Once each month, my friends and I take turns hosting a food swap in one of our homes. We cook and prepare meals to freeze and use throughout the month. There are a few tips and must knows for a successful food swap.
Prepare
If you are hosting the food swap you must be prepared in every way. A menu, shopping list, cookware, and containers will all be needed. Normally, when it’s my turn to host the event I divide the shopping list between the seven women who attend. We each spend the same amount of money and share what we have purchased with one another. Another idea is to do all of the shopping yourself and simply collect money from each person who attends. Buying the food and making sure you have everything you need is the most crucial part of getting ready. Make a list and check it twice.
Have each person or family bring their own containers for their meals. If you host a large food swap you do not want to be responsible for purchasing containers for everyone. If you don’t have a large amount of cookware on hand then make sure and ask others to bring pots and pans. I also suggest having your guests bring boxes to put containers of food into on the way home.
Timing
Normally, hosting such an event takes an entire day. Make sure and clear all schedules; leaving enough time to cook all of the meals. It should be something that you plan at least two weeks in advance or you’ll find yourself rushing to prepare menus, shop, and find a time that works best for everyone involved.
All Together Now
My friends and I always cook all of the meals at once and simply divide them between each family. It makes the food swap less complicated and a lot more fun (less dishes to wash). Normally, we focus on dinners and side dishes that are easy to prepare after a long work day. On average, we prepare approximately 20-30 dinners for each family. It takes all of the stress out of what to make for dinner, going shopping twice a week, and eating junk food if you’re exhausted.
You can host a swap for as many or few people as you like but between 5 and 8 is ideal. Smaller groups and you won’t have a good variety of dinners; larger groups and bulk cooking can become a bit confusing. You’ll enjoy financial benefits and saved time each and every month; happy cooking.