From Deseret News archives:
Meals like home in a lickety-split
The question is a plague, fought daily by mothers and fathers, partners and singles alike. Can you find something quick? Can you cheat, again, with a quick detour through a greasy spoon drive-through? Or grab a frozen "meal" at the grocery store?
Two Utah companies are trying to help rushed consumers answer the dreaded daily question, with the goal of bringing home-cooked meals back home a restaurant-quality meal, without the restaurant.
On a typical day in 2003, the National Restaurant Association estimates that the restaurant industry posts average sales of $1.2 billion. In 2000, the association reported that the average annual household expenditure for food away from home was $2,137, or $855 per person.
The rise of two-income households, and the generally pervasive sense that there is not enough time in the day to accomplish everything on the "to-do" list, has driven many Utahns to fast-food and quick-serve restaurants, or the frozen-food section of the local market.
Secret Dinners, which celebrated its grand opening Saturday, says it offers an alternative.
From a 15-item menu created in collaboration with the owners of Heritage Gardens Reception Center, the Heritage at the Devereaux and the Carriage Cafe, customers may choose up to 12 selections. Secret Dinners, located at 3225 E. 3300 South, prepares the ingredients and makes the sauces. Customers have only to schedule a time to come in (though walk-ins are accommodated on a space-available basis) and assemble the meal, which they can take home and pop in the oven, or freeze for later. The whole process, Baird said, can take as little as 15 minutes. To assemble all 12 meals, bet on about an hour, and $175. Three menu selections (15-18 servings) is $45. Six dinners is $88. Super-size versions are also available.
"We're going to take care of everybody, from a larger family all the way down to a single person," Baird said. "All of our recipes can be divided into smaller packaging, so people don't need to overcook. We think the concept makes sense. We're providing people with a good, quality product at a reasonable price, and saving them time something no one has enough of."
The same concept emerged about a year ago in Park City, at a play group marshalled by a handful of young mothers.
Comments
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week 11:03 a.m.
- Weiss new Tour of Utah director 10:54 a.m.
- Moguls skier Jeremy Bloom retires 10:51 a.m.
- Police probe synagogue vandalism 10:44 a.m.
- O'Connor's husband dies 10:36 a.m.
- Russia launches program for tigers 10:35 a.m.
- Veterans Day in Afghanistan 10:34 a.m.
- Drug industry presses FDA 10:31 a.m.
- Obama honors veterans 10:29 a.m.
- New dinosaur species found 10:21 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- 4 Jazz players make All-Star ballot
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- House passes health care bill
268 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Senators want food tax restored
156 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
106 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
105 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
98
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
Discrimination is something we all do (and should do) every day. When we go...
is genius. And the many of the poster hereon, provides the explanation. A...
To Anonymous @7:15 a.m., If you want to be free to rent your property only to...
And how is the Constitution to grow? I think the framers thought it would be...
If demand is there then what's the problem? If the state offers early...
Who cares, just want to see the big boys play, not the little leagues. You...
JD is "that good" or they wouldn't be in the game. I assume Wasatch is also...
sounds like a great recruit, Now let's see what BYU will do with him, I'll...
Read the article. What does BYU's year of mediocrity have to do with...
This is ridiculous. Why are we rehiring people into their same positions...



You can be the first to comment on this story.