Limit the club to two or three families that live on or near the same block.
Ease into the routine by cooking for one another every other week.
Set a delivery time that works with everyone’s schedule.
Allow each family a few “get out of jail free” passes, which they can use to skip a turn and not make it up. (This is especially helpful if a family travels frequently.)
Menu-Planning Tips
Discuss the approach to nutrition. Do families prefer low-fat or low-salt foods? Should dessert be part of the meal? Are there any foods that should be excluded?
Determine portion sizes. Do the families want leftovers? If so, how much? The Laurelhurst club multiplies most recipes by 21/2 for three families.
Record the recipes you make, then meet regularly to review them. Consider a rating system to keep winning recipes and eliminate unpopular ones.
Include side dishes so that the days off from cooking really are full days off.
Choose flexible recipes to capitalize on sale items. For example, you might plan herb-rubbed meat, then buy whatever meat is on sale.
Preparation Tips
Allow extra time for cooking larger quantities. A big vat of water takes longer to boil than a shallow pot, for example, or only two chickens may fit in the oven at once.
Make and freeze dishes ahead of time, including soups, stews, and lasagnas. Heat them up when it’s time to deliver.
Involve children by assigning simple tasks, such as measuring ingredients and breaking eggs.
Consider delivering marinated raw meat for each family to grill during the summer or frozen dishes that the other families can heat up.
