Getting Started with Meal Prepping: Advice to Beginner Cooks

[krhodes74]

Good Morning, I just bought the starter kit yesterday. I of course have not received it yet but I am looking very forward to receiving it and getting started. But I have questions and need some good guidance. When you started how do you decide what you want to fix and how many items is a good start? After getting the hang of it do you do more or just stick with one or two items? Do you pre assemble any of the meal if needed or do you do it all there? I know some are lenghty in cooking and stuff? Just any advice will be helpfull. Thanks and hope to talk to you all again one I get off and going.

 

[DZmom]

In your started kit there will be a video or DVD on your first kitchen show. It will show you a basic show using only the items in you kit. There is a binder called the Recipe for Success. It will cover some recipes that are great for beginners. Also, in the Season's Best Cookbook the last 2 recipes in each section use only the items in the kit, so they are great for a Super Starter!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Good Morning, I just bought the starter kit yesterday. I of course have not received it yet but I am looking very forward to receiving it and getting started. But I have questions and need some good guidance. When you started how do you decide what you want to fix and how many items is a good start? After getting the hang of it do you do more or just stick with one or two items? Do you pre assemble any of the meal if needed or do you do it all there? I know some are lenghty in cooking and stuff? Just any advice will be helpfull. Thanks and hope to talk to you all again one I get off and going.

Congrats on becoming a consultant!! That's wonderful! Welcome to the family. Yes, the starter kit will have all kinds of great training materials. Usually the host purchases the recipe ingredients, although there are consultants who buy them and have the host reimburse them. Hosts get a $15 hospitality bonus added to their free product value for kitchen shows (it's already included in the free product total in the kitchen show column when you see this in the catalog and other materials). I get to shows about 45 minutes early to prep most of the ingredients and save a little bit to show the relevant tools. If I'm bringing ingredients because they've won a free kitchen show, I do try to prep what I can beforehand.

For me, the best training was just practicing as many recipes as I could. Do the ones that are specifically for super starters. The new Cucina Italiana cooking show recipes (you'll hear more about this) has certain choices that can be done just with the products in the starter kit. Those would be great to practice. You start to get a feel for what shows a good amount of products, but is a simple and quick recipe. You'll get TONS of tips on this site, too! Good luck to you!!

 

[RachelNguyen]

I wanted to try and stick with one recipe per show, but realized that folks wanted dessert too! So I choose desserts that I can do most of the work ahead of time. For example, at my first show I did a fruit pizza. I baked the crust as soon as I got to the host's house, so all I had to do at the party was mix the sauce and add the fruit, which had already been sliced ahead of time. I would demonstrate one or two fruits with tools I hadn't used yet.

Another very fast desert is the cake in the microwave. If you get your fluted stoneware cake pan as part of the bonus super starter incentive, you can do a cake in it in 10 minutes. There are recipes all over this site for variations to try. My personal favorite (although I haven't actually tasted it yet) is chocolate cake with chocolate fudge frosting added. You add the frosting while the cake is raw, in globs, and it sinks down to the bottom to make a kind of molten cake when you invert it on a DEEP plate. I have heard it is great!

Good luck and congratulations!

Rachel

 

[Staci]

Good morning! Congratulations on purchasing your starter kit! I'm excited for you to receive it and get started on your pampered chef journey. As for your questions, deciding what to fix and how many items to start with can depend on your personal preferences and the needs of your customers. Some consultants like to focus on a few signature dishes, while others prefer a wider variety. It's also important to consider the cooking time and complexity of each dish. As you become more comfortable with the products, you can always add more items to your repertoire. In terms of pre-assembling meals, it can be helpful to do some prep work ahead of time, especially for longer cooking dishes. This will save you time during your parties and allow you to focus on demonstrating the products. However, it's also important to show your guests how easy the products are to use, so you may want to do some assembly during the party as well. It's all about finding a balance that works for you and your guests. I'm happy to offer any additional guidance or tips once you receive your starter kit and get started. Don't hesitate to reach out to me or other consultants for support and advice. We're all here to help each other succeed. Best of luck and happy cooking!