Custom, homemade meal solutions for busy people who love to eat
Let’s Solve Your “Food Problem”
Nice to meet you! I’m Caren, a 25-year Capitol Hill resident, recent empty-nester and passionate cook who misses having people to feed! I love cooking. I love eating. I love talking about food and thinking about food. I read cookbooks and pickle things for fun. But I’m also a former communications executive and I know what it’s like to come home after work, when everyone including the dog is cranky, and not want to think about dinner …..every, single night. That was my food problem. What’s yours? Maybe you want to provide healthy meals for an older relative who is having trouble getting around, or a friend who just had a baby. Maybe you want to expand your own cooking repetoire. Whatever your food problem is, we can solve it together!
Dinner Like You Mean It : Your own, personal , on-call Jewish mother , who just happens to make great Chinese food
How It Works
1
We talk food preferences and problems.
Want your kids to eat something that isn’t pasta? Gluten free. Trying to eat more vegetables? Based on your preferences and needs, I’ll offer ideas and we will work out a menu that sounds good to you. We can do this in person, on the phone or you can answer a questionnaire.
2
I go food shopping.
You reimburse for the cost of fresh ingredients central to the specific dish, such as meats, vegetables, cheese, or oil specific to a salad dressing, for example. Spices, butter, incidental eggs, etc. are built in to the cost. Happy to pick up extra groceries you need while I’m there!
3
I come to your home, cook you delicious meals, pack them up for the freezer or fridge, clean your kitchen, and leave!
4
Hopefully, we do it all again.
And only when you need it - no contract, no commitment.
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I work from home and eat Cheez Its from the box between Zoom calls instead of lunch
Pack your fridge with cider-poached farro salad with shaved parmesan and pistachios, and mix-n-match makings of the perfect Caesar
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My children will only eat beige food and McDonald’s
Try toothpicked, bite-sized nuggets you’d swear were from Panda Express, but I promise aren’t, or food they can play with like a make-your-own-bruschetta, make-your-own ricotta picnic dinner (warning, science project involved!)
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UberEats gets my order wrong half the time and I can’t stand the wait
Have Szechuan lamb dumplings in homemade chili oil; Japanese chicken curry, and eggplant in garlic sauce waiting for you to choose from when you get home
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If my teenagers complain that there is “nothing to eat in this house,” one more time …
Put together a personalized “snack pack” of premade food they can stick a fork in and wolf down that is not tater tots, Pop Tarts or Nacho Cheese Doritos - not that there is anything wrong with any of those things)
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I just want to have a decent dinner that I don’t have to think about or shop for or cook
Choose dinners like sweet potato cottage pie and honey, balsamic roasted brussel sprouts; Spinach and feta chicken pot pie with garlicky greenbeans; and meaty mushroom tacos with crema, slaw and home-pickled jalapenos
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My dad is getting older and I want to make sure he is eating well
Fill his freezer with Jewish-Mother brisket, epic eat-for-a-week lasagne and butternut squash and apple soup with crispy he-won’t-know-they’re-tofu croutons
Packages and Pricing
Fill my fridge: $400
Three meals, each of which consists of a “main” and a “side” that feeds four. The definitions of each are flexible … is soup a side? Sure, if you want it to be. So that’s roughly meals for 12 people, that you don’t cook, or shop for ...
Fill my fridge junior: $300
Same as above, two meals
Fill my freezer: $600
For six meals, because once you’re freezing, go all in!
Flexible
Call me! Let’s talk.
FAQs
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Yes, according to D.C. regulations. I can also rent a commercial kitchen to cook in for an additional fee.
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Depends on the package and the meals. It takes roughly four hours to make and clean up after the four-package.
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When we discuss your food preferences we’ll also talk about what you have in the way of pots and pans and food storage. Based on that, I will bring whatever else I need.
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You will provide food storage. SeriousEats (the greatest food site of all time) recommends these. It’s a really interesting article for us food nerds. Have you ever noticed some plastic storage containers always smell like soap?
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Me! Me! Only Me!
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Mostly, but you can specify if it’s important to you and I will make it so.
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Depending on availability and need, Eastern Market (meats/fish) a range of other stores from Trader Joe’s to Restaurant Depot. I’m going for quality and value at the same time, which is possible, especially if you buy in bulk! If you have a preference, let’s talk.
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I will not charge you for things you are unlikely to use up - think Szechuan peppercorns, tamarind paste, fermented black beans, that kind of thing. Those are included in the total price.
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Sure
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Absolutely. I love vegetarian cooking
Fun with Food
In addition to cooking for you, I would love to cook with you - and with your kids.
Ask me about
dumpling parties
beyond-boiling-water lessons for recent grads
cooking with kids classes and parties,
lasagna for your child’s birthday party,
and anything else you think sounds fun.
