Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Common meal costs

[Richard L Kohlhaas (rlkohl]

At Casa Verde, we don't collect for meals except $5 for guests.  

We have two common meals per week, with a 5 person crew for each meal, and 
usually 
about 40 adults and children at each meal.  

Our rotation period is about 3.5 months, in which every adult participant is 
head 
cook once, assistant cook once, and on clean-up three times.  
The head cook plans the menu and buys the food, and then eats free for the rest 
of 
the rotation. (Some cooks, on occasion, will buy some take-out food.)   

We try to have alternate dishes to accommodate special dietary needs.  

We do have a pantry stocked  with spices, pastas, various beans, rice, butter, 
oils, 
etc.  which is available to all cooks.  Pantry items are purchased (about 
$80/month) 
with part of our community dues -- $10/adult/month.  

Of the $5 guest charge, $3 goes to the cook; the rest to the pantry fund.  


------------------------------------
Dick Kohlhaas <rlkohl [at] earthlink.net>
(719)633-8170
Colorado Springs (Colorado) Cohousing Community (Casa Verde Commons)
Completed March 2003. 34 units on 4 acres 1.5 mi from downtown. We have a 
few resales available.   Visit us at http://www.casaverde.us)