Food Exchanges Rock! From the NY Times

I'm a newer member of both the dessert exchange and the vegetarian small household exchange. I tell you my whole family gets excited for these events and the bounty of food that comes with them.

I will admit that once I walk out of an exchange I begin to think about what to bring for the next one.

Now today's NY Time's piece makes me wonder if there's any way to participate in a main course household exchange more than once a month? I'll admit, I would prefer to exchange with folks here so as to avoid any Hamburger Helper moments, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Boudreaulicious- I told a couple of others & no one can recall peppers featured in a dish either. I think I put them in 1 dish back in April. Come on in, the water is fine.

pairs4life wrote:...

Now today's NY Time's piece makes me wonder if there's any way to participate in a main course household exchange more than once a month? I'll admit, I would prefer to exchange with folks here so as to avoid any Hamburger Helper moments, not that there's anything wrong with that.

Pairs-

You won't know unless you try. Personally, I would have a difficult time doing the Small Household Exchange more frequently just from a scheduling standpoint. Although, after reading the article, I'd love to be in a swap where dinner is delivered hot to my door....

I am ordering WAY more takeout than when the SHFE was in session.
I miss opening my freezer to see the neat little stacks of homemade goodies...
I think this summer break thing is for the birds.

Who's ready for the summer harvest small household food exchange (SHSHFE)?? I'm sure a group as talented as this can come up with freezer worthy summer dishes. Come on people!! I know you can do it!

Jen,

Why not join the vegetarians who continued on because of the plethora of vegetables during the summer.

The families in the NYT article seemed to be apartment dwellers who lived in a high density buidling. Travel to deliver food was confined to elevators. Under these conditions, a cooperative delivering meals could work. As long as people stick to the schedule and deliver acceptable meals to each other, it can work well. I was interested by the person who opted out to avoid Hamburger Helper type meals from one participant.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Jen,

Why not join the vegetarians who continued on because of the plethora of vegetables during the summer.

The families in the NYT article seemed to be apartment dwellers who lived in a high density buidling. Travel to deliver food was confined to elevators. Under these conditions, a cooperative delivering meals could work. As long as people stick to the schedule and deliver acceptable meals to each other, it can work well. I was interested by the person who opted out to avoid Hamburger Helper type meals from one participant.

Regards,

I thought the Hamburger Helper type meals comment was funny as well. That's why I 'd love to stick with the LTH'ers. It's funny, even on the vegetarian side, I don't think we've had a single pasta dish yet (we started in November), not that there's anything wrong with that.

Cathy2 wrote:Jen,

Why not join the vegetarians who continued on because of the plethora of vegetables during the summer.

The families in the NYT article seemed to be apartment dwellers who lived in a high density buidling. Travel to deliver food was confined to elevators. Under these conditions, a cooperative delivering meals could work. As long as people stick to the schedule and deliver acceptable meals to each other, it can work well. I was interested by the person who opted out to avoid Hamburger Helper type meals from one participant.

Regards,

unfortunately, a freezer full of veg-only meals wouldn't do the trick for me. i don't mind when one or two folks in our carni-group go veg but "nothing but' wouldn't work for me. Thanks for the invite though.

I think the SHFE food exchange is very interesting, and follow it with interest, but do not participate as of yet.

What interests me is having items in the freezer/fridge for during the week(specifically Wednesday & Thursday) when I typically have run out of the things that I have made to eat from the previous weekend.

What to this point has kept me from participating is scheduling(my own schedule), and the dietary, and other restrictions that others in the group may have. I would have a hard time coming up with entree recipes that I would want to serve(or in turn receive) that either didnt have meat as a componant, or limited the use of peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, or other ingredients folks may be adverse to. Once again my own issue.

jimswside wrote:What to this point has kept me from participating is scheduling(my own schedule), and the dietary, and other restrictions that others in the group may have. I would have a hard time coming up with entree recipes that I would want to serve(or in turn receive) that either didnt have meat as a componant, or limited the use of peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, or other ingredients folks may be adverse to. Once again my own issue.

I don't think dietary restrictions have been much of an issue. There's one person allergic to mushrooms, and as I understand it, she just gives anything with mushrooms to her husband. In the regular (not veg) SHFE, almost every entree includes meat, and I'm not aware of anyone who has problems with stuff like peppers, onions or celery. It's all a matter of providing a label, noting that something might have mushrooms, or hot chilis.

My experience has been that many of the exchanged dishes are very good, a few less so, but all welcome on a busy night.

nr706 wrote:

jimswside wrote:What to this point has kept me from participating is scheduling(my own schedule), and the dietary, and other restrictions that others in the group may have. I would have a hard time coming up with entree recipes that I would want to serve(or in turn receive) that either didnt have meat as a componant, or limited the use of peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, or other ingredients folks may be adverse to. Once again my own issue.

I don't think dietary restrictions have been much of an issue. There's one person allergic to mushrooms, and as I understand it, she just gives anything with mushrooms to her husband. In the regular (not veg) SHFE, almost every entree includes meat, and I'm not aware of anyone who has problems with stuff like peppers, onions or celery. It's all a matter of providing a label, noting that something might have mushrooms, or hot chilis.

My experience has been that many of the exchanged dishes are very good, a few less so, but all welcome on a busy night.

thanks for the clarification.

Maybe I'll toss my hat in when these resume. I also dont doubt with the talented group of folks here on LTH that the dishes would be good.

jimswside wrote:

nr706 wrote:

jimswside wrote:What to this point has kept me from participating is scheduling(my own schedule), and the dietary, and other restrictions that others in the group may have. I would have a hard time coming up with entree recipes that I would want to serve(or in turn receive) that either didnt have meat as a componant, or limited the use of peppers, onions, celery, mushrooms, or other ingredients folks may be adverse to. Once again my own issue.

I don't think dietary restrictions have been much of an issue. There's one person allergic to mushrooms, and as I understand it, she just gives anything with mushrooms to her husband. In the regular (not veg) SHFE, almost every entree includes meat, and I'm not aware of anyone who has problems with stuff like peppers, onions or celery. It's all a matter of providing a label, noting that something might have mushrooms, or hot chilis.

My experience has been that many of the exchanged dishes are very good, a few less so, but all welcome on a busy night.

thanks for the clarification.

Maybe I'll toss my hat in when these resume. I also dont doubt with the talented group of folks here on LTH that the dishes would be good.

My experience has been that many of the exchanged dishes are very good, a few less so, but all welcome on a busy night.[/quote]


Jim, I haven't attended an Omnivore's Exchange because I'm not an omivore. That said, each month I read with great interest what is being served. Over the years, I've found that many favorite vegetarian dishes start with a meat-based recipe.

I'm not a big lover of tofu, meat substitute, or broccoli (shhh, don't tell because I may get my vegetarian membership card revoked ) but last month's (I think) issue of Cook's Illustrated had a beef empanada that sounded wonderful "as is". Usually, I see these types of recipes and think about using peppers or spinach, mushrooms, & cheese instead of the meat but this recipe's other ingredients didn't sound good with those vegetable replacements. Instead I hunted for a meat substitute that I recalled being pretty tasty when served to omnivores & used it where the recipe called for beef. The empanadas were great and members of the exchange let me know how good they were.

The exchanges( I also participate in the dessert exchange & yeah bacon has been featured there and I take a pass on that dessert offering) have been such a wonderful experience for me. Yes, I get to take home great food but more importantly I get to think differently about what I prepare at home because other folks "every day meal" maybe something I just never thought about. Additionally, many of us use the Exchange to try out that recipe that caught our eye. So far, I think I've only made 1 offering that was in my repertoire prior to coming to the exchange. Finally, the company is great & knowing the LTH family if a Hamburger Helper is ever offered it would probably feature Truffles & Kobe Beef so it would be THE Best Hamburger Helper Ever!

I would certainly suggest going for broke and doing what moves you for the next Small Household Food Exchange ( I've gotten in the habit of calling it the Omnivores Exchange just to distinguish it from the Vegetarian & Dessert Exchanges).

I think I could be up for a summer exchange. I'm just wondering because most of what I make in the summer is cold and not so good after a few days, and I don't know if you could freeze the things I make. I don't think so. So it would definitely be a challenge for me.

I'm just wondering because most of what I make in the summer is cold and not so good after a few days, and I don't know if you could freeze the things I make.

I think this is why the SHFE is taking a summer break. Most of what I make in the summer are salads or other dishes that don't take well to freezing. And if the dishes weren't frozen, I doubt I could eat them in 3-4 days.

HI,

The other issue was keeping food adequately cold for transporting to and from the exchange.

Last night in advance of this weekend's hot and humid weather, I made potato salad, German sausage salad, a fennel-tuna salad and an olive salad. None of these would freeze well for an exchange. IF I cook anything this weekend, it will be outside.

Regards,

My experience is extremely limited, based on only one small-household exchange attended to date. But as I recall, most of the dishes I brought home were without meat, which, frankly, did not appeal at all to Sweet Baboo. So I have to think hard about whether I'd attend another one, or whether I'd wish for a meat- and seafood-lover's exchange instead. Maybe you and I should start that group up, Jim?

Katie wrote: or whether I'd wish for a meat- and seafood-lover's exchange instead. Maybe you and I should start that group up, Jim?

i might be interested in a: "meat/seafood, no dietary restrictions exchange", since I am usually looking for entree's by the middle of a typical week, not veggies, or side dishes which i can knock out quick.