The Costco Solution – Heat And Serve

The challenge that many young professionals have, is that they love to socialize over a meal with friends, but they don’t have the time to cook for a dinner party. One solution is to buy everything you need from Costco. You can buy everything: the wine and beer, hors d’oeuvres, first course, entrée, sides and dessert. You can even buy flowers for the table.  All you need to do is assemble, heat and serve.

While this blog focuses on Costco, you could take the same approach with a one stop shop at Kroger, Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s or a variety of other retailers. But, you have to love Costco. The varieties of options are endless. The quality is the best.

When I worked for Kraft Food Ingredients, Costco was a major customer. We sold them tons of cheese and flavors. We once were working with Costco’s Director of R&D. We had a flavor that would make a lesser cut of beef taste like a better cut. The R&D Director who was a French Chef by training, said to me: “You don’t understand, Costco doesn’t sell lesser cuts of beef”. It is true, the quality at Costco is better across the board. By the way, Costco wound up buying lots of our flavor.

Dinner party menus don’t get much easier than these. If you can read, you can prepare these dishes. The preparation instructions on the packages are very straightforward. There should be very little of an intimidation factor for even the most inexperienced cook.

The reason for this type of approach is to attract new participants to supper club. As I have shared this concept with more experienced dinner party hosts, I have heard some negative feedback. Such as:

• The quality of the prepared/process food isn’t as good as homemade
• Lots of people enjoy cooking and shifting to precooked meals takes from the fun.
• Prepared foods are usually higher in salt and are not the healthiest options

As with anything, change isn’t easy. But, if this type of approach brings more people to the supper club party, that is a good thing.

I ask that readers of this blog to tell me what they think of the approach

Costco Menus

Stuffed Salmon Menu

• Mini Quiches
• Mediterranean Chopped Salad
• Stuffed Salmon
• Steamed Asparagus
• Tiramisu

Herbes de Provence Lamb Shank Menu

• Panko Shrimp
• Asian Cashew Chopped Salad
• Herbes de Provence Lamb Shanks
• Steamed Broccoli
• Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Caramel Tres Leches Cake

Lemon Butter Cod Loin Menu

• Hummus and Chips
• Parmesan Cesar Salad
• Lemon Butter Cod Loins
• Organic Beets With Balsamic Glaze
• Steamed Cauliflower Florets
• Cherry Pie A La Mode

Stuffed Chicken Breast Menu

• Crudité With Ranch Dressing and Hummus
• Lobster Bisque
• Broccoli And Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breast
• Mac And Cheese
• Spaghetti Squash Salad
• Mango Mousse

Again, please let me know your thoughts on this type of approach in the comments section.

If you enjoyed this blog and similar other stories/supper club lessons follow me on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to get future blogs at www.impromptufridaynights.com/blog and check out my book Impromptu Friday Nights a Guide to Supper Clubs. Published by Morgan James Publishing and available through most channels where books are sold.