Frequently Asked Questions
What is a ready to cook meal kit?
A meal kit includes all of the necessary ingredients to make a meal at home in less than 20 minutes. All food items are fully prepped and ready to cook without even the need to measure. There is no waste and almost no cleanup. Very simple instructions are included in each bag. All containers are color coded to the instructions.
Is nutritional information available?
Nutritional information is not available at this time, but will be in the future. However, the ingredients for each item are provided with your meal kit.
How do I store my meal kit until I prepare it?
Food safety is of utmost importance. Most foods in your meal kit are prepared no more than 24 hours before delivery; most are prepared the day of your delivery.
On the delivery day, the chilled food is packed into your insulated tote bag along with a frozen cold pack. Each bag is then labeled to indicate the time that is 4 hours past the point when the chilled foods were packed into the insulated bag.
Because all the food is fresh, you should refrigerate your meal kit as soon as possible after you receive your meal kit delivery.
According to the NSF Center for Public Health Education:
- Food shall be cooked and served, served if ready to eat, or discarded, within 4 hours from the point in time when the food is removed from temperature control.
- All leftover foods must be reheated to a minimum internal cooking temperature of 165 degrees F for 15 seconds.
What kind of packaging do you use?
Please reuse the containers provided in your meal kit.
Treetown Vittles is committed to reducing our environmental impact. Whenever possible we use packaging materials made from renewable, natural materials such as corn (NatureWorks™ PLA) or sugarcane. We strongly encourage you to reuse all of the containers in your kit. They are great for storing leftovers and packing lunches. We encourage you to read more about our compostable packaging at these websites:
http://www.biodegradablestore.com/cp/faq.htm
http://www.ecoproducts.com/index.htm
http://www.brenmarco.com/Organic/organic.html
Information from these sites is reproduced below:
Some containers are made from NatureWorks PLA, a 100% corn-based resin that is fully compostable. PLA containers are plastic-like in appearance, but will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days. These containers are for cold and warm foods only and cannot be exposed to heat over 110 degrees. We also use bagasse products made from sugar cane. After the cane juice is extracted from the plant, the stalk is ground up and made into paper pulp. This paper pulp is then made into a variety of products with a similar look and feel to paper. According to the distributor, bagasse products will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days. Bagasse containers are great for hot and cold foods. They won’t soak up grease and liquids, and are microwave safe.
Although these biodegradable packaging materials are more expensive, we use them whenever possible since it’s the right thing to do.
Who orders ready-to-cook meal kits?
- Foodies who love to cook but don’t have the time to plan or shop
- People who entertain and want to enjoy more time with their guests
- Couples, cooking a meal together makes a great date
- New parents love our meal kits
- Gift givers, see Gift Certificates below
- Busy people who aren’t into cooking, but who want fresh, healthy food
- Health conscious people who want a healthy meal
- Seniors who have difficulty cooking and/or shopping
- Families who enjoy the tradition of preparing and sharing a meal together
- New cooks who need a helping hand
How much cooking is required?
Very little cooking is required. Most starches, except pasta, are precooked to save time. Most meals involve just a few simple steps: 1) pan sear / grill fish or cooking pasta; 2) sauté a vegetable; 3) assemble salad and/or dessert. All sauces, salsas, vinaigrettes, pesto, etc. are prepared for you in our kitchen.
How do I thaw frozen fish safely?
When you’re preparing fresh or thawed fish, it’s important to prevent bacteria from the raw seafood from spreading to ready-to-eat food.
If the fish is icy cold, but pliable, it is sufficiently thawed to cook.
According to the NSF Center for Public Health Education:
It is important that potentially hazardous foods are thawed quickly and not allowed to remain in the temperature danger zone (40-135 degrees F). Fish can be thawed in the refrigerator. Frozen foods can also be thawed in a microwave oven, if they are then immediately cooked.
Where does your food come from?
We purchase the freshest local products available and give preference to seasonal local produce available in Michigan. No preservatives are added to the fresh products from our kitchen. We give preference to organic and ‘natural’ produce when it can be affordably purchased. You probably wouldn’t buy a $3 organic grapefruit, and neither do we. However, Treetown Vittles believes that organic produce is healthier and kinder to the environment than most conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. We strive to purchase high quality organic and pesticide-free produce and products when they can be economically acquired. This is becoming easier to do everyday as the cost/benefit ratio becomes more reasonable. We make every effort to support our local CSA producers in Michigan. This strategy enables us to provide you with the highest quality product at the most economical cost.
How do I order a Gift Certificate?
Treetown Vittles meal kits make a perfect gift for new parents, anniversaries, a house warming gift, a new business client, or just to say ‘Thank You’ or ‘Congratulations.’ Click the Menu tab and select “Treetown Vittles Gift Certificate” under ‘Choose a Menu.’ You will be offered the option of sending a gift certificate via email or through the mail. Select either option according to the number of servings desired and follow the usual instructions for payment. Gift certificates can be used at anytime for any meal kit offered at the time of redemption with no restrictions. Gift certificates are valid for one year from the date of purchase. NOTE: TO COMPLETE THE PURCHASE YOU MUST SEND EITHER THE EMAIL ADDRESS OR HOME ADDRESS OF THE RECIPIENT to Treetown Vittles via the contact form provided (see Contact Us tab at the top of the page).