What's In The Works for Foodtidings.com

We have gotten a lot of great feedback recently from all of you on ideas & improvements to the foodtidings web site, and I just wanted to take a moment and let you know what to expect in the next few weeks. Here's the top 3 things on our to-do list:

1. Address book/contact management: yes, you will be able to edit, delete and add people into your invite list just like an address book.
2. Search for schedules: A simple search feature that will allow you to find the schedule for that friend who's email invitation you accidentally deleted :-)
3. Automated Forgotten Password System: Yes, I know you liked getting those personal emails from me telling you what your password was, but, so many of you are signed up now that it is taking forever to scroll through the list of accounts!

We hope to roll out these changes in the next few weeks, and I'll be sure to post an update to the blog for each one letting you know. Don't forget, if you have ideas on other ways we can help you send them to info[aT]foodtidings.com!

Take Out...

On Tuesday this week I was scheduled to bring dinner to a family, and to be quite honest I didn't get to making the dinner I had planned on making. I thought, what am I going to do? Well, I went to get the mail and I had a coupon in there for a chinese restaraunt close to us for a 2 for 1- buy one entree and get one free. BINGO! So I called my friend and asked her what two items her and her family would like, and went and picked it up. It was awesome! And really, it was pretty comparable as far as how much it costs to make a meal myself. I was quite excited! So, if you're scheduled to bring dinner to someone someday and you either don't have the time to make a meal, didn't get to the store to get the correct ingredients, or just don't feel like you have the energy to make an extra meal- I have two words for you... take out. And if you have a coupon, even better! :)

Feeding a crowd?

Well I have to ditto Lisa's sentiment on meals after a birth. I have four kids and received meals after the last three. When my first child came and I did not receive meals and we ate out a whole lot because I did not have the energy or time to cook. Now I love to make sure that people are getting meals because I know how much it helps.

One easy way to cut down on your cooking time if you are bringing someone a meal is to double or triple the batch of whatever you are cooking so you can just divide it up between your family and whoever else you are cooking for that evening. For example I am bringing 2 families meals on April 14 so I planned tacos with all the fixings. Now I just have to make a little extra and deliver them so it takes less time and my family gets fed too!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!

Here is an email we received from someone who is grateful for foodtidings...

I just wanted to let you know that this site is such a great idea and is going to be a life saver for me. I am in charge of coordinating meals for a family member that is having brain surgery in January and I have been thinking about how to keep everything straight so they don't end up with too much food at the same time. I did a search and your site popped up. I am so happy that you have taken the time to offer this. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!

Warm regards,
Kaia Hoiseth

I am pumped that Kaia took the time to share this with us. People are in the position to serve and care for others all the time. It's pretty awesome to know that foodtidings was such a helpful resource when she took on the responsibility of making sure someone in her family was cared for during a difficult time.

Exciting!

Well, all I can say is that I'm truly excited that foodtidings is up and running now! Zach and I have been married for almost 6 years, and we have two children (ages 3 and 1 1/2) with one coming next month. And after I had my first two, one of the coolest things was having meals brought to us during that transitional time of our lives. There are so many new things happening with a new baby, and making dinner was pretty close to the farthest thing from my mind at the time! And it was a great way for our friends and family to get to see the new baby too. I just felt so cared for and loved having meals brought to us. And I got some great ideas from others for new recipes too! Now that foodtidings is here, it makes it that much easier to organize meals for others who are in a transitional time in their lives as well. Yea!

Our First Post

Well, we finally did it :-) We have decided to set up a blog to bring you ideas, tips & stories to help you. Zack, Lisa and myself will be posting here regularly, so subscribe with your favorite reader, or via email.