Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Common house meal prices

[Grace Kim (Grace]

One additional method for pricing common house meals as well as menu ideas. 

At Capitol Hill Urban Cohousing we don't charge per meal. Instead, we have a 
required participation for every adult in the community to be the lead cook. 
The lead cook not only plans the meal and shops for it, but also pays for it. 
Eaters just turn up and can bring as many guests as they like. No money changes 
hands...

This allows for our families of different incomes to participate fully in the 
way they can. We also accommodate all food restrictions and preferences - we 
just ask that every meal be delicious and nutritious for the vegans, 
vegetarians and carnivores. 

Simple meals may cost under $50 to prepare, while others may choose to spend 
upwards of $300.
There are usually between 24-30 people at each meal. When we have lots of 
guests it can be 36-40.
The summers the eaters are 12-20 due to people being out of town.

We eat to together every other night except Saturdays (which works out to be 3x 
week).
Someone has the job of creating cook teams of 3 to do all the work for each 
meal. These teams cook together for a rotation of about 5 months. Every adult 
is lead once every 6 weeks. 

Almost every meal has been fantastic (honestly there have only been 2 meals in 
2 years that have been not great - and for very particular circumstances). 

Our meals have included the following on a fairly routine basis:
Bibimbap (I can cook this every 6 weeks and people would be happy)
Bahn mi sandwiches
Lasagna
Salmon and pesto pasta
Chili and bread
Soup/salad
Baked potato bar
Enchiladas
Tamales (homemade)
Taco bar
Sous vide steak/fish/cauliflower
Homemade pasta
Curry and rice
Sweet potato Quesadillas
Burgers (meat and vegan) and salad 
Brats (meat and vegan) and salad
Pasta and sauce (various iterations of this)
Homemade pizzas
Homemade Gnocchi
 



grace h. kim aia | schemata workshop, inc.
principal 
1720 12th avenue
seattle wa 98122
p 206.285.1589   c 206.795.2470
schemataworkshop.com

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