $60? $80? A Let’s Dish! dinner serves 4-6, and costs as little as $21 (that’s for salmon, tenderloin, etc).

Let’s Dish! costs about as much as making it from scratch. We take care of the planning, the shopping, the chopping. And we do most of the clean-up. Do you think you could shop the grocery store and make flank steak or mahi mahi for the same $3.50 per serving they cost at Let’s Dish!? We couldn’t!

Let’s Dish! value is getting better and better. While grocery prices rise, and our competitors cut back, Let’s Dish! keeps adding more value. We’ve added sides to almost every meal. We’ve launched DishRewards, which has already doled out over $100,000 in Dishing discounts. And starting in November, we’ll offer half-sized meals for smaller families (with smaller budgets)… more variety and more deliciousness, with sessions starting at only $54.

We’re all feeling the crunch these days. But that doesn’t mean you have to compromise at mealtime. With Let’s Dish!, healthy, convenient family dinners can fit just about any budget. Sign up and start saving today!

RECOMMENDED LINKS:
> “Surging costs of groceries hit home“: Boston Globe article
> “More time and money are just a dish away“
> “Kid-Friendly Let’s Dish! Meals featured on WUSA9”

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Parent/Kid Sessions Featured on ‘Kid Baltimore’ Blog

Jeremy Kugel — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:54:33 +0000

Judging by the popularity of our Parent/Kid sessions, we knew we were onto something. But even we were surprised and delighted to find we’d been “secret shopped” by Joyce Hesselberth of the popular “Kid Baltimore” blog. “Restaurant-quality food”, she wrote after bringing her daughter to dish on July 31st; “directions are super clear, and the ingredients are beautiful and fresh.” And when she invited the extended family to their first meal? “Disappeared before I knew what happened,” she beamed.

As Joyce noted, Let’s Dish! Parent/Kid sessions are a great chance to efficiently combine kid entertainment with household chores. Overall, the meals are “a big hit” she says. And we couldn’t agree more. Check out the complete Kid Baltimore write-up here. Or sign up for your own Parent/Kid experience (one kid, age 8+, per parent please!). Happy dishing!

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