Experiences with Dinner by Design?

Love it, love it, love it. I don't make the meals but have them made and pick them up. It doesn't get more convenient then that. I use the "mini-meals" because they are smaller portions. They say the meals feed 2-3 people but we always have left over (toddler son, husband and me). I go on-line every month and pick out 6 meals and then pick them up the next day or so. It is $75 for 6 meals and they taste great. Every week I take one or two out of my freezer and thaw them for the week. Then when I get home I can just throw them in the oven or on the grill. I know other people who also swear by Dinner by Design. I like it too because I force myself to try new meals that I wouldn't normally cook (like fish).

Like Deb, I love the convenience of it. We have eaten things that have been in our freezer for a few months and it's good. Some meals are better than others. I should say they are hardly the most complicated meals out there--it's simple stuff you COULD easily prepare at home. But it's the convenience factor that you pay for and I am all about it!

I go with friends, we bring wine and dinner and music and have a great, great time! We use the one in Park Ridge.

I'm a huge fan of Dinner By Design - been using it since the beginning of the summer. It has been a life-saver for me; we eat so much better than we had been, and I have more time in the evening to be with my kids. It makes evenings a lot less stressful for me. As to the taste, most of the meals been really good. although there have been a couple I didn't care for. I haven't kept anything in the freezer for more than 4 to 6 weeks, so I can't say how they would taste if they were in there for months. I'm not even sure they're intended to last more than a month or two - you'd have to ask. I usually get 6 meals half-sized, which means I walk out with 12 meals. This usually lasts about a month for me and my husband. I hope you give it a try.

Girls in my play group that do not cook much love it. Many times they split meals so they don't have a freezer over flowing and go every couple weeks.

The moms at my baby playclass SWEAR by Dinners by Design. I've not gone yet, but will be soon. Everything is laid out for you at the place and all you do is use their scoops and assemble it. No chopping either! They provide the containers and stickers with instructions so all you do is thaw and pop in the oven. You can also halve the recipes or omit/modify ingredients if you want low-fat/low-cal or other needs. I'll be going about a week before I go back to work so I can have a month of meals.

The food is meant to be eaten within a month. As far as the ingredients, everything was very fresh and I thought the menu choices were healthly. I personally loved it (however, I don't recommend anything with cooked pasta as it seemed rubbery to me when reheated). My husband, however, didn't care for it. He's picky as it is and didn't care for any of the "meat" dishes. The chicken ones were good.

I would at least try it once.

I love Gourmet in a Day in Wilmette (same concept as Dinner by Design.) The food is great and it holds up really well. The servings are generous so we freeze the leftovers. I have the Mexican Pork Mole in my crockpot as we speak! Yum!

My husband and I have gone 2 or 3 times now and have been very pleased with the food when it is prepared. We have not had any issues with length of time in the freezer, and some of our stuff has probably been in the freezer longer than they recommend.
Good Luck,
N.

I have never made anything there but I have purchase some of the prepared meals. They have been great. It has become a Christmas tradition for me to get their cinnamon rolls. They are large and gooey and wonderful.

Everything is delicious!! My mom and I go every two weeks, we are there for about an hour and prepare 6 meals, which I have size and then have 12 meals! I have been doing this since July and can't imagine life as a full time working mom without it!

I have used DBD three times myself and of the 18 meals I have prepared, only 2 were so-so....not bad, just so-so. The other 16 meals were great! I have had the meals in my freezer for up to 3 months and I have not had a problem with the taste.

Once you sign up, you can get e-mail promotions. The one I go to, in Schaumburg, offers a 10% (or 15%, I can't remember) discount once a month if you come in for a tasting of that month's offerings. You have to book your session that day, so you have to come in prepared with the date and time you can do it....but to save some $$, it's worth it, plus you get to taste the entrees before you sign up for them.

I've been to the one in Yorkville, the food is pretty good, and they offer side dishes for purchase that can be frozen too. The cost gets a little high, but if it's just dinner for 2 and a little extra you can split a lot of the meals. It is worth it though!

I love Dinner By Design! The food is delicious and convenient. Sometimes I have them prepare it, and I just pick it up. But I really enjoy going there and making the meals myself. It's actually a lot of fun (And I hate to cook!). I do think it's a little expensive. But I do get to try dishes that I would never make at home. Plus, some of the dishes have specialty spices, that I would need to buy once and never use again if I were making it at home.
The meals stay fresh in the freezer. I repackage some meals if I think they'll stay in the freezer longer than a month. The containers DBD gives you are not air-tight. So, if they stay in the freezer for longer than a month or so, they can get freezer burn.
Overall, I think it's wonderful. And the staff at the Wheaton Dinner by Design are awesome!

Hi
I have been going for about 6 months and love it the convience and the flavors and the gals are nice there I go to the ione on Arlington heights road and find it well worth t I split 6 meals to 12 as its me and my husband the kids arent ther yet buthave a lot of it could even bbq some stuff in summer or bake is great to pull something out and just have it to cook next day or tell hubby to cook while im at work pms and price is 132 for 6 meals they will prepp for u but I like too do myself as im picky about onions so enjoy.

I'm not familiar with this place, but in general you don't want to keep food in your freezer for months due to food safety issues. My husband teaches food safety and his knowledge has changed how I think about storing food. Buy what you can use for a month or so. I'll have to check this place out!

You can also try SimplyHomemade.com...Very good as well.