How to Organize a Meal Share Group

Ready to make mealtime easier, tastier, and more fun? Enter the Meal Share – a deliciously simple way to share the cooking load with friends, family, or neighbors! Imagine swapping one night of meal prep for an entire week of tasty, homemade dishes, each prepared with love by your favorite people. Whether you're juggling a busy schedule or just looking to spice up your dinner routine, a Meal Share is the perfect recipe for adding variety and reducing kitchen time. Read on and learn how to plan, organize, and savor the meal-sharing magic!

1. Gather Your Group

• Start with a group of 3-5 families, friends, or neighbors. Fewer people is usually easier to manage, especially at first. 
• Use a free online SignUp to organize a Meal Share Planning Party to invite participants and kick things off!

2. Set Your Schedule

• At your planning party, decide on a schedule, such as weekly or bi-weekly rotations. Common formats include each person cooking once per week or rotating so that each person is responsible for one meal a month.
• Agree on a start date and establish how long you’ll run the meal share (a few weeks, a season, or indefinitely.)

3. Establish Meal Preferences

• Share any dietary restrictions, food allergies, or preferences ahead of time. This can include favorite cuisines, foods to avoid, or types of meals (such as comfort food, vegetarian, or gluten-free).
• Create a Meal Share Participants SignUp to track preferences and meal plans, and to trigger automated reminders.

4. Decide on Meal Logistics

• Set portion guidelines so each person makes enough to feed all members.
• Agree on a drop-off or pick-up plan. Will meals be exchanged in person, dropped at each other’s homes, or picked up from a designated location? Pro Tip: Enlist pick-up and delivery volunteers with a Meal Share Delivery SignUp.

5. Plan & Rotate Recipes

• Choose simple, crowd-pleasing meals that are easy to make in bulk and reheat. It helps to avoid meals with lots of last-minute prep or ingredients that don’t hold up well over time.
• The Meal Share Participants SignUp that you created in step 3 will communicate planned meals ahead of time to avoid repeats.

6. Be Consistent

• Commit to the schedule and keep communication open. 
• If someone can’t cook on their day, have a backup plan, like allowing participants to swap spots with another member via your SignUp.

7. Keep it Fun and Flexible

• Enjoy the variety and consider adding themed weeks (like comfort food, international cuisine, or soup and salad nights) to keep things interesting!
• Be open to feedback – after a few rotations, check in with the group to see if anything needs adjusting.

Happy cooking and sharing!