The floater option is something that I am currently using in my dinner group, which consists of five members.  This option works really well for us, because we are only cooking three adult size portions per family. This means that one week out of five, I don’t have to cook at all. Krysti is the floater chef for our group. So that means the day she cooks will be different every week, as she will take over the night for the chef who is off. You can see how this works by looking at our meal calendar.

I think this option is really nice for our group, but it may be a bit more difficult for groups where there are five or more people per household.  I would still prefer this option, rather than leave someone out or have a dinner group that only covered two or three nights a week.

This can also just be a temporary option that will work while you are transitioning and trying to find new members to join a group.

1. Have a goal. As with any endeavor, you have to set a goal or goals. It could be curing a particular problem of your kid, or opening the communication lines in your family. Whatever it is, remember that it is something long term and a motivation that can inspire you as you go along.

2. Plan ahead. Once you’ve set your goal, you have to make plans. Make a meal calendar for the first three months. Look around together for cheap, by the bulk supply stores. List all the necessary details about each group member’s family.

3. Talk about what works best for each. Make sure that everyone is comfortable with their assignments so that you won’t have to make changes that might adversely affect the group later on.

4. Iron out the kinks on your first month. You can’t help but make mistakes. So we suggest that you meet every week for the first month to share your experiences with each other. List down the common errors and think up of solutions that will best suit your situation.

5. Involve family members. For most members, family members are their motivation. Involving them includes talking about what to cook next, getting them into the actual process of cooking and being open to their suggestions.

You may also add particular tips on your own on how to make sure your group lasts. Just remember one thing: enjoy!

1. Ask around. This one is a no-brainer. No one who asks for directions (from the right people of course) gets lost. Ask experienced dinner group members in your area for advices on the quantity of food you should cook. If you have friends who are in the catering business, you can also ask them too.

2. Take note of the number of people you will be cooking for. You can make estimates of proportion based on this.

3. Check the web. Another no brainer. Join forums of dinner groups. Make friends with them. Find recipes for bulk cooking. Watch videos of bulk cooking.

4. Check spoilage date for different fruits and vegetables. If you plan to stock in advance or take advantage of a sale, you should really be aware of this.

5. Try to buy a day or two before your scheduled time to cook. This will lessen the chance that you will have spoilage. (If you do this you can ignore tip # 3.)

6. Ask supermarkets if they have quantity discounts. This can lessen costs for you and your group.

7. Invest in equipment for bulk cooking. This might entail added costs but you’ll actually end up saving in the long run. Your meals would taste better and your cooking time will become shorter.

8. Learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable especially for first time cooks. But that doesn’t mean you should stop because you had a setback but it also doesn’t mean that you will do the same mistake all over again.

We call this a no brainer guide because it is. And it doesn’t require much effort either. So don’t hesitate starting that dinner group you’ve always wanted to have.

1. Talk about the kids. One of the primary reasons parents join dinner groups is because of their kids. Getting to know what’s happening in their kids’ lives can give you ideas on what to give on a special day just like what Fannie did for my kids.

2. Cook extra intentionally for them. It’s not good to give leftovers of course. So the next time you bake those mouth watering cookies, make sure to bake an extra batch. It’s not about the quantity you give, so don’t worry about the extra expenses. It’s about the creative touch you put in.

3. Serve soup. Invite your dinner group members to join in the soup kitchen every 3 months or so depending on your agreement. It would be a good time for you to bond plus you also get to help a lot of people.

4. Include a note in your dish. It could be a trivia about the recipe or it could be something encouraging or a compliment to what they cooked for you during their turn.

What makes these things extra special is that you do it randomly and not always. Don’t expect rewards for what you do of course because you would already feel rewarded in doing these. More often than not, your dinner group mates end up doing the same for you anyway. Most importantly, make sure that you love what you’re doing and enjoy doing it!

“My friend always cooks meatloaf. I have nothing against her but it’s just that my kids don’t like it! What should I do?” a frustrated dinner group member emailed us. Everyone is unique. And so are the members of your dinner group. Some may have multi-racial members or members coming from different states. And since everyone has different personalities and preferences, you should expect that something that works well with the family of one might not be the same for another. That doesn’t mean that your dinner group is not a success; its reality. It just means that you have differences in taste. Here are some tips to help you face this problem effectively.

1. Be up front in the planning meeting. Remember that ignoring a problem won’t make it go away. If someone says they want to do meatloaf, and you know your family won’t eat it, speak up. “I tried meatloaf before, and none of my kids would eat it. Do you have anything else you’d like to do?” It’s better to be upfront about something so that the cook doesn’t waste their time making something no one is going to eat.

2. Let people know how things went the month before. Pointing out your favorite dishes from other members will let them know which recipes to do again.

3. Make suggestions. “My husband doesn’t like that, but he really loved the chicken dish you did last month. Can you do that again or do you have something similar?” In addition, you should also be open to suggestions.

4. Strive for improvement and innovation. As the group progresses make some changes if necessary and do not stick to the conventional way if you have a better, cheaper or more delicious alternative that you think your dinner group’s family would enjoy.

5. Make a calendar. If you don’t have a planned calendar, it would be better if you made one just like the calendar in this site. If you already have one, stick to it to avoid repetition of the same meal every week.

1. Resolve to do it!
Intentions are only as good as they are. Putting off starting the dinner swap won’t help. You have to do it now and make time for it.

2. Start slow.
You can start by assigning a certain day as dinner trade day. Like Sunday perhaps when you can have plenty of time to concoct a delightful dish and exchange it with your dinner trade partner. Then, progress to twice a week and so forth. You’ll be surprised how you’ll enjoy it and your family too!

3. Cut on the TV time.
Instead of relaxing in front of the TV after a stressful day, thumb through your dusty recipes books or better yet experiment for the next dinner trade day. Try limiting your kids TV time as well so they won’t rush through a meal and you can actually have meaningful conversations on the dinner table.

4. Surf the internet.
Rest assured you’re not the only one in a quandary sometimes. You can find online forums on difficulties of moms just like you just starting out on dinner trade and swap advices or just get the feel that you are not alone. Exchanging personal recipes can also make for a great dinner trade partner.

5. Enjoy!
Relax. Don’t feel pressured just because you’ve set a date with a dinner group. Take in the smell of what you’re cooking and be grateful that you have the resources to make something that divine. Savor the goodness of that casserole your dinner group just made. Exult in the wide-eyed anticipation of your husband and your kids as you uncover the latest dish.

These are just some tips that can help you. Just strive to continue and the satisfaction will be worth it. It will be just as joyous as Beethoven’s Ode to Joy.

1. Make sure that you know what kind of vegetarian your dinner group members are because there are different kinds out there. You have to be especially careful because some of your group mates may be adapting this diet because of allergies.

2. Keep your group updated on the latest trends on vegetarianism. This can help know the latest product offerings or latest discoveries on which plant would be better or more organic.

3.  Swap tips on where to get the freshest fruits and vegetables in your area and even avail yourself of bulk discounts. As vegetarianism continues to become more popular, rest assured that more choices are also available to your group.

4.  Host a vegetarian backyard party for your neighbors so they can become acquainted with delicious vegetarian dishes.

You might be surprised at how fast your group will grow. But then again, you might not.

1. If recipe books are used, try to take a picture of the preparation of your take on the recipe.

2.In the process of cooking, make sure you include photos or insert words that can graphically describe how you want it to look (or the way it SHOULD look).

3.Lastly, include a picture of the finish product. Pictures of your family enjoying the recipe is optional.

You might wonder why not just send a clip of the recipe. Putting a recipe into practice is perhaps the most difficult thing in cooking. The pictures of you actually trying a new recipe can be a motivation to your dinner group to try an especially delicious looking recipe knowing that you have tried it yourself. And since dinner groups are gaining popularity around the world, a long distance dinner trade partner can happily try your recipe and likewise you can try out her recipes as well. Variations of your recipe should be welcomed of course.

Have you ever encountered such a problem? Maybe you’ve been in the dinner group for a long time already and had actually become the kind of member Felicia was. You hear groans instead of seeing happy smiles on your husband’s and kids’ faces. The solution? Set a monthly theme for your dinner group! Collect cookbooks of other countries’ dishes such as Mexican, Indian, or something exotic such as Filipino or Thai cuisine. The possibilities are truly endless! Surfing the net can also help you plan out your theme. Make sure of course, that you assign a different dish to each member to avoid duplication. And don’t worry about not finding the ingredients; in this age of globalization, finding a once hard to find ingredient is a whiz and of course you can always try to experiment on your own.