How does this Work?

1) I decide what I’m going to make and post the info on the scheduling calendar. Usually I remember to update the WFD FB group, and sometimes other places, but if you know about this page you’re almost certainly welcome to use this service.

2) You tell me how much of it you want using the provided form, and whether you can pick it up or need it delivered. Orders close 36 hours in advance (usually late Sunday) so I can do admin stuff and make sure I ordered adequate groceries and figure out deliveries. If you want to be my favourite client, get your orders in before Friday every week when I order groceries!

3) You can pitch in for said groceries via Paypal or EFT at the time of ordering or the day of the meal or when you get paid or whatever, just let me know the plan. I’ll take cash if that’s your fave. If you can’t afford to pitch in this week, please just let me know - I still want to feed you. How much is it? That’s up to you, I am currently suggesting 5-15 bucks a portion. Please pay what you can afford, please eat if you cannot afford anything.

The software I’m using doesn’t really have an option for “let people pay whatever they feel in their hearts” and it makes me set a price. If you aren’t chipping in this week, click “pay later” and ignore the price. I have it set to $10 because getting a bunch of $1 payments was funny but not usually what people intended. You can use the tip function in the built in Stripe checkout to alter your amount, or you can just go to the main paypal site and send money that way since paypal won’t allow you to edit the amount. You can use noblewhimsical at gmail for any payment type.

4) When I know how much folks want, I make a huge batch of the meal, and portion it out into freezable, microwavable containers. If you’re a regular user of this service and occasionally return the washed containers to your delivery person, I appreciate the savings in money and plastic. I’ve started to try and label the nice round ones I’d love to get back, but the white rectangles can usually be used a few times too!

5) On meal days (usually Tuesdays), people can arrange to pick up their meals at my home on Overdale any time from 2:30pm to 10pm. Deliveries happen at the whim and availability of delivery drivers, but are typically tuesday evening from 6-9pm. If you need to make alternate arrangements, please reach out.

FAQ

What are the portion sizes? I try and give a reasonable meal size portion of each dinner. Sometimes I misjudge and don’t make as much as I’d like. I typically package things in ~500ml containers for one portion. Accompanying sides may be smaller.

Did I send enough money? If you sent any, thank you! I try and stick to meals that cost in the range of the suggested 5-15 bucks per meal but sometimes I don’t succeed. Veggies and mushrooms are outrageous these days along with everything else but I still believe everyone deserves to eat good food made of delicious fresh ingredients. Whatever you can afford to send is much appreciated, and if you can’t afford to send anything you deserve good food too.

Can you accommodate [allergy]? If you have a serious allergy, this probably is not the right service for you. I offer a vegan option every week and try to gluten friendly options, but my kitchen is omnivorous and full of dairy and often coated in a fine layer of wheat flour. I do my best to keep things sanitized and abide by the best practices I’ve learned in professional kitchens, but I can’t make any promises. Please tell me your allergies every time, I don’t wanna hurt you

Can you leave [thing] out of my meal? I’m often willing to exclude or minimize certain ingredients, if you let me know your personal tastes. I’m a picky person and used to catering to that. For instance, if you hate peas or mushrooms (I’m really sorry I just love them and put them in a lot of things) you can tell me you hate them on your order form and I’ll try to leave them out of yours! Please tell me every time, my brain cannot hold those details and I actively appreciate it, it does not annoy me for you to tell me what ingredients you hate.

Can I tell other people? Sure, as long as they’re the kind of people you’re reasonably sure will participate in the spirit of mutual aid. I reserve the ultimate right to cancel any order that I just don’t feel like fulfilling for whatever reason, and I will refund any money for outstanding orders if that should happen. The first time you order, please put the words MUTUAL AID somewhere in your form so I know you read this far :)

How can I help?

-Come over to wash dishes or chop veggies on Mondays or Tuesday mornings

-Offer to deliver meals (especially if you live west of me!)

-Donate excess garden produce

-Donate grocery gift cards -Tell me about really good grocery deals you see

-GIVE FEEDBACK -GIVE CRITICISM (I want it, I crave it)

-Buy 500ml and 1L deli containers or the 850 ml white rectangular meal prep containers and leave them on my doorstep

-https://www.amazon.ca/hz/wishlist/ls/1PB0URHDM20KW?ref_=wl_share I made an amazon wishlist but feel free to search for these things locally or second hand or donate stuff you have that you don’t use anymore. Big stockpots, cast iron cookware, etc always welcome!

Who are you?

I’m Ashlyn, she/they, been cooking for fun all my life and very occasionally for profit. My biggest cooking influences are my mom, Samin Nosrat, J Kenji Lopez-Alt, and Chrissy Teigen. In my real life I’m a glass artist trying to make a living making beautiful memorials as well as historical recreations of ancient beads for my fellow history nerds.

I love feeding people, and it frustrates me that we don’t live in a society where I can easily use my skills and talents and desires to essentially be a community batch cooker. I want to fill all your freezers with low effort food that still tastes great and was made with love and really nice ingredients! I want to make your lives easier while you enrich mine by telling me things you enjoyed and how I can make it even better. I’d love to be fairly compensated for my time while doing so, but that’s not the world we live in.

Required caveats: I’m not a pro, I’m a home cook making dinner for my friends and extended family. If you find a bay leaf (or heaven forbid a garden bug), or one day I oops and don’t make enough of something, or I get too tired to make dessert, or I send the wrong kind of cookie, I’m really sorry and I do my best.

PLEASE let me know if you have any particular complaints, I want you to love this food and for this to be as beneficial to everyone involved as possible.