Supper Swap

Tips For Co-Op Success

Getting Started:

• Keep the group small (a co-op of three to four families of similar size is ideal).
• Meet to plan at least one month of menus, and establish planning calendars to maintain a variety of foods.
• Create your own general guidelines (such as vegetarian, nothing too spicy, or no fish).
• Make the group aware of allergies and nutritional needs.
• Set up delivery times that are convenient for everyone, such as when picking kids up from school or soccer practice.
• Be honest. If your family doesn't like something, tell the group so no one wastes time and effort.

Food Preparation:

• Try to include at least one vegetable and one starch (other than bread) with every meal.
• Deliver a meal that is ready to go except for reheating or that requires only minimal work to finish.
• Package food in containers that are both freezable and reheatable.
• Most recipes yield 6 to 8 servings, so you may need to double or make recipes twice to serve everyone in the co-op.

For more information check out www.co-opcooking.com. The Web site is produced by Dee Sarton Bower and Mary Eileen Wells, co-authors of Homemade To Go: The Complete Guide to Co-op Cooking (Purrfect Publishing, $12.50 plus $2 shipping).