Swedish Meatballs bring cozy flavors to the table. Photos: Chris Emeott
Let’s Dish celebrates two decades and expands its ready-to-bake options.
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. “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,” she says.
Over 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 like 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.
“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.
Darcy Olson, co-founder and CEO, and Katie Suttenberg, COO.
Hosting duties also get a boost with easy-to-heat appetizers, including Baked Ham and Swiss Sliders, Bourbon-Glazed Wild Rice Meatballs, Pulled Pork Sliders and Shredded Beef Wellingtons.
Gift-giving is another significant part of Let’s Dish’s service, offering delivery across five states and free, handwritten gift messages. Olson says delivery boxes are 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.
This summer, a new partnership between Target and Let’s Dish brought the company’s beloved meals to the freezer aisles of Metro Targets. When Target reached out about the collaboration, Olson and her team leapt at the opportunity to expand the reach. “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 Target, 7000 York Ave. S., and more at target.com.
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