Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Meal Tracking Programs

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

On Apr 3, 2014, at 1:39 PM, Diana Carroll <dianaecarroll [at] gmail.com> wrote:

> 
> On Thu, Apr 3, 2014 at 9:47 AM, Sharon Villines
> <sharon [at] sharonvillines.com>wrote:
> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Apr 2, 2014, at 5:47 PM, Diana Carroll <dianaecarroll [at] gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Your system only works for people who can make all or at least most
>> Monday
>>> nights in a given rotation. Anyone else doesn't get to participate.
>> 
>> People sign up for each rotation. If they can't make many of the nights,
>> they don't sign up for that rotation. A rotation lasts as long as the
>> number of cook teams. Or they ask for late plates. Or sign up for those
>> they can make and pay the $4.

A little correction here.   The cohort of the rotation is the cohort.  You can 
bring guests to meals and pay $4.  If you’re not in the rotation you could ask 
to be included in a meal and pay $4.  But that is very rare.  Because if you 
did that a lot you’d be expected to join the rotation and cook and clean.

This system was designed to address the inequities between the people who 
planned, cooked, and cleaned up for meals and those who didn’t.   We have many 
people who love to eat but don’t want to do any of the other pieces of the 
process.  In this system … if you eat … you cook.  I suppose that’s the case in 
all the systems.  This is the one that stuck here.

> 
> Okay, I thought from what Ann said that you were either signed up for the
> whole rotation or you weren't, and that money didn't change hands because
> everyone in the rotation cooked one time and paid for their meals that way.

Yes.  This is correct.  People join the rotation when their schedules allow and 
they participate in the whole rotation.  
> 
> If there's an individual meal sign up then...doesn't that mean the same
> logistical difficulties the rest of us encounter, requiring spread sheets,
> etc?

There’s rarely an individual sign up.  When it occurs w/ the cook’s permission 
the person pays $4 directly to the cook team. Spreadsheets not necessary for 
this rare event.
> 
> 
>> 
>>> What about if someone is a picky eater, or has allergies, or for other
>> reasons
>>> finds they simply can't eat what ends up getting served on a given night?
>>> Or whose schedules vary a lot and don't have them home the same night
>>> every week?
>> 
>> In this case they make a note when they sign up or bring their own meal or
>> don’t eat in the CH.

I follow a strict food plan.  When I eat w/ the community I bring my food.
>> 
> 
> Right. "bring their own meal or don't eat the CH"...that is, they don't
> participate. My point was that a system without individual signups (which
> is what I thought you had based on what Ann said) outright excludes people
> who have erratic schedules or difficult diets.

People w/ erratic schedules are omitted from many things at TVC not the least 
of which is dinner.  I don’t know how we would address people’s individual 
diets if there are many diverse dietary needs.   I know some communities do 
that routinely.  I admire them for taking that on.  
> 
>> 
>> We have both vegans and vegetarians. Since almost all meals are vegetarian
>> that isn't a problem. Vegan's are harder to plan for but people do it. And
>> some meals are vegan -- rice, soup, salad is common for Monday nights. One
>> person makes tacos, a big night, and those can be vegan, vegetarian, or
>> meat.
>> 
>> 
> Yeah, it isn't the vegetarians that are difficult, IME...it's people with
> more restrictive diets (whether due to health or preference), or people
> with allergies to common ingredients (e.g. celiac) who have trouble
> participating fully in our shared meal program...and would have even more
> issues if they had to sign up either for a whole rotation or none at all,
> not knowing ahead exactly what the menus would be.  My family would be
> excluded from the "whole rotation or none" plan by virtue of how few meals
> are 100% gluten free.

You know for a very long time there was only one vegan in the Monday night 
dinner rotation and his needs were addressed even when everyone else was eating 
chicken.  I think it depends on how many people vary from the “norm” and what 
the extent of the variation is.  If there are few people w/ dietary needs and 
their needs are not too restrictive accommodating them is easier.  We have one 
person in the community who is allergic to just about everything.  She let it 
be known she would not be eating common meals.  

When Mid Atlantic Cohousing first started the cohousing bus tours we made lunch 
for 40 people.   We had participants who were wheat free, onion free, salt 
free, sugar free, vegetarian, vegan, only organic, no spices, lactose 
intolerant, etc.  All on one tour.  We then started saying we would accommodate 
food requirements as much as possible but we expected people w/ serious dietary 
needs to bring their own lunch.  Years later …it is still a nightmare.  We are 
discontinuing lunches.  BTW I’m sympathetic to people w/ food allergies — 
personally I’m wheat free, sugar free, and lactose intolerant.  I don’t eat 
sauces, marinated foods,  and a bunch of other stuff.  That’s why I bring my 
meals to events including T’giving and Xmas.  

As I said, I do admire communities that prepare a variety of food plans to 
accommodate their members. I’d like to know more about how this is actually 
accomplished. 

Best --

Ann Zabaldo
Takoma Village Cohousing
Washington, DC
Principal, Cohousing Collaborative, LLC
Falls Church VA
703-688-2646