A few weeks ago I wrote about an idea for a microenterprise I’m calling Lunch for Friends. In summary, I’m already making frugal and healthy meals for my little family of two and I reasoned that it would require only incrementally more time, money and effort to make a bit more for friends in exchange for a few dollars to offset some of our food budget. The positive feedback from Queercents commenters was just the extra boost I needed to launch.

It has been a few weeks now and I’m happy to report that the endeavor is a success on many fronts. I decided to start cooking 3 days/week so that I did not spend every minute in the kitchen. Also, I haven’t told all my friends yet but rather kept it to a few close ones who I thought would give me honest feedback. Three of them became regulars almost immediately and asked to be included in every offering. They are thrilled to be eating tasty and healthy meals prepared by someone they know and for significantly less than they would pay at our local Whole Foods deli or a restaurant.

Generally I prepare two complementary salads (grain, bean, pasta, potato, green) or a salad and a cold soup (I live in Florida) and I often include a little baked good made by my wife who loves to bake healthy treats. The meals are almost exclusively vegetarian. Everyone so far lives within walking distance so delivery has not been an issue. I send out a text message when lunch is ready the night before and make a plan to meet with the friends that work in the am. Another has his delivered in the late morning. I pick up the old tupperware when bringing that day’s lunch.

I am definitely cooking and cleaning more than I did before but that also means we are enjoying a greater variety of dishes. Our food budget has gone up somewhat but even with the additional costs, the Lunch For Friends enterprise is covering half our total food budget. Not a bad start. I have my sights set on expanding a bit now that I have gotten the hang of it. I don’t want to start a catering company but a few more is probably optimal. There is no way that this would be profitable if I calculated labor costs. The reason it works is that this is something I would be doing anyway.

The best part is that I am providing a valued service, seeing my friends more regularly and have the comfort of knowing that I’m contributing to their health and well being.

Photo credit: stock.xchng.