I had just heard about this on the radio not too long ago while driving home from...eating out!!!  Anyway I thought what a great idea...wonder how much it costs?  Well, now I know!

 

It would be a great theme show.  Or even just a great line to use at a show....You could spend hundreds of dollars at a place like this OR I can teach you how to do it on our own at a FREE kitchen show!

 

Michelle

I had never heard of Dream Dinners, but there is a place similar to it in my area called "Supper Thyme."  I have tried it and I LOVE IT!  I love the concept and the food and the variety.  So far, it has not slowed down my business, but when reheating, I somehow manage to use my PC stuff; like if possible, I transfer it to a stone or something like that.  As a matter of fact, I am scheduled to go on Tuesday for my second session.  In my area, it comes out to about $15 a meal and I think that is cheap for my family of 3.  We can eat on each meal at least twice, if not more.  The menu at Dream Dinners seemed a little more sophisticated than Supper Thyme, but I love Supper Thyme's variety.

We have one too.. it's called Dinner My Way.  I tried it once and was not impressed at ALL.  We can do much much better for people.  It's just a matter of getting the word out that we not only sell tools, but can show you how to use them and save time too!  It's a matter of getting to those people who "don't cook".

Ladies, isn't this basically the same as this attachment I put on here on here? You would just increase it for the number of guests. And maybe branch out to sides and desserts. 

If you are really interested in doing meals all at once to be put into the freezer then check out www.30daygourmet.com

This is absolutely the best thing ever. I "discovered" it when my daughter was 6 weeks old and I was about to head back to work in another week. They have snacks, appetizers, main dishes, casseroles, side dishes, and desserts. They show how you can make your own "Cream of ..." soups at home without all the gunk the commercial brands have. They have spreadsheets to organize what you are cooking, how much you are cooking, what ingredients are needed, what ingredients you already have on hand in freezer or pantry, and totals of what you need of each ingredient for all your recipes totaled together. You can spend significantly less on food than ever before. And you don't have to strain your brain on what to fix for dinner tonight! :) Tell me if this looks like it is the same thing.

They also have message boards that are a goldmine of recipes, freezing and cooking information.

I think the appeal to Dream Dinners is that you do it somewhere else so no clean up. You have homemade dinners that you just have to heat up that cost just as much as if you were to go out. Plus you can do it with friends so it's fun. You don't have to go to the grocery store and prepare things and clean up. It's easy. Like I mentioned before sooooo many people don't know how to cook these days. When I started PC I was shocked to hear how many of the wives around me DON'T COOK. So I think a cooking basics kitchen show is AWESOME!! We as PC consultants we can make cooking fun. It's important to teach our children to cook and not just go to some place that will do it for us. It's important to have your kids or even just hubby see that you can cook.

 

I think if you can get the host to have guest pre-pay her then have her get the stuff you can have the guests use PC items to prepare items that they can freeze. So you can supervise. Really it depends on your host if she is willing to put the effort into it.

 

I like the concept.

 

Hugz,

sarah

 

I think it would also be a great idea to turn into a PC party.  I have bought a cookbook from someone's kids fundraiser a long time ago that was about cooking for a whole month but I have no clue what happened to it, I never used it.  Maybe I can go on a scavenger hunt and find it and use it for that.  Maybe that's the next cookbook PC needs to come out with is one along this concept, cooking for a month.  I may just have to offer this type as a 'theme show' maybe it would entice new customers, that would be a great idea to do in a church, I know of a couple of church basements that have good kitchens could maybe be a fundraiser show.

Jen

Okay, call me dumb, but what would be the point behind this?

 

1) Spend a whole bunch of money on frozen food that you can get in the freezer section of your grocery store for about 1/4 the price? So now someone will argue "but the food is fresh!!" So I counter-argue: So buy the pre-made food from the refrigerator section...fresher, expires in a few days, so you know there are not high in preservatives, and you just need to stop at the store twice a week. Is it really that hard??

2) You have to take up a Sunday (or whatever day you choose) and actually DO the assembly work. Again, it may not be as long or as tiring as if you were to cook on your own, but you are still spending the same amount of time if you were to buy at the grocery store.

3) Has anyone watched the video? Personally I think having THAT MANY PEOPLE involved in handling, working, moving around food that I am going to eat disgusting. Yes, factory assembly lines have a lot of people around them, but at least they are wearing food prep gloves, hair nets, plastic clothing and booties. Half the people on that video aren't protected/being hygenic. Think if one of those women has a collie or a cat.  Those of us with pets know their hair gets everywhere especially on sweaters or in the cuffs of shirts (watch the video again). YUK! I don't think I want to have a dozen pairs of hands grabbing into the same tin of bell peppers that I'm about to use. By the way, the food used in Dream Dinners comes from a distribution plant (Sysco), it isn't fresh from the farm. No different than buying from your local supermarket. At least with the market you can choose your own meat or pick through a bushel of tomatoes to find the ripest one.

4) They're still using canned/bottled bulk foods which use (guess what) preservatives! Once again, why spend a Sunday PAYING $200.00 to prep food I'm only going to take home to cook --er, sorry...heat up in an oven just so I don't have to cut the veggies? I'll just go to a supply store, buy some tinware/plastic freezer bags and spend my Sunday at home WITH MY FAMILY prepping the meals for a week. Oh, here's a novel idea...why not involve the hubby and children in the food prep and make it a family thing  (I hope y'all read this and hear the sarcastic tone).

5) Speaking of freezing, how are these vegetables prepared? Are they canned or fresh vegetables? If I take the fresh veggies and make my dish of "whatever" and then put it into my freezer, won't the veggies lose their nutritional value. Can you say "blanching"? If they are from a can, once that can is opened the preservatives start to break down...this is why you should never buy dented cans (the vacuum sealing process is compromised).

6) Then these veggies and meats are left sitting out all day (what, you think you're the only session they have scheduled?) and we take them home and freeze them. By the way, if you and your group of friend don't use all of the ingredients, are they tossed or just stored in a fridge until tomorrow's session. I shuddered when I saw that gallon of milk sitting out on the counter next to the raw meat. Cross-contamination anyone? I think I'd rather take my chances with the local restaurant.

Final comment, I promise. Read the Q&A Page section "About Health, Nutrition and Diets." All the things they cannot offer, better to skip right down the grocery store and get the ingredients that fit your dietary-/health-/religious needs/preferences.

 

O, rotflmbo m_kaiser3.

Yes I hear the sarcastic tone loud and clear and I definately see your point.

Jen

I do a twist on Dream Dinners.  Yes, it similiar to our investment cooking shows, cooking class, and customer care all rolled into one show.  I don't have many customers who will prepay for a product a month in advance of using it at a cooking class except for Marian's Apple Pie Class.  So, I have an Italian cooking class which shows the oil-dipping set for appetizers.The bread cubes are served in the Rect. Woven Sel. lined with one of our towels.While they are munching and dipping in the oil, I make the Garlic Pull Apart bread in the cookware and get it in the oven. Now the house is smelling great and guests are getting excited.  Then, using the USG  and a few other tools, we make a salad while the bread is cooking. I now show how the USG sliced many of the veggies for our Veggie Lasagna and then they try using it.  I put the veggies in ziploc bags to freeze for my next Lasagna.  Now the Garlic bread is done, fresh from the oven.  The salad is done.  The Veggie Lasagna cooked in the DDB  which I had prepared ahead of time is done and now we pig out!  Coffee in the carafe served with dessert which varies.  Sometimes I ask one of the guests if they will bring dessert or the host will provide it. 

 

Now here is the trick. The guest mix is important.  I invite 1 person who has the USG and 1 person who has the cookware or woven selections.  They help in the prep of the meal (I mean "class").  The other guests have any of the above items on their wish list.  When they see how easy it is to use the items and hear the testimonials/varied uses from the 2 special guests, they are convinced to purchase or book a party.  I have done this at my house once and at the host's home who already had the USG.  She invited several friends who she thought might want the USG. I now have more people who have the USG on their wish list.  I am hoping this will catch on. 

 

What do you guys think?

 

 

Sharon

I actually got really excited about the whole concept behind "Dream Dinners"  I love it so much I ran out to our commisary last week and bouth a butt load of ingrediants and went to town!!.  I used the recipes from our power cooking shows I got off of here or the WLPC2 website, I can't remember which.  Anyways.  Being in the military (me and my hubby) it;s a pain to decide what is for dinner everyday and then "Oh by the way do I have everything I need?"  Not to mention the fact that I will be working nights for like the next 3 weeks.  So this things was well worth the money. About $285.  I hust pull something out the night before, it defrosts the whole day and then I cook it.  I stiill use all my PC stuff so I can't complain.  I will definatelly do this again.  Chicken dishes, baby back ribs, tacos, meatloafs etc.  Its great!!  I did make one thing that could have been better but now I know for next time.  LOL  TRY this, at home, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.  Also if you watch the food network, Robin Miller has come great ideas as well.