Prepped & Ready is now located at Pies & Plates, 2310 Tamiami Trail, Ste. 3117, Punta Gorda in the Punta Gorda Crossing Shopping Center.  Intersection Airport Road and Hwy 41. For More Info Call:  505-7437 How does it Work? It’s simple.  Every month we have a new Prepped & Ready menu of family-friendly entrées that both adults and kids enjoy.  You can walk in during our Walk-in periods and prepare whatever is available or you can make a reservation to attend a specific session.   For those looking for adventure we encourage you to assemble your own entrées.  It's fast, easy and fun because we have everything you need prepped & ready!   Or, for an extra fee we will assemble your entrées for you.   Either way, you will take your entrées home and store them in the refrigerator or freezer.  When it’s time for dinner, your entrée will be Prepped & Ready.  Just cook, bake or grill as directed, add a salad or your favorite side dish and enjoy!

Who is Prepped & Ready for?

Anyone who finds planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning up after dinner a chore!  Prepped & Ready makes it easy to put a healthy gourmet meal in front of your family!  You won’t be tempted to drive thru a fast food restaurant on the way home from soccer practice if there is a healthy meal prepped and ready at home!  Is your budget suffering from expensive carry out foods?  Tired of Pizza and Chinese?  Want to go home from work at night and just RELAX?  Don’t know HOW to cook?  Looking for FUN and ADVENTURE?  Want to eliminate a bit of STRESS in your life?  Then Prepped & Ready is for YOU!

Satisfaction Guaranteed!

We love our food and think you will too. But we know that everyone's taste buds are different!  My mother loves red beets and rhubarb but I can't stand either one!   We know we can't please 100% of our guests 100% of the time!  But we spend a lot of time testing and tasting our recipes to assure the entrées have great quality, texture and taste.  If you are dissatisfied with the quality of your meal, please let us know within 30 days and we will replace your entrée with a different selection of equal value from our current month's menu. 

Prepped & Ready is great for entertaining!

What a lovely time of year to entertain at home!  Whether you are expecting company for dinner or for an extended stay, Prepped & Ready can help!  For large crowds you can double up or even triple up on an entrée and have entrées that serve 8 or 12!  Expecting guests for an extended stay and don't want to waste time shopping and cooking while they are here?  Schedule a Prepped & Ready session before they come and get the "yuck" work out of the way.  Or, better yet, schedule a session for after they arrive and bring them along for a culinary adventure!  Think of the fun you'll have and the money you'll save dining at home!

Prepped and Ready is great for cruising by boat or RV! 

Our entrées have become so popular with boaters that we now have a special "Anchors Away" entrée program.  Watch for the anchor symbol on our menus.  The anchor indicates that the entrée is easy to prepare in your Boat or RV kitchen.  Entrées are made on stovetop or grill.  Just think, all you need to make each entrée is in one easy stow and go package!

How does a Prepped & Ready session save me time and money?

What has made meal assembly businesses so popular in recent years is that preparing several meals at one time saves time and purchasing only in ingredients you need saves money!  If you spend a hour preparing six entrées at Prepped & Ready you'll save at least three hours in the kitchen if you figure that it takes 30 minutes to prepare an entrée at home.  And then there is the time spent deciding what to prepare, finding the recipe and SHOPPING!  Ugh!  As for saving money, we invite you to do the math!  All of our entrees are priced individually according to the ingredients.  You wouldn't expect to pay the same price for a steak entree as you would for one made with ground beef!  Most entrees that serve two cost about $8.75.  The usual cost for a family size entree is $17.50.  Divide $17.50 by 4 that's just $4.37 per serving.  The average cost of a meal taken “to go” at a casual dining restaurant (like Applebee’s or Chili’s) is a little over $7.00 per person.  You'll easily spend over $4.37 per person at a fast food restaurant as well.  And then there’s that pantry and refrigerator stuffed with bottles of this and cans of that and some things you don’t recognize anymore!  Ingredients that you needed for one particular recipe but haven’t used since.   Waste, waste, waste!  Not only is Prepped & Ready fun, but it is a cost-effective and healthy way to feed your family!

How many people will each entrée serve?   We offer Entrées for Two and Family Size Entrées.  Couples and singles love our Entrées for Two.      Our Family-size entrees serve 4 hungry adults or if you have a family of “petite eaters” then 4-6 people.   For example, if the menu says chicken breasts a Family-size Entrée would include four good sized chicken breasts.    Our family size entrees are popular for entertaining!

    
Will all the food fit in my freezer?

All entrées are packaged in compact containers or packaging that fits easily into your freezer or refrigerator.  We prefer to use freezer grade Ziploc storage bags because they form well to the nooks and crannys in your freezer and prevent freezer burn better than other packaging.  Not sure about space - begin with a 3 or 6 entrées and see how much freezer space it takes.  You can always make more entrées next time!   We try to use packaging that is eco friendly.  While a Ziploc bag can't be recycled it can always be washed and reused! 

How will I know how to cook my entrées at home? 

You will be given instructions on how to prepare the entrées at home.  These are NOT pop in the oven TV dinners.  What fun would that be?   You will need to do some cooking at home but the instructions are easy to follow and even inexperienced cooks can do it.   You might even learn a new cooking technique or two!

What do I need to bring to my Prepped & Ready session?

Prepped & Ready supplies everything you need including all food, ingredients, cooking tools, storage containers, etc.  If you do not plan to go straight home after your session, we recommend you bring a cooler (preferably on wheels) to carry home your entrées.  If you don't have a cooler, we sell the silver thermal bags like you find at Publix for just $2.50 each.  They'll keep your food at a safe temperature for several hours.   

Will I be able to shop and dine at Pies & Plates before or after my session?  

Yes!  Shopping or dining before of after your session is encouraged!  What a great adventure!  Get a group of friends together for lunch with shopping and cooking after!  We'll keep your food in our cooler while you shop and dine!  No problemo!  

Can I bring a friend or a child to cook with me?

We need to make sure that everyone who registers has room to work so we limit you to one (1) guest.  You must stick together!   Children 7 years or older may attend any session but must be supervised at all times!  Each child must be supervised by one adult.  (If there is enough interest we might schedule some children's cooking classes so let us know if you are interested!)   

What if I don’t like an ingredient in the recipe or don’t like an entrée?

If you don’t like an ingredient leave it out!   If you can't take the heat, cut back on the spices.  You can make changes to fit the specific needs of your family!  If you don’t like an entrée, don’t order it.  Instead double up on a favorite entrée!  We think you’ll enjoy the food.  Our recipes are developed and tested by our talented kitchen staff at Pies & Plates.  What a great opportunity to try a variety of “restaurant-quality" entrées in the comfort of your own home!   Our entrées are so good, you can entertain with them!  Your guests will think you slaved in the kitchen all day!

 

How often does the menu change? 

New entrées are offered each month.  We post new menus on our web site and on location by the 15th of each month.  We try to post two months menus at a time. 

Can I purchase any extras like desserts, side dishes or breads?

Yes!  When you come to your session just ask about our Souper Sides and Happy Endings.  Souper Sides include side dishes like Pecan Sweet Potatoes, Red Garlic Spuds and our made from scratch soups!  Toast some grilled cheese sandwiches to go with our Creamy Tomato Soup and you'll think you're back in your mother's kitchen!   Take home some Happy Endings (pies, cookies, bars, desserts, etc.) from our Espresso Bar or purchase ready to bake fruit pies and cookie dough!  A new offering is our Salad Bar where you can put your favorite toppings on a bed of fresh greens!  Need a goumet dinner in a flash?  Now you can come to Prepped & Ready, prepare your entrée and a fresh salad, pick up a couple side dishes and some par baked bread, select a bottle of wine and a few "Happy Endings" and you're ready to entertain!  One stop shopping! 

Can I assemble or purchase a single entrée?

Yes!  Remember you can do as few or as many entrées as you like during our Walk-in Sessions - Tuesday thru Saturday from 11 am - 2 pm.   If you don't want to assemble your own entrée - no problem!  You can come in any time that Pies & Plates is open and pick an pre-made entrée from our Prepped & Ready-To-Go Freezer.  We have a great selection of our most popular entrées prepped and frozen and ready to go!  Single entrées make a great gift for someone who is recovering from an illness or as a welcome gift for a new neighbor!  No time to shop for groceries - no problem - we make supper simple! 

I’d love to give a Prepped & Ready session to a friend or family member as a gift.  Do you issue gift certificates?

Yes!  Prepped & Ready sessions make a great gift! 
·        For a working mom who doesn’t have time to cook!
·        As a shower gift for a mom-to-be!
·        For a friend who just started a new job!
·        As a wedding gift - 12 meals and a cooking adventure for two!
·        For your wife when you retire so she can retire a bit too!
·        For an elderly neighbor who is not eating well
·        For a college grad living on their own for the first time
·        To an employee as a special thanks
·        As a grand prize for a contest or drawing or as a silent auction item
·        As a holiday gift for your housekeeper, hair dresser, etc.
·        As a housewarming/thank you gift from a realtor, banker, etc.
·        To thank a special teacher, coach, caregiver
and on and on………

How far ahead must I register?

We are now set up to handle walk-ins most days but if you want to be sure the entrée you want is available, it is best to register several days ahead!  If you need to register at the last minute please call to check availability. 

What if I need to cancel?  

We hope that you will not need to cancel your sessions and miss the fun!  But, we understand that emergencies arise.  However, because we procure fresh foods in advance of your session we require that any cancellations be made three (3) days in advance of your session.  If you must cancel at the last minute, we suggest that you send a friend or family member in your place.   If you simply fail to show up at your schedule time and have not notified us, then we will prepare your entrées for you and you can pick them up the next day.  An additional fee of $10 plus $2 per entree for assembly will be charged for this service.  You miss the fun but at least you can enjoy the food!

When are the sessions? 

Spring and Summer Walk-in Hours are Tuesday - Saturday 11 am - 2 pm.   Remember that it takes some time to assemble your entrées so please come early so you can be done by 2 pm!   (Remember you can pick up frozen Ready to Go Entrees from 9 am - 6 pm)

During Walk-in Hours no reservations are required.   You can just walk right in and prepare whatever entrées are available!  You can also pick up pre-made frozen entrées, soups and side dishes. 

If you want to make a reservation during Walk-in Hours, you may do so.  That way you can be sure the entrées you want are reserved for you!  Click on the menu pages for registration forms.

Evening Sessions:  We schedule 2-3 evening sessions each month.  Reservations are required for evening sessions and you must register for a minimum of five entrees.  Check out our calendar page for dates and times. 

Special sessions can be scheduled for groups of 10 or more!  Please call 505-7437 for more information. 

Stop in during regular Pies & Plates hours (9 am - 6 pm) and pick up a pre-made frozen entrée from our Prepped & Ready to go Freezer!

How much does it cost?

We charge ala carte pricing which means the price varies according to the number and type of entrées you choose.  The average prices for our entrées are as follows:    

Entrées for Two	$ 8.75
Family Size Entrées	$17.50

This comes to about $4.37 per serving.  Ocassionally we offer a premium entrée at a different price but that special price will always be listed on the menu.  By charging in this manner we are able to offer a greater variety of higher quality ingredients and more premium recipes than our competitors.     

If you want us to assemble the entrées for you we charge an additional fee of $2 per entrée.  

Can I book a private party? 

Yes!  Private parties require a minimum of 10 people.   Call us at 941-505-7437 and we will be happy to work with you.  Think about team building for employees!  Think about an outing for your club.  Think about inviting your top customers for a "we appreciate your business" night!  Think about getting all your neighbors together!  How about that Bunko group?  Get a group of friends together for lunch, shopping and a cooking adventure!  

Private parties are also a great fundraising activity.  If a non-profit organization schedules a private party as a fundraising activity, Prepped & Ready will donate 10% of the registration fees to the non-profit organization! 

How do I register?

First decide when you want to attend by visiting our calendar page.  Then go the menu page and decide which entrées you want to order.  Then click on the link to the registration page and complete the easy on-line registration form.  If you don't want to register on-line, you can print a hard copy of the on-line registration form and then fax, deliver or mail it to us.   You can also register in person at either Pies & Plates or by phone by calling 505-7437.  Payment is required at the time of registration.  We accept Mastercard, Visa, cash or checks.   Gift cards from Pies & Plates and Prepped & Ready can also be applied to your registration!  It's easy so register today! 

Prepped & Ready - 2310 Tamiami Trail, Ste. 3117, Punta Gorda, FL  33950
Punta Gorda Crossing Shopping Center, Intersection Airport Rd & Hwy 41
Phone 941-505-7437  Fax 941-505-7437