Convenience foods are not new; all our ancestors found ways to preserve food for the long haul — drying, smoking, pickling, and eventually canning and chilling. By the time Clarence Birdseye invented the Fantastic Frozen Food Machine in 1925, America was hungry for ready-made meals. The terms and conditions have changed over the years, like when Swanson Company coined "TV dinners," but the premise is the same: Convenience foods reduce our time making meals.
Convenience might not necessarily mean quality, however, so 10 years ago, startups like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron carved a niche by focusing on nutrition and taste. Meal kit companies got a boost in 2020 — hello, COVID — with people avoiding dining out or in-store food shopping, or lacking the energy for making meals.
Although national brands still lead in an industry estimated to be worth $11.6 billion, competition is increasing, including from local companies.
FRESH PLATE
3818 N. Nevada St., freshplatemarket.com
In 2014, Barb and Floyd Pagarigan relocated themselves and their food truck, the Bistro Box, to Spokane. They also created the Fresh Plate Market for their catering business. And in 2021, the couple added a meal service, offering ready-to-eat food: appetizers, grazing boards, desserts, entrees, salads and more. In addition, Fresh Plate offers fresh-frozen and oven-ready items for pickup or delivery like chicken cordon bleu and beef short rib pot pie ($10-$16).
Vegan, vegetarian, paleo and other dietary accommodations are available, as is delivery within 20 miles of Fresh Plate Market ($20 minimum order).
If you happen to be at Washington State University's Health Sciences campus in Spokane, check out the Fresh Plate cafe there, which is also soon to begin offering meals-to-go.
FRESH TODAY CATERING AND BAKING
1014 N. Pines Rd., Spokane Valley, facebook.com/freshtodaycatering
Whoever said "less is more" might have been talking about Karen and Tracy McLaughlin, who started their meal prep and catering company last year after the couple shed a combined several hundred pounds of weight.
Fresh Today features multi-portion, cooked meals like beef stroganoff or chicken carnitas ($45-$50), as well as a la carte items for local delivery or pickup. The other side of the business, throughthickorthin.com, offers fitness-focused options including custom meal plans geared towards weight management.
KAIROS MEAL PREP
1014 N. Pines Road, Spokane Valley, kairosmealprep.com
Kairos is Greek for an opportune time. It's also the name of a new Spokane-based meal service created by two fitness-minded friends, Daniel Wee and Zach Helfenstein. In 2020, the duo formed Kairos Meal Prep, teaching themselves how to cook, assisted greatly by his mother, says Helfenstein.
Kairos' offers 20 eye-catching meals like tri-tip and asparagus or cashew chicken stir fry in standard or extra-large portions ($10.50-$16). The subscription service calculates the price according to the quantity of daily meals. Five days at one entrée per day, for example, is $62.50. Local delivery is available ($8 and up).
"When it comes to healthy nutrition, each day is an opportunity to become a better version of yourself," says Wee.
LUCID ROOTS
lucidroots.com
In 2018, LucidRoots' chef-owner Dani Lundquist added soup and bread to her salad line, creating family dinners available from October through April when she's not at the Kootenai Farmers Market. Lucid Roots' family meals feature plant-based soups such as vegan zuppa toscana, plus salads, and sourdough bread from MAK Bread, a fellow North Idaho business.
Lucid Roots' family meals are designed to feed two to four people ($30-$55) and include delivery as far north as Rathdrum, Idaho, and west to Spokane. Items can also be ordered a la carte, with free delivery for $20 minimum orders.
MAMA'S TAKE AND BAKE DINNERS
1202 W. Northwest Blvd., facebook.com/mamastakeandbake
Mama, in this case, is Ashley Crutchfield, who's cooking up comfort foods based on her husband's family recipes like ready-made "smothered" burritos with ground beef or chicken alfredo ($12/single, $24/serves two; $49/serves four). Mama's also makes cooked pizzas ($14-$18). Check the menu on Facebook, and call or text to order, or show up during business hours to order on-site: Mon-Fri from 1-7 pm, Sat from 2-6 pm.
PANTRY FUEL
pantryfuel.com
Nutrition and wellness consultant Jennifer Stuchell (nee Van Cott) started Pantry Fuel in 2015 focusing on locally sourced, healthy, gluten-free meals. She has since expanded with more options: a la carte ($11-$15), three to five single-serve entrees ($40-$70), family-size portions (starting at $38) or weekly meal plans ($40-$66). The rotating selection of meals, such as chicken tikka masala over spiced rice, can be tailored further to have more protein, be dairy-free or vegetarian.
Delivery is available through Treehouse ($30 minimum order). Meals can also be picked up at Incrediburger & Eggs.
Stuchell isn't just the founder of Pantry Fuel; the new mother is also a customer. "It really eases the stress of making dinner or lunches daily while trying to care for an infant and work full time."
THE SUPPER CLUB
1908 W. Northwest Blvd. letmarthamakeit.com
Martha Domitrovich created The Supper Club in late 2019 with scratch-made frozen meals from single to family size servings. The self-taught cook has since expanded the business to include all manner of momli-ness including goodie-boxes, such as for a student or neighbor ($50-$140) and a typically cheesy, comfort-inducing meal she calls "mom love in a vintage casserole" ($50).
A la carte breakfast and dinner entrees arrive in frozen or kit form, such as chili rellenos or sausage and lentil soup (kit) with cooking instructions that might require some assembly ($60/single, $75-80/two; $130/family). Meals are available for pickup or contactless local delivery ($5), including a Spokane Valley pickup site.
There are no minimum order requirements, Domitrovich says. "The whole point for me is less about making money and more about making sure everyone is fed." ♦
Ferrante's Marketplace Café in Spokane is one of many local businesses that offers ready-made meals in addition to other types of meals or services. In addition to on-site dining, cooked meals from Ferrante's dinner menu are available, some of which can instead be specified as oven-ready. Ferrante's also stocks a grab-and-go cooler with oven-ready meals, such as ravioli with vodka sauce and calzone. Find more at doitalian.com.
More meals available from the following:
BEACON HILL CATERING AND EVENTS
Rotating meal kits ($40-$50), brownies ($12)
COLE'S BAKERY & CAFE
Pizza ($22.50+)
FERRARO'S ITALIAN
Lasagna, pasta bakes ($50-$100)
GREEN'S FRESH MARKET
Lasagna ($13)
MAIN MARKET CO+OP
Chicken pot pie ($13); pizza ($14-$16); pasta bakes, entrees ($9)
MAMMA MIA'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT & CATERING
Lasagna, pasta bakes ($8-$100)
MARKETPLACE RESTAURANT & AMISH STORE
Take-and-bake ($16-$22)
MOSCOW FOOD CO-OP
Chicken pot pie ($17); pizza ($11-$16); pasta bakes ($10-$14)
MY FRESH BASKET
Pizza ($10.50+), Single portion ready-to-cook meat and veggie packs ($5.50+)
PILGRIM'S MARKET
Gluten-free pizza ($15)
Meal kits ($13, in select grocery stores; eatlikeachef.com)
WINTER RIDGE NATURAL FOODS MARKET
Pizza ($13-$16); pasta bakes, entrees ($8-$13)
