As you may know, the Eastside Make-Ahead Mamas organize their get-togethers on meetup.com. You can find our group here. This page provides a list of frequently asked questions about our meetups for our meetup members.
Do make my meal at home and bring it to the meetup?
Generally, no. You can do all your work at the meetup while we chat, socialize, and while the kids play together.
How long are your meetups?
Our meetups generally last about 2 hours.
What if I can't do all of my prep in 2 hours?
Feel free to bring portions of your meal pre-prepped. For example, you can chop meats and veggies at home before the meetup if that will save you time during the meetup. If there's simply no way to assemble your meal for everyone in about 2 hours, or you don't have time to do any prep outside the meetup, consider choosing another dish.
Where do I find recipes?
Right here on this blog is a great place to start. You can also search recipe sites such as AllRecipes.com, KitchenMonki.com, and Epicurious.com. A Google search for freezer meal recipes (including any ingredients you'd like - chicken, beef, vegetarian, etc.) will also yield a wealth of recipes to choose from. Also, most local libraries and bookstores have freezer cooking recipe books available.
I have a recipe I'd like to make, but I'm not sure if it's freezer-friendly. How do I know?
The group's organizer, Devon Thurtle Anderson, has been freezer cooking for years, and she would be more than happy to answer any questions about converting recipes into make-ahead dishes. Just shoot her an email with any questions.
I'd like to bring my kids, but I'm not sure I'll get anything done while I'm watching them. Can I still come?
Of course! If you can't prep your meal in about 2 hours with your kids playing, you can shorten your prep time by doing a few things ahead of time, or you're welcome to bring your meal pre-prepared for everyone, and you can just enjoy the company and the playdate!
I'm not a very good cook, or I'm shy or nervous to cook for other people.
First, you're probably a much better cook than you think. But don't worry - we're a group of real people, not gourmet chefs! We're busy, so any meal we can take home and get on the table is a treat. All cooking levels are more than welcome. Plus, you can always email us ahead of time with questions about your recipe, and coming to our meetups will give you a great chance to practice and improve your skills with other moms in a friendly, non-judgmental environment. Finally, if you're still not convinced, then our Freezer Cooking Workshops are the perfect meetup for you because at those meetups, you won't have to come up with your own recipes or cook for other people - you'll just prepare meals for your own family using recipes provided. View our meetup calendar to find the next Freezer Cooking Workshop.
How do you deal with food allergies or strong dislikes?
Before our meetup, browse the profiles of other members to find any food allergies or strong dislikes. There is no need to change your recipe based on other members' preferences - just be aware so that you can notify the allergic member. They can still take your meal home, and either use it when the allergic family member is out, or give it to a friend who may need a meal. If you'd like more information about dealing with allergies at our meetups, check out this blog post.
What about severe food allergies?
If you have a severe allergy (i.e., you can't tolerate even a minute risk of cross-contamination), then this may not be the group for you. Even if we "ban" a certain ingredient for a special meetup, some people might accidentally still use it. (For example, many members won't know that gluten-free also requires excluding most modified food starch.) But, our group organizer Devon Thurtle Anderson has extensive personal experience with food allergies and conducts allergy-friendly Freezer Cooking Workshops in the Seattle/Eastside area. She would be happy to conduct a special Freezer Cooking Workshop for you and your friends. Please send us an email to request more information about these special sessions. (Not in this area? We have a network of Freezer Cooking Workshop hosts we can refer you to in your own area, so don't hesitate to get in touch!)
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