We love it when you have the time to contact us – especially if you’ve found us helpful in these pandemic days. There’s a multitude of Australians in lockdown at the moment, working from home, looking after kids at home, perhaps even spending 23 hours a day at home. That might sound like a whole lot more time for grocery shopping and cooking, but life doesn’t always pan out like that. It’s good to know that Dinner Ladies food in your freezer can be a comfort in more ways than one.
Montana Brown
Montana’s just turned 32 and is the mum of two young children: a 9-month-old boy and a 3-year-old girl. Aside from her kids, her biggest passion is hairdressing and she owns her own hair salon in Sydney’s Darlinghurst.
How did you discover Dinner Ladies?
A client gifted me a box just after I had my first baby, knowing how time poor I would be. I thought it was such easy, delicious food that I carried on ordering regularly.
What’s your favourite dinner?
My family’s favourite is the classic beef lasagne – it’s a weekly staple in our house. But my own favourite is the lamb shanks, especially in winter with the cous cous.
Do you have any Dinner Ladies tips or hacks to share?
My best recipe hack is to serve the Texan beef microwave meal in mini soft-shell tacos. I add a little bit of avocado, too – it all takes less than 5 minutes and my family just love them. I’m looking forward to when that Texan beef with corn is back on the specials menu!
How are you going during lockdown?
Dinner Ladies meals have saved me during lockdown! Even as a working mum, I have never felt as time poor as I do at the moment. Having the kids at home 24/7 and trying to pivot my business, it’s made it so much easier being able to throw some sausage rolls in the oven for lunch, or a quick lasagne for dinner. I know that my family will be fed a nutritious, home-cooked meal and that takes the pressure off me.
Kristy Perkins
Kristy's work colleagues gave her and her husband Dinner Ladies vouchers to nurture them during a tragic time in their lives in 2018. Both are now working from home during lockdown and are only allowed one hour outside the house for exercise. Having meals delivered lets them spend that golden time – after work ends and before dinner begins – enjoying a walk with their children instead of in the kitchen.
How did you discover Dinner Ladies?
In February 2018 I gave birth to my daughter, Frankie. She was born premmie, due to a problem with my cervix, and fought for three hard days before she passed away. Her birth was sudden and the grief following her death was immense, as I’m sure you can imagine. My work colleagues gathered together and collected money around the office. With the flowers, they sent me around $1400 of Dinner Ladies credits. After not having the energy or appetite for more than bread and deli meats, we started using our Dinner Ladies credits. Otherwise, in those months following Frankie’s death, we honestly would’ve just existed on take-away. Not having to think about dinner was one of the kindest, most useful gifts anyone could have offered us.
When I fell pregnant again a few months later, I was told to take it very easy and rest as much as possible. This pregnancy was very stressful, thinking the same thing might happen again. I wasn’t allowed to lift anything and my husband had to shoulder the load of just about everything... except for dinner, because we continued buying Dinner Ladies! When I was hospitalised for early contractions he would come to visit me every day after work and get home late. Dinner Ladies was waiting for him when he got home, otherwise he definitely would’ve been eating cereal for dinner!
Our baby boy arrived safely in February 2019.
On a side note, my husband’s brother lives in Canberra; his wife has bipolar disorder and one of his four kids was diagnosed with the same. This year has also been very challenging for them, with a lot of physical and financial pressure for him in caring for his family. When we were wondering how to help, we decided to buy them Dinner Ladies, too. It has the triple effect of saving them money, not having to think about shopping and cooking, and giving them more time after a full day of work.
Your food and delivery service does more than just feed people. It supports and nourishes us through difficult times in our lives. It’s like a big supportive hug in a box. Even when life might feel hopeless in other areas, when you have good food in your body you can tackle the challenges with more vigour and energy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
What’s your favourite dinner?
Some meals we have on high rotation are fish pie, Vietnamese chicken, lentil soup, prawn turmeric curry, barramundi fingers and orange and almond cake.
Do you have any Dinner Ladies tips or hacks to share?
When stacking meals in your freezer, organise them by meals that need to be defrosted and meals that can be cooked from frozen. When you’re short of time, you don’t have to rummage through the freezer too much.
How are you going during lockdown?
Even though we’re working from home, we only get a short time outside for exercising. Having dinner already sorted means we can spend that golden hour from 5–6pm going for a walk with the kids instead of in the kitchen. So, thank you for that, too!