The Meal Assembly Blog

Statistics for meal assembly industry

2008-05-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

According to EasyMealPrep.com, the meal assembly industry grew from 566 meal preparation outlets at the beginning of 2006 to over 1400 at the end of 2007.

Meal Assembly Centers For Working Moms

2007-02-07T08:08:00.000-08:00

In today’s ever changing world, some things have made being a mom easier. Meal assembly centers have begun to put meals together that mom doesn’t have time to do. Whether it is for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, entire meals can be bought and reheated at home. The person responsible for this new way of feeding had to be a mom. Nobody else would ever think that way. A meal assembly center can save a lot of time. Most moms in America work outside of the home. Still, they are expected to take care of the meals. It’s kind of sad to say but, other family members would go hungry waiting for mom to get home. So if mom has a meal that can be cooked or reheated, it saves everyone time, but mostly for mom. A meal assembly center makes meals of almost any kind of food available. The choices are so many that most people wont get sick of eating them because they are different.

Having Consideration For Mom

Meal assembly centers have perfected the art of quick foods that taste like mom made it. With this in mind, the family can have the meal done and waiting for mom to get home. Meal assembly centers have so many choices that one can forget about what was eaten only the day before. Everybody knows that if mom is happy, everyone is happy. Prepared foods are a great convenience but consider occasionally cooking something mom will enjoy.

Using email to promote your meal assembly business

2007-01-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Here are some wonderful tips on using email to promote your meal assembly business:
Email Marketing Success
By G Harold

Isn’t that your goal?

The latest survey on email marketing revealed that email-marketing efforts are being dulled by record levels of Spam and email box over saturation. Those surveyed that use email primarily for home use stated that unwanted messages comprise of over one third of the email they receive daily. Those that use email at work indicated that over twenty five percent of their inbox is flooded with unwanted email.

The study also revealed that those who have long-term relationships with an opt-in mailer have had their buying decision affected by the mailings they received. They do no feel opt-in email as part of the saturation process.

While they are eager or at least curious enough to read permission based email, most said they delete op-in messages without reading them.

This high saturation level of unwanted messages is turning consumers off email as a communication method.

66% of those surveyed feel they get too much email. Less than 30% of these indicated that they are likely to “occasionally” respond to email-marketing mailings.

How do you deal with the problem of too much email?

As an Internet entrepreneur email marketing is the tool of choice to get your message out. How do you get your message read? What are the best practices to implement to achieve this goal?

The number of those who are competing for email user’s attention is growing.

How do you boost your readership and response rate?

How do you guarantee your messages get to legitimate consumers and business email users?

How do you make sure your potential customer does not mistake your email message for Spam?

WHAT IS YOUR PLAN???

The Spam epidemic is one of the online businesspersons greatest problems.

While many of those online that receive email regularly appreciate opt-in marketing messages and as stated above will respond to your message, research has shown that proliferation of Spam threaten the legitimate email marketing.

Consumers are experiencing inbox burnout. Over time they will become less responsive to your email campaigns.

How?

By deleting your email message without reading it first. Even your permission based email.

Additionally, your prospective customers and their Internet service providers are using email filtering and bulk sorter software to block your messages. Are your messages among those being redirected, filtered, bulk sorted and deleted by software like “Clean My Mailbox”?

What can you do to combat this?

Email marketing has proven to be a highly specialized medium.

It is being used to generate revenue, deepen customer relationships and influence potential customer behavior. Brick and mortar businesses are using it to increase catalog sales, improve call center response and as an interactive customer service assistant.

Dramatic positive effects on the customer’s behavior are occurring as the direct email marketing industry matures. It’s relative inexpensiveness, compared to direct mail marketing and its increased acceptance by the mass market is attracting a great deal of attention.

As a direct email marketer, you must position your messages so the various obstacles in place to combat your efforts to contact your prospective and your opt-in customers are unsuccessful. In this e-course we will outline successful strategies, which will help you, get your messages read.

Here are 7 strategies you can begin using right now.

(1.) Referrals

Your potential customers open e-mail messages based on the “from” field. The sender has an important impact on your potential customers’ willingness to open your email message. The use of a “refer a friend” button on your web pages stimulates referrals from satisfied visitors to your site.

Your follow-up with content rich, helpful information to these referrals and your request for them to take further action by opting into your e-zine or e-course mail list, as well as recommending a beneficial free offer will help you grow a list of loyal customers.

(2.) Privacy

Your potential customers want to know how you are going to maintain their privacy. Do you rent or exchange email list with others? This is a taboo to most of your potential customers.

Do you have a privacy policy? Is it listed where it can be easily reviewed? A hyper link on every message you send out, as well as on your web site should be in place. Let your current and potential customers know what your company’s privacy policy, rules and guidelines are. This adds a since of comfort when doing business with your company.

(3.) Personalization

The sweetest sound to anyone is the sound of his or her name. The use of your customers name in your message adds a since of ownership to the message. Most importantly, it is an attention getter and increases readership. Isn’t that your purpose, to get your message read by the receiver? Why not capture your potential customers’ name as well as their email address?

(4.) Show Your Expertise

Are you publishing a weekly content rich e-zine? Do you write and post on topic content rich articles in newsgroups? Do you submit content rich articles to other e-zines?

What do you do to show your expertise? How do you communicate to your current and potential customers that you know what you’re doing? That you know what you are talking about, that your advice is a result of experience, from walking the walk and talking the talk?
This is an excellent method to grow your list and customer loyalty. Email how to articles and helpful tips to your list.

(5.) Deepen Customer Relationships

Your customers will remain loyal only after you have established a positive and useful relationship with them. You establish this type of relationship through continuous meaningful contact with them.

The follow-up messages you send in response to your customers inquires, the helpful articles you write and submit, your content rich web site, your e-zine and its content rich information, your company’s order fulfillment policies, and your customer service practices are your proof to your customer that you care about them.

When your customer feels you care about them, a “know, like and trust” connection develops between you and them. This makes them more responsive to your messages and offerings. Isn’t that your goal?

(6.) Opt-In List Care

Your list of customers who have opt-in to receive your mailings is one of the two must-have ingredients for the successful email marketer. The other must-have ingredient is your product or service.
It is far easier to sell more to the customer you have than to sell to a new customer.

Regular management and maintenance of your list is important. Cleaning your list frequently so that it consists of deliverable address is essential. Purge all duplicate names and email addresses. Remove the names of those subscribers who have opt-out immediately. Use a double opt-in procedure to confirm that your new subscribers are authentic. Encourage your subscribers to provide more information about themselves, their likes and dislikes, and feedback about your product or service by using surveys. This will allow you to customize and/or target your product or service to fit your customers wants.

(7.) Long-term Associations

The number one cause for the loss of customers and subscribers is indifference. The online marketer’s failure to make periodic contact with their customers and subscribers is the major reason. The online entrepreneurs who maintain long-term relationships with their opt-in customers have the most responsive list.

Strategies to establish a long-term association have been discussed above. Good, strong, solid online relationships take time, effort and imagination to build. Once in place, they become a source of profitable dealings through a loyal customer base.

Successful email marketing is built on loyalty. Your loyal customers and subscriber base will not mistake your message for Spam. Your loyal customers and subscriber base will look forward to your mailings and offerings. Your loyal customer and subscriber base will continue to purchase your product and service for years to come.

Isn’t that your goal?

G Harold is webmaster for http://www.10001press.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=G_Harold
http://EzineArticles.com/?Email-Marketing-Success&id=389923

SnapMonkey offers internet marketing services, which you might check out.

Meal Assembly List- a Negative Calorie Food List

2006-11-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

A Negative Calorie Food List
By Terje Ellingsen

To make a negative calorie food list, we must be precisely clear on what we mean. There has been some confusion about this phrase. Some have thought that this kind of food contains no calories at all. This can't be right as long as all kinds of food contains at least some energy.
We're going to present you with a list of this kind of food. If you follow it, not necessarly without any other kinds of food, it will increase metabolism naturally, and the result will be weight loss - especially compared with eating a meal where these foods are not included.

Now, it's time for a definition. When we say nagative calorie food, we mean foods which contain so little energy that the body actually uses more energy to digest and absorb the nutrients. So if you subtract calories you'll burn from the calories you eat, the result will be negative. Only by digesting the food you have eaten, there will be a net loss of energy or a negative energy balance. This is what must happen if you want to lose weight but with this food you don't have to do anything but eat it to accomplish that.

You can also eat protein in combination with such food. Good protein will help you control your appetite as well as increase your metabolism because the total amount of calories are not reduced too much.

Here is the list:
Vegetables
Fennel, aubergine, gourd, broccoli, leek, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, marrow, cauliflower, peppers, celery, radish, chicory, spinach, cress, tomato, cucumber, turnip.

Fruits
Apricot, mandarin orange, blackberry, melon canteloupe, blackcurrant, peaches, clementines, plums, damsons, raspberry, grapefruit. rhubarb, guava, strawberry, honeydew melon, tangerine, lemon, watermelon.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet marketer. He runs the website 11-Weight-Loss.net.Terje enjoys to help people with negative calorie food diets and workout to increase metabolism naturally.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terje_Ellingsen

Are plastic food containers safe?

2006-10-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

As a meal assembly /meal prep business, you will likely have clients ask you about the safety of containers.

Here's the scoop:

Are Plastic Food and Beverage Containers Safe?
By James Ferrel

Question: Have plastic food and beverage containers been proven safe?
Answer: No.

During the film's graduation party in THE GRADUATE, Mr. McGuire pulls Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) aside to offer sage advice for his future. His future would be one word: "plastics."

Of course, we all know Mr. McGuire's advice and prognostication was correct. Plastics can only be made by man in his infinite wisdom, hence they are patentable. The profit in the manufacture of plastics has been huge. Plastics are everywhere. Plastic manufacturing now uses 4% of the world's oil production annually. Automobiles are now 9% plastic. It is of my special concern that more foods and beverages are being put into plastic containers. Plastics are ubiquitous now. They persist and accumulate in our society as their production exceeds their chemical degradation rate. Harmful chemicals from plastics are now commonly found in groundwater, waterways, and drinking water.

While standing out in the summer heat in Phoenix, Arizona in 1981, my girlfriend asked me what was causing the film to form on the inside of the windshield of her new Mazda 626. She said that she had to wipe it off every morning so she could see to drive to work. I didn't know then. I do now! It was phthalates, the chemical that was added to the plastic dash cover to soften it and prevent cracking. I'm sure by now most of the phthalate has evaporated into our atmosphere and the Mazda is in some junkyard with a cracked up dash.

Phthalates are EDC's (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.) They are chemicals found in recycle codes #1 through #6 plastics. Another EDC (Bisphenol A) is in recycle code #7 plastics. All of these types of plastic EDC's interfere with the function of sex hormones receptors. In THE GRADUATE Benjamin was quite a stud. I wonder if he's now taking one of the popular drugs to treat erectile dysfunction, a disorder that has become one of the many epidemics in our new plastic world.

In 2003 a group of Croatian scientists reported that phthalates in plastics dissolved in various solutions. They used a variety of plastic items, including plastic food containers. After 10 days of sitting in distilled water, an average of 55.4 mg/ of phthalates from each kilogram of plastic "migrated" into the water. To a lesser degree the phthalates from plastics dissolved into acetic acid 3% (44.4 mg/kg) and 10% ethyl alcohol (32.3 mg/kg).

The Croatian study shows what Benjamin would suspect, if he took chemistry in college: Water is the universal solvent; and it dissolves even the primarily fat soluble phthalates. The more that you filter water to remove other toxic solutes, the more aggressive water becomes in its power to reach osmolar equilibrium by dissolving its non-inert containers.

What is also obviously missing from the Croatians' controlled, static testing model are the temperature variations that the plastic bottled water product goes through to get from bottling point to the mouth of the consumer. Transport trucks probably reach a very high temperature in the non refrigerated cargo areas that carry PETE (recycle code #1 plastic) bottled water in the summer. Heat facilitates the dissolution of phthalates into the water. Then the bottles may be stored for a much longer time than 10 days prior to consumption. Furthermore, freezing the containers produces micro-fissures in the interior surface of the plastic bottle container as the water expands, exponentially exposing more solute surface area. Traumatic handling or any motion of the package will further enhance diffusion. Applying the laws of physics, all of these factors clearly by extrapolation will increase the water dissolution of the plastic containers.
Fatty foods in plastic containers are even more problematic, as fats are absorbed differently and carry their phthalate solvents into our bodies more easily. Phthalates bio-accumulate because of their fat solubility. Phthalates concentrate in such fat organs in our bodies such as brains, prostates, testicles, ovaries, breasts and, unfortunately, breast milk. (The other popular food alternatives for infants are worse. Commercial baby formulas are loaded with the manmade phthalates.)

I think the worst example of food containment in plastic is milk. All milk except non-fat milk contains fat. Cow milk itself represents a major source of the fats ingested by the public, especially children. Cattle concentrate these chemicals by bioaccummulation because EDC's from plastics are ubiquitous in water and most animal food sources. Meat and dairy products are therefore a major contributor to this group of human food chain derived toxins, regardless of their containment. It is now irresponsible to add more phathalates to the products by putting the milk products in plastic containers that add MORE EDC's.

Cattle have intentially been "fattened up" by adding hormones AND unintentially "fattened up" more by the contamination of cattle food and water by EDC's. The combination of these chemicals passed on to the consumers in concentrated form in milk products will most likely exacerbate obesity in humans that consume them as well.

Our current scientific knowledge and common sense screams for an end to consumer purchase of milk bottled in plastics. Until milk companies have their products quantatatively analysed for these EDC's by competent independant laboratories, my strong recommendation is to avoid purchase and consumption of milk and dairy products contained in plastic.

Sadly, the Croatian authors' 2003 conclusions about the safety of plastics were: "These (exposure) levels would not present a hazard for human health, not even for a prolonged period of time." However, what was deemed acceptable levels of phthalates in 2003 now is recognized as "crystal clearly" too high.

Selective interpretations from the ACC (American Chemistry Council) lead to this erroneously high level being "set" for past toxicity standards. The ACC is an "industry group" advisor. It's much like the wolf guarding the henhouse. Thanks to the ACC efforts, control regulations placed upon this chemical class are minimal. An ongoing perpetuation of phthalate approval for use in virtually everything, including containment of food, has resulted. In fact, the perpetuation of these mythological high safety standards has resulted in the majority of our food being wrapped or contained in plastics that leach EDC's into our foods.

The ACC's Phthalate Esters Panel is made up representatives from BASF, Eastman Chemical, Exxon-Mobil Chemical, Ferro, and Teknor Apex Corporations. After graduating, Benjamin could have gone to work for any of these companies to share the wealth that plastics manufacturing have reaped, instead of hanging around and sporting Mrs. Robinson for the summer!
I love one of the rationalization examples the ACC makes on their PHTHALATES INFORMATION CENTER webpage: "Thanks to phthalates, your nail polish doesn't chip." I wonder if they are aware of the "unexplained" high rate of breast cancer in manicurists. I also wonder if they are aware that most breast tissues and breast cancers have sex hormone receptors that are acted upon by the EDC's found in plastics.

To further confuse the public, the ACC webpage also redefines the PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE which in its un-perverted definition simply is: A (chemical) should not be considered safe until it is proven safe. Environmentalists who are trying to unravel the cause-effect relationships of environment chemicals, to the otherwise unexplained epidemics of various diseases now affecting man as well as every species on our planet, encourage its application. The ACC's watered down version suggests that cost effective, fearless risks are worth taking.
Can the ACC keep up the phthalate safety illusion forever? The American Tobacco Association almost got away with it!

We now know that EDC's, like hormones themselves require very minute amounts to have physiologic impact. EDC's are active in parts per trillion! For example, the usual adult maintenance dose of levothyroxine, a drug to replace depleted natural thyroid hormone in hypothyroidism, is 1.6 micrograms/Kg/day. Why would I even think about saying that a dose in the milligrams (1000 times as much as a microgram) of a known EDC would be safe, especially for a child or developing fetus?

We now know that phthalates also work in synergy with chemicals in other classes to exert "more than additive" physiologic effects.

Previous experiments in rodents showed that high levels of phthalates interfer with testosterone during gestation resulting in birth defects of the genitalia, testicular cancer, and infertility in the rats.

The ACC inspired acceptable level of phthalate myth should be blown out of the water with a recent study completed by the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. This study of 85 human infant boys reported in May 2005 showed that phthalate levels found normally in the general population adversely influenced sexual development. The phthalate exposure these children had correlated with smaller penis size and incomplete testicular descent, which is a condition that greatly increases the risk of testicular cancer if left untreated.
Solution 1 - Choose glass containers over plastic for purchase and storage of food and beverages including milk and water.

American children can consume several milligrams of phthalate each day.

I wonder if THE GRADUATE's Mr. Robinson noticed that most of the teenage girls now-days have bigger breasts than his seductive wife (gynecomastia), and that they begin thelarche (breast development) and menarche (menstruation) at a significantly younger age, or that many more have an endocrine pathology called PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
The chances of a woman getting breast cancer in her lifetime has probably gone from a risk of less than 1 in 10 (10%) before THE GRADUATE was made to a 1 in about 7.5 (13.2 %) rate today.

The choice to avoid food chain plastics is a "no-brainer" when you understand how these chemicals persist and accumulate in our environment, and how they function in our bodies!
Solution 2 - Choose stainless steel containers over plastic for storage of food and beverages including water.

Unfortunately, we are past the point of no return with phthalates. Just like cigarettes I think we'll have to live as prisoners with their impact on future generations. The only defense we have at this time is to individually choose to avoid them when we can, to mitigate their effects on our health.

Phthalates clearly act upon hormone receptors in both men and women. A concern is the potential phthalate impact on breast and other hormone sensitive tissue in human females, but phthalate's demasculinizing potential on males is more of a threat to all species on the planet.
Unlike Mr. McGuire, I think we can choose a better future by avoiding his "one word." We should start by trying to reduce plastics in our food chain exposures.

Bottom line:
I would strongly advise consumers to purchase beverages and non-solid food products packaged in glass rather than plastic if given the choice.

© Life Dynamix 2005 All Rights Reserved
James A. Ferrel M.D., CNC is a board certified family physician and a certified nutritional consultant who specializes in preventative and environmental medicine. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona.More wellness articles and web streams with Dr. Ferrel are available at http://www.lifedynamix.com - The New Science for Energetic Living!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Ferrel

Meal Assembly / Meal Prep food photography

2006-10-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

When Food and Photography Meet
By Low Jeremy

Photographing food is probably one of the most challenging kinds of photography out there. It is considered difficult by most professional food photographers because there is a time constraint in the whole photo shoot.

And since the marketability of the food itself depends primarily on how it is seen in print, food photographers should be well trained and skilled in order to come up with satisfying results.

TIPS IN TASTEFUL FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Know your camera well. It is a must that you familiarize yourself with all its features and functions especially the basic operations like focus/auto focus, exposure compensation, white balance, image resolution and size, and flash modes operation. Know when to use these features in order to highlight the best angles of your subject.

2. Familiarize yourself with other equipment. Knowing the proper use of a tripod or stabilizer will help you focus on your subject better and will also avoid camera shake that usually causes blurring.

3. Fill the gap and the distance. If space and time permit, get close to your subject as close as possible. It is recommended that you fill the entire frame of with your subject to create a satisfying image. Distance will give a full view of the food’s texture and ingredients.

4.Carefully calculated focus and depth-of-field (DOF). The use of depth-of-field never fails to create wonders in food photo shoots. With careful adjustment of focus and depth of field, you can bring to life any dish that is your subject. (TIP: Use wider or more open for a shallow DOF and a smaller or more closed one for a deeper shots.)

5. Identify the standout ingredient. Before taking any shot, assess the scene closely and look for something that can grab people’s attention right away. You can use this main feature of the food as the subject of your subject.

6. It’s all in the lighting. Like in any photography styles, lighting or available light can make or unmake any photograph. Since food is the major subject in food photography, it is better that the setting is bright and the lights are soft so as to make the food more appetizing. In digital cameras, turning on the White Balance feature of the equipment can solve dark settings in an instant.

7. Pay attention to your set-up. It is a must to take the time off to setup your food photo shoot. If there are distracting elements in the background, remove them. If you think there’s something missing in the set up, then think of something else that would fill the empty space or gap. Prepare the garnish, the props, and other materials you might need for the shoot.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy and may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more info on Photography, please visit http://photography.articlekeep.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Low_Jeremy

More food establishments should market the fact that their menu items do not contain TransFats

2006-10-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

It's a marketing opportunity that many food establishments haven't tapped into yet. Many consumers are becoming label readers, and they want to make sure what they put in their bodies isn't going to kill them. Businesse can make a huge impact in their sales, by marketing that fact that they no longer have products with transfats in them.

What are transfats?

Trans-fats, or hydrogenated oils, are simply vegetable oils that are put through the hydrogenation process to become solidified. Hydrogenation turns a perfectly safe oil into an unnatural substance that our bodies are incapable of processing. It's an unnatural ingredient, and our bodies do not know how to process them.

Studies have shown that transfats contribute to heart disease, cancer, birth defects, diabetes, and more.

Be sure to check out this Harvard study for more information

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/reviews/transfats.html/

Food / Lifestyle Expert Helps Parents Strengthen Family Bonds with Teenagers Using Home Cooking Strategy

2006-10-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Lauren Groveman, TV personality, author, and food and lifestyle expert, explains how busy parents can build stronger bonds with their teenagers though the practice of old-fashioned home cooking and family dinners -- even though we don't live in a "Leave It to Beaver" world.
Larchmont, NY

(PRWEB) October 4, 2006 -- Remember when families actually ate together at dinnertime? Nowadays, with moms, dads and teens all living their lives in fast forward, family mealtimes often give way to fast foods, TV dinners, and meals where teenagers and their parents do not eat together. Although we may no longer live in a "Leave it to Beaver" or "Donna Reed" world, food and lifestyle expert, Lauren Groveman, who is frequently seen on MSNBC and who is the host / producer of the James Beard, award-winning talk-show, "Food, Family & Home 'Matters' with Lauren Groveman," explains why it is imperative that we get the family back to the dinner table. Her new website, www.laurengroveman.com fully exemplifies her philosophy.

Helvetica, sans-serif; TEXT-DECORATION: none" href="http://www.laurengroveman.com/" alt="Link to website">Food, Family & Home 'Matters' with Lauren Groveman Says Groveman, "A study was conducted by The National Center on Addition and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and it was discovered that children who ate dinner with their families were less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs. The study compared teens who had five or more family dinners per week with teens who had two or less dinners with their family per week. The teenagers who ate less dinners with their families were three times more likely to try marijuana; two-and-a-half times likelier to smoke cigarettes; and more than one-and-a-half times more likely to drink alcohol. The study also showed that teens who had five or more dinners a week with their parents experienced lower levels of stress and felt as though they could go to one or both of their parents to talk over serious problems. Their conclusion was that, in order to raise healthy kids, we’ve got to get the family back to the dinner table."

Groveman, who is the author of two highly-acclaimed cookbooks, "Lauren Groveman's Kitchen: Nurturing Food for Family and Friends" and "The ‘I Love to Cook’ Book: Rediscovering the Joy of Cooking for Family and Friends," encourages families to make it a priority to gather with their loved ones around a dinner table for regular "moments of togetherness" -- whether that be once a week or once a month.

Key to Groveman’s family bonding strategy involves understanding the difference between eating a meal and feeling nurtured when eating a meal. "Real home cooking can bring a family together and inject a healing calm into even the most hectic household," she says. "If you take pre-prepared food and put it on a platter, you are telling your family to ‘eat.’ However, if you sit down together at a candlelit table after a chicken has been roasting or some onions have been sautéing, you are encouraging your family to ‘relax and breathe’.

Groveman further explains that "breathing feeds every part of us (not just our stomachs) and helps us become fully restored. "When we feel restored on every level of our being, we are better able to achieve a balance between our commitments outside the home, and what we want to do for, and with, our families."

For moms and dads who would like to learn how to bring their teens back to the table, Groveman, whose recipes have been featured in "The New York Times," "The Daily News," "Newsday," "Bon Appétit," "Food & Wine," "Victoria," "Better Homes & Gardens," "Modern Bride," "Brides," "Lightstyle" and "Fine Cooking Magazine," teaches non-vocational (hands-on and demonstration) cooking and baking in classes given in her home-based cooking school, as well as in various culinary facilities throughout the US. Additionally, she offers a selection of her favorite and most comforting recipes, as well as step-by-step instructions, and printable shopping lists on her website, www.laurengroveman.com, where readers can also ask questions pertaining to any food, family or lifestyle issue.

"If you want to uplift the emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of your teenagers, provide them with a lovingly-prepared home cooked meal," she concludes. "Fill your living environment with rich aromas, soothing tastes, comforting sounds, and that warm feeling of togetherness, and your home will be a place where your teenagers will feel nurtured and fortified."

Want to get your teenagers hooked on family meal time? Start with Lauren Groveman’s Perfect Roast Chicken. This juicy, savory, golden brown roast chicken recipe, which was the first "real meal" Groveman ever made for her husband in the early days of her marriage remains her all-time, favorite roast chicken recipe and a favorite of all who try it.

Branding and your Meal Prep Business

2006-09-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

So, you want to attract more business, right? To stand out from the crowd and be seen as unique and special, start with the items listed below to assess your present circumstance and gauge your future ability to increase business while Building Your Brand.
The purpose for the steps listed is to build a strong foundation for success. Similar to building a house, we must first construct the foundation. This ‘platform’ will enable you to create from strength and will supply you with a multitude of options for building your ‘dream home’. A strong brand is the springboard for this strategy.

1. Clarity:

Take the time to discover what makes you different. Do this with a professional who can assist you in new ways of looking at your business and yourself. Make a list of five to ten key strengths. When you know what makes you special you are able to move forward and build a platform for success based on these you-nique factors. Your business will now have structural integrity and will congruently increase your attraction quotient. Niche markets will be easier to identify.

2. Communication:

Once your you-nique qualities are discovered, it is much easier to speak to your audience clearly and in a way that they can hear you. Your communications will become less stressful and more likely to hit your intended target. A clear path will begin to unfold. Create a tagline or ‘personal mantra’ to easily state your you-nique qualities and benefits. Practice with a mentor until you find the best one. Create a plan for communicating to your audience (such as direct mail, advertising, promotions) and begin to implement.

3. Consistency:

With steps 1 & 2 complete you are now able to be consistent in your continuing campaigns to educate future prospects. Apply your new mantra language to every piece of your promotional and/or collateral material. Formulate tangible business practices; review and plan your vision for developing business, and your business model, so clients can rest assured that you will deliver in a reliable fashion. All visual communications should clearly link together as well, and elements mentioned above will be put into practice.

4. Credibility:

Consistency in product, product delivery and all corporate communications will lead to credibility in the marketplace. This cornerstone to success stands firmly on the shoulders of the previous steps you have taken. Internal and external experiences of your business should align. Measure your effectiveness through client feedback. Gather client testimonials to integrate into materials for promotion. Continue to tweak and adjust to meet your market’s needs.

5. Creativity:

Another important element is your creativity in fulfilling and building a brand. It is a challenge to present your business in innovative ways that will continue to attract more potential clients. Utilizing the steps above, staying creative is much more likely to occur. Have fun and think out of the box. Enjoy this exercise and you will play the game to win! How can you stimulate your creativity?

6. Connection:

Always remember what it is like to be a consumer of your goods. Put yourself in your clients’ shoes at every juncture to test the viability of your choices. Will it serve the client in a way that they will appreciate? If not, how can you steer the ship in that direction? Hold focus groups if possible. Take a client to lunch and ask for an honest review. We do not operate in a void. Our audience must relate to us as we grow and develop. Client retention depends on it.

7. Competencies:

In order to remain competent at our endeavors we must continue to grow and learn. To give our clients what they deserve we must evolve and educate ourselves to be on the cutting edge of innovation in our industries. Love to learn and think in new ways and your knowledge will keep you ahead of the crowd. Always look forward while measuring the past, and learn wherever you can. Join organizations, hire the best, find mentors, coaches and advisors to assist. Share these experiences with staff and colleagues to stay engaged and energized.
Utilizing and reviewing these principles on a continuous basis can yield the results you desire. This information can also be an excellent method to review with your marketing professionals to insure correct application while building additional strategies for your business development. Strength in Branding is indeed a pivotal element for success.

With a strong focus on Branding, award winning graphic abilities, and a marketing and business development background in both the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds, Judy Winslow offers her clients a unique perspective. She is committed to assisting people worldwide in their personal and professional growth. Her result oriented processes have enabled companies of all sizes to grow and her diverse clientele ranges from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups seeking specialized branding and innovative communications strategies. All of her work is customized to fit the needs and vision of her clients to ensure their sound success. Contact her at BrightPointeInfo.com or judywins@mac.com

Stats for the meal assembly industry

2006-09-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

The meal prep (or meal assembly) industry is growing at a very fast pace. According to EasyMealPrep.com, there were 566 meal prep outlets at the beginning of 2006. By the end of the 2006, this figure is expected to double to over 1130. In 2005 it tripled from 173 to 566.

How to fund your meal prep business

2006-09-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

10 Ways To Fund A New Business

When starting a business, the first question that comes up is how you plan to fund your venture. Funding the start of a business is never cheap. You should explore all of your options to find which one is best for you. By finding the best option, you can save thousands of dollars in the long run. Here are some of the funding options that are the most useful:

If you already possess the resources necessary to start your business, this should obviously be your first choice. Through self-funding, you will have no interest rates and no monthly payments. The total you spend on getting your business up and running will be significantly lower.

These same principles apply to any personal acquaintances that are willing to provide you with funding. If you present them with a business model outlining exactly what you plan to do with their money, they will be more inclined to make the investment in your business.

Alternatively, some business starters feel that they will get immediate and high returns on their venture. If this is the case for you, then you may choose to use a credit card to get your business going. As long as you are able to make all of your investment back before the interest is compounded, this method of financing is completely free of interest.

If you have a good borrowing history, banks will be likely to give you a personal loan. If you choose to take out one of these, you will receive a large lump sum to start with. You will make regular payments, and the interest will most likely be compounded monthly. These are a popular route to take for entrepreneurs, but can land you in big trouble if you aren’t able to make a payment.

If you own a house or another business, you can use its value to open an equity line of credit. The bank will lend you money with your valuable asset as collateral. This will give you immediate access to a certain amount of money every month. Interest must be paid on these, but only for the money which is utilized.

Commercial loans are another very valid option. These work like a personal loan, but the bank will require information about your venture, and what you plan to spend the money on. Commercial loans differ because they are usually larger sums with higher monthly payments.

Many regions with suffering economies offer micro loans from local government agencies. These are small loans designed to get your business on its feet. Many non-profit organizations work to provide these to entrepreneurs in order to boost the growth of smaller towns.

Governments also provide funding for businesses in the form of grants. These are usually designed to provide economic growth, or to encourage research in a certain industry. The options vary greatly from industry to industry, so it is best to do broad research when looking for information on grants.
There are some people known as angel investors who prefer to make high-risk investments which are more likely to offer high returns. Angel investors require the possible returns to be very high, so if you are just looking to start a very small business then this probably won’t be the route to take.

Slightly different from angel investors are the venture capitalists. These are usually groups of people who have pooled their money together in order to invest in new and upcoming technology. They usually require large returns, and are fairly hands-on with the business. They may provide guidance or their own ideas on what direction the business should be taken.

All of these methods are perfectly achievable for anyone who wants to start a business. Which one you choose will depend on many factors, such as how big your business will be, how much money you need, what sort of area you are looking to set up in, and what kind of credit you have.

Should you buy a franchise for your meal assembly business?

2006-09-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

Franchises -- Advantages and Disadvantages
By Jean Sifleet

Want to own your own business? Don’t want to start from scratch?

Franchises are a way to get into business quickly, with a brand name, proven methods of operation and a support structure. Franchises are everywhere. Familiar names include Dunkin’ Donuts, Curves, Mail Boxes Etc. and McDonalds, to name a few.

"Buying" a franchise is legally complicated. As a franchisee, you pay money for the right to use the franchisor's Trademarks, systems and methods. Many franchises are legitimate and successful. Unfortunately, there has been a history of problems with franchises. As a result, franchising is heavily regulated at both the state and federal levels.

The legally required franchise documents are intended to provide full disclosure to the prospective purchaser. In reality, the franchise documents are voluminous, full of legalese, extremely one-sided in favor of the franchisor, and packed with restrictions and fees.

Advantages of buying a franchise include:
- Quick startup
- Help with site selection
- Brand name and recognition in the marketplace
- Training and support
- Customized accounting system
- Exclusive territory
- Marketing assistance
- Access to markets and suppliers

Disadvantages of buying a franchise include:
- Up-front fees (substantial initial investment required)
- Ongoing fees (usually royalty payment is a percentage of revenues)
- Fees for marketing and related services
- Restrictions on activities (you can only offer approved franchise products and services)
- Monitoring (the franchisor monitors your books, bank accounts and operations)
- Termination criteria
- Renewal requirements and fees
- Restrictions on transfer

A franchise is a major investment.

It’s important to carefully investigate the opportunity. A common misconception is that franchises are really “turnkey” operations. Purchasers think that they just “buy” the franchise and it runs itself. This is incorrect. It’s important to clearly understand what you are buying, how hard you will have to work and what income is realistic.

Here are some tips to evaluate a franchise opportunity:
1. Check to see if there are lawsuits against the franchisor.Litigation is required to be disclosed in the franchise documents.
This will give you important information about what’s gone wrong for others.
2. Talk to/visit existing franchise owners.
There should be a list of existing franchise owners in the franchise documents.
You can stop by and visit as a customer, and observe their operations.
You can also call up and ask questions, such as:
- Are you satisfied?
- Did you receive the support promised?
- Were there any surprises?
- Have there been any problems?
- How were the problems resolved?
- Are you making the money you expected?
- Can I visit and observe your operations?
3. What are the fees?
Franchise terms vary. It’s important to understand the fees.
Make a list of fees:
- What’s included with the initial franchise fee?
- What’s the royalty? Is it a percent of “gross” or “net” sales?
- Is the royalty a fixed percentage or does it decline over time?
- Are there service fees? Training fees? Marketing fees? Advertising fees?
4. What’s your territory?
Draw a map with clear boundaries:
- What is your defined geographic territory?
- How close can another franchise like yours be located relative to your location?
5. What’s your competitive advantage?
- What sets this franchise apart?
- Does the franchise include key technology or methods?
- Can it be easily copied?
6. What are the restrictions?
- Are you limited as to what you can sell?
- Are you required to buy from specific suppliers?
- What are the reasons for termination?
- What is the scope/term of the non-compete?
- What are the requirements for renewal?
- Can you transfer ownership?

In conclusion, buying a franchise may or may not be a good choice for you. Before signing a franchise agreement, check it out carefully and make sure you understand what the documents say. The advice of a business attorney knowledgeable about franchises can help you understand the legalese and make an informed decision.
Jean Sifleet is a practical and experienced business attorney whose career spans many years in large multi-national corporations and includes three successful entrepreneurial ventures. Jean has extensive experience in dealing with intellectual property matters in the large and small companies and as a small business owner. She has authored numerous books and publications on avoiding legal pitfalls in doing business. This article is excerpted from her new book, Advantage IP – Profit from Your Great Ideas (Infinity 2005). For more information, Jean's website is http://www.smartfast.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jean_Sifleet

Available Domain Names for your Meal Assembly Business

2006-09-23T18:56:00.000-07:00

You can purchase domain names for your meal assembly business at places like GoDaddy.
Unfortunately, many of the domain names are no longer available. It is always preferable to get a domain name that ends in a .com

Here are a few domain names that are currently available for purchase. These domain names already have keywords and incoming links going to them.

http://www.SupperVictory.com
http://www.SupperSuccess.com
http://www.SupperDreams.com
http://www.SupperCreations.com
http://www.ChampionDinner.com
http://www.DinnerTouch.com
http://www.SupperKing.com
http://www.SupperWise.com
http://www.DinnerDynamo.com
http://www.TheSupperKey.com
http://www.SupperZone.com
http://www.DinnerSecret.com
http://www.DinnerQueen.com
http://www.SupperWay.com
http://www.TheDinnerKey.com

Are you thinking about starting a meal assembly business?

2006-09-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

A wonderful resource site, to help you get started with your meal prep business is located at www.mealprepinfo.com .