Crock Pot Cookery In Mass

So......before I had spoken of Dinner Delivered meals I was doing. They were fun, but on a month when I had VBS, I did a freezer slow cooker meal to deliver. It turned out wonderfully for the recipient (as far as I know!). Now that is what I have been doing for a few months. It is SO EASY and then the families have meals when they need them. And I only spend one day a month delivering. Last month I made about 18 meals. It took about 3ish hrs to prepare, 1ish hours to go to the store to get the supplies, and about 2 ish hours to deliver. (For those interested in cost to do this, below is a chart showing what a value this is). It was SPLENDID!  I LOVE doing this, it is such a blessing to me! I am so thankful others allow us to deliver these to them!

How I "Roll"

               Preparation

I buy the slow cooker disposable bags found in the plastic baggie/ foil section of the store. We have access to a commissary, so my cost is about $2 a box. If they were too much I would use the large zip locks instead. They would then have to wash the cooker afterwards. I love the idea of NO scrubbing! I then make a list on the computer of the meals so they will know what they are eating! I then assign a number or a color to each meal. This paper is printed out and included with the meals.

I make a list of the meals. Then I make a list of who gets what meal(s). I use a handy dandy chart like this:

                         Chicken       Roast        Ham        Soup
Mrs. A                    x                                                x
Mrs. B                    x               x              x              
Mrs. C                                     x                   
Mrs. D                   x                               x                x

Then I tally up needed baggies and ingredients. I use a similar method as above to figure out the food quantities I need. I let the ladies know a few days ahead I am doing it on such and such a day.

               Shopping

I am NOT a list person, but to do this effectively, it is needed. So I shop with my list. On these days, I try to NOT buy anything for myself. Only the things for the dinners. I bring it home and promptly fridge the meats and perishables. Then I either get to work or I do it the next day.

               Assembly/Delivery

I CLEAN my kitchen WELL before I start..even the parts I will not use. Obsessive? Yes, but this is for others, so we should do our best. Then I get out the veggies and cut them as they will be needed in the recipes. I do all this on my little kitchen table in my little kitchen. Then I get the meat needed out and a mixing bowl for each meal (for example...in the chart above three people will be chicken dishes...so three bowls I get out and put the liners into them so I can do it assembly line style). I assemble, then either tag it by color or by number and then pop into the freezer/fridge. I do this for each meal, then I place them in a cooler or a freezer tote and take them to the recipients. Clean up is Quick, just some bowls, knives, and two cutting boards!

                Cost

I think this slow cooker thing is a b-a-r-g-i-n!! My family of 6 costs about $50 to eat at a mid range eatery, $100+ at a nicer establishment. Fast Food is about $30 for us (and YUCK!). Look at this below:

Fast Food Meal $30 each x 18 meals = $540! For Fast Food! **No veggies, no leftovers, not usually healthy!
Mid-Range Eatery $50 each meal x 18 meals = 900!!!

The meals I prepare (usually one crock pot meal feeds my family of 6, with leftovers sometimes too!) On the 18 meals I spent about $160.  For 18 meals for $160 = 8.88 EACH! That is a savings of  $21.12 PER MEAL over fast food prices. And 41.12 over mid range eateries! So really if we give up 5 fast food meals a month, it pays for 18 meals to give. Not much of a sacrifice there!!  (And fyi...I include some rice and pastas and drink mixes with the meals (not all the meals, but some).


Easy, Fun, and Fantastic!