Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles. Photo: Chris Emeott
When the holiday season kicks into high gear, the heat is on—especially in the kitchen. Meal preparation can feel like it’s on a never-ending rotation. Cooking food for a celebration here or there is manageable, but when faced with the deluge of other holiday preparations, even making daily meals can be overwhelming.
Having extra help in the kitchen is invaluable. Let’s Dish launched in 2003 with a handful of meal-preparation locations. Co-founder and CEO Darcy Olson has seen two generations of families enjoy Let’s Dish. “We get to hear so many stories,” she says. “People have said our meals have made it much easier for their kids to help out in the kitchen or for them to grow in their careers because making dinner is an equal partnership.”
More than two decades later, Let’s Dish has adapted to families’ changing needs. Instead of assembling meals themselves, customers can shop in the stores or order online to pick up fully prepped kits (over 100 appetizers, mains and desserts), and many can go from “freezer to cooked in 30 minutes,” Olson says.
In addition to perennial favorites (like the beloved Cheese Curd Crusted Chicken Ranch Bake), Olson says popular items include Midwestern standbys Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles and Skillet Pot Roast and global dishes, featuring Burrito Bowls with barbacoa beef, shredded chicken or vegetables and Chicken and Vegetable Pad Thai.
All of this goes to getting three square meals on the table during busy work weeks or preparing for the holidays. “We want to offer a variety of classic comfort foods that you can make really easily,” Olson says. In addition to classic dinners like Family Style Chicken Pot Pie, Let’s Dish offers breakfast and lunch options, featuring Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing, Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast Bake and a variety of sandwiches and wraps. (Grabbing an extra 30 minutes of sleep while your teenagers bake a pan of gooey cinnamon rolls or prep an early lunch? Priceless.)
Apart from daily meals, hosting duties can get a boost. Olson recommends stocking up on easy-to-heat appetizers, including Baked Ham and Swiss Sliders, Bourbon-Glazed Wild Rice Meatballs, Pulled Pork Sliders on Pretzel Buns and Shredded Beef Wellingtons.
Gift-giving has become another significant part of Let’s Dish’s service, offering delivery across five states and free, handwritten gift messages with each order. Olson says delivery boxes have also become a popular option for supporting parents with new babies, families dealing with illness or elderly individuals who struggle with cooking—something her own family knows well. “My mom isn’t able to cook anymore, so my dad, at 89, does all of their cooking,” Olson says. “Let’s Dish has been a big help with that.”
While Olson witnesses the importance of convenient meal preparation in her own family, she has spent her entire career in the food industry and loves seeing the impact of wholesome, easy-to-make food for busy families. “I’ll see women who were young moms back when Let’s Dish started, and now they’re buying meals for their new grandkids or their college students,” she says.
This summer, a new partnership between Target and Let’s Dish brought the company’s beloved meals to the freezer aisles of Metro Target locations. When Target reached out about the collaboration, Olson and her team leapt at the opportunity to expand the reach of their accessible meals. “It’s pretty surreal and has really meant a lot to the company,” she says.
As of this writing, nine of Let’s Dish’s popular three-serving-size meals are in 25 Target locations. “We’re really excited to continue to grow with Target,” Olson says.
Find Let’s Dish at your local Target location and more at target.com.
Let’s Dish
Instagram: @letsdishmn
