This is our #1 asked question: 

How do we come up with our menus? 

We have developed hundreds of recipes over the 9 years that we have been open. Paired with all of the ideas for recipes that we have–it would make you think that making the menu every month is a breeze. The truth is that making our menu is one of the harder tasks we take on every month. 

You could compare it to putting a puzzle together. We’ve got all the basics of our process which are like the edge pieces of the puzzle. The rest of the work comes when it’s time to fill in the middle. Even though it can be tough, it’s fun and satisfying to see the menu come together. 

We start with the amount of meals we will offer. We normally offer 6 meals and 2 Ready-to-Eats (RTEs). This sometimes varies depending on special occasions (holidays or major vacation weeks) but, more often than not, we need to plan 8 meals for each week. 

Next is what type of protein we want to include. We strive to have a variety of protein options. Usually, we try to include 3-4 different protein options (beef, chicken, pork, seafood, etc) and at least one vegetarian option. 

We have 50-100 recipes in each “protein” category so how do we decide what meal we are picking for the week with so many options? 

There is some basis for picking well-liked meals. We want to offer popular meals often but we don’t want to burn everybody out by having the same thing too frequently.  

If a holiday comes around we try to make the meals fit in with the “theme” of the holiday. For example, for the 4th of July, we’ve offered meals that are quick and can be made on the grill because we know that it’s likely you’ll fire yours up that week. 

We also like to take seasonal fruits and veggies into consideration. We team up with local vendors in the area and try to offer meals with fruits and vegetables that are in their peak season. You can have a peach any day of the year but nothing can truly compare to a summer peach. 

Our customer base is broad, and we know pleasing everyone, every week is damn near impossible. So we try to give each type of eater something to chew on, ha. 

• Your regular “meat and potatoes” for those who like hearty, traditional Midwestern home cooking. Can’t go wrong with any of these options! 
• Food for foodies–unique flavors paired together that explore either local flare, international cuisine inspo, or fun combinations of things we just love to eat.
• Family-friendly options–something quick but delicious with a well-liked base that can get your pickiest eaters to eat while still exploring new foods. 

As much as we want to make this seem like a super thought-out, logical process the reality is a lot of it boils down to “what sounds good”. You can’t underestimate the genius behind a gut feeling 🙂 

The most important thing, however, is what YOU, the customer wants. Please keep sending us your comments and requests. I can tell you plenty of those requests get filled because we just want to please and make your dinnertime fun and flavorful, so reach out! Email us at hello@katesplate.com.