Food & Drink

Dinner made easy

What's cooking? Not us. We're buying meal delivery services, attending food assembly parties, hiring personal chefs or picking up entrees to-go

By Kitty Crider
AMERICAN-STATESMAN FOOD EDITOR
Wednesday, February 01, 2006

The testimonials are tempting.

Carlo: I couldn't believe that I lost 60 pounds in three months and my cholesterol levels fell 25 points. I'm spoiled having my own personal chef.

Russ: I wanted you to know that was the coolest experience of my life — having every meal I needed delivered to my door twice a week.

Emily: I'm a new (working) mom and purchasing prepared entrees has made all the difference.

Christy: I love not having to plan and shop.

These testimonials come from clients of meal services — those offerings beyond pizza deliveries and restaurant takeout— that abound in Austin to help the home diner. The services range from personal chefs to entree assembly parties, diet meals to delivered dishes. Often designed and/or cooked by chefs, they offer fresh or frozen restaurant-quality food that solves the daily "what's for dinner?" question. The people who use them find these services make their lives easier and their meals more interesting. Not always faster, however. Some of the dishes require 30 to 45 minutes cooking time. Add thawing time if they have been frozen. Still, many hungry souls believe that an entree awaiting in the home is worth two in the brasserie.

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Assembly sessions

Sometimes called cooking parties, these sessions involve clients showing up with coolers at commercial kitchens and spending a couple of hours assembling six to 12 entrees, which they package and label for the freezer, to be cooked later. (Each entree feeds four to six.) The kitchen staff — some franchised, some not — have done all the menu planning, grocery shopping and ingredient prepping. They provide recipe directions and chopped/measured ingredients for quick assembly. Cost varies by menu selection, but $3 per serving is an average. Some kitchens allow clients to split entrees with a friend. Some will assemble the dishes for clients for an extra charge. None deliver, although some partner with concierge services that will. Menus and details posted on Web sites.

What's for Dinner Studio Kitchen: The menu for February costs $239 for 12 entrees, six portions each. Will assemble for clients for an additional $39. For clients who like to share with a friend, entrees may be split at no additional cost. No delivery. This is a local business and there are no nutritional analyses at this time. 2111 Sam Bass Road, Round Rock, 244-6496, www.thestudiokitchen.com. What's for Dinner is in the process of acquiring a South Austin location.

Super Suppers: For February, menu is $215 for 12 entrees, each six servings. Entrees can be split with a friend. All entrees contain 0 grams trans fats. Nutritional analyses are available from the national chain. Every store has at least one walk-in day for people who want to try out the service and assemble a single dish. Kitchens will assemble for clients for an extra fee, from $25 to $40. No delivery. 13343 N. U.S. 183, 257-2910; 11805 Bee Cave Road, 263-0964; 1013 W. University Ave., Suite 310, Georgetown, (512) 869-2777; 2051 Cypress Creek Road, Suite L, Cedar Park, (512) 535-2792;; www.supersuppers.com. South Austin location coming this year.

Dream Dinners: Cost for February is about $200 for 12 dinner entrees that feed four to six. Nutritional analyses provided by this national chain. Most entrees come with side dishes such as pasta or rice. Dream Dinners partners with a concierge service for those who want someone to assemble the meals and deliver them. 12129 N. FM 620, 401-2800; 8127 Mesa Drive, 342-6860; www.dreamdinners.com. South Austin location coming this year.

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Diet dinner delivery

Austin Time4Dinner: This service prepares and delivers fresh, nutritious meals daily to offices and homes in the city of Austin. A weekly menu, with a choice of three meals most days, is available on its Web site every Friday. The service is provided by registered dietitian Asia McMullin, and all meals ($9.50 each for dinners, delivery included) come with calories, carb and fat contest listed. Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance. 301-1268, AustinTime4Dinner.com.

Diet Gourmet: In business since 1989, this service offers several menu choices including vegetarian, carb-friendly and high-protein. All recipes are nutritionally analyzed and approved by registered dietitians. Meals are prepared twice weekly in Dallas and brought to Austin on Mondays (four days of food) and Fridays (three days of food.) A day's worth of three meals is usually less than $20. Austinites can pick up the meals at three locations (Wheatsville Co-op, Northwest Hills Pharmacy north and west). Home delivery is available at an extra charge, based on ZIP code, usually starting at $10. No contract is required. 821-1366, www.dietgourmet.com.

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Personal chefs

Not to be confused with private chefs, who tend to work only for one household, personal chefs generally have several clients. They plan menus with them and do all the grocery shopping. They take the groceries and their cooking utensils to the client's house, where they spend a day cooking and stocking the freezer with the purchased meals. They wash the dirty dishes and leave directions for thawing and reheating the foods. Some personal chefs come for a single meal or dinner party served fresh.

Prices can vary, but a standard 20-meal service (five entrees of four servings each) costs about $325. Contracts might be required. Be aware that anyone can call himself or herself a personal chef. Ask for credentials and referrals.

Two sources of personal chef names in this area:

United States Personal Chef Association, http://www.uspca.com/, lists seven in Austin.

American Personal Chef Association,

http://www.personalchef.com/, lists seven in Travis County and not necessarily the same chefs as the other association.

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Refrigerated or frozen delivery

The Soup Peddler: The Soup Peddler began as an online soup service prepared locally and delivered by bicycle. It has expanded to include entrees, salads and desserts. This week a dinner for four of salmon chowder, eggplant Parmesan and spinach salad is $46. Orders for pickup or delivery — now by refrigerated truck — are placed a week ahead. Delivery is weekly according to a ZIP-code route; pickup is Monday-Thursday. souppeddler.com.

Schwan's: For more than 50 years, Schwan's has delivered frozen foods to homes. No membership fee. Items are purchased à la carte, but specials are offered on some combos. A recent special included ribs, corn and potatoes for $30 for six. There is 24-hour online ordering, but delivery service is only available every couple of weeks in this area. www.schwans.com.

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Refrigerated for quick pickup

Packaged chef-prepared entrees and meals are available in the refrigerated cases of some local groceries. Some are cooked, some not. Because they are refrigerated, no thawing is needed.

Central Market: Options include single entrees ($8-$11), single dinners ($7-$10), brown-bag dinners for two ($13.99, menu changes daily) and family dinner entrees for four such as chicken-stuffed poblano peppers or cheese manicotti ($15-$23).

Whole Foods Market: Chef prepacked entrees and whole meals to go may include a salmon teriyaki chicken dinner for one ($6.95), rack of cooked baby back ribs ($12.99) or a serving of beef lasagna ($6.31).