Cohousing-L Mailing List: Meal Participation

[apierlioni (apierlioni]

In Nevada City Cohousing in CA every adult resident is required to take a turn 
on the to cook and clean on each cooking rotation (which is about every 5 
weeks) regardless of how many meals they actually attend.  They can be at the 
same time or to cook and clean for different meals.  In theory, if everyone 
participates in this program, we will have meals 6 days per week, though on 
weekends, they can be breakfast, lunch or brunch.  We use a computerized 
accounting system which keeps a running tally of how much you've spent and how 
much you've eaten.  Only when you exceed certain paramenters (either owing too 
much or having too much owed to you) does money change hands.

We have a higher max now of up to $6.00 per meal per person to allow for 
purchase of more organic produce or a greater variety of meals.  The only 
challenge here is that not everyone does participate in the program, for a 
variety of reasons, (health, extended absence, refusual, etc) even though the 
participation requirement is made clear from the start.  I guess no community 
or meal system is perfect, but on the whole, ours works pretty well most of the 
time with most of the residents.  I would venture to say that our community on 
average, probably has more common meals offered each week than any other with 
which I am familiar.

Andrea Carlson
Nevada City Cohousing, Nevada City, CA