Dinner Group

I don’t quite remember how it began but I know that Alex was instrumental in creating what we now call dinner group. She had spent most of her adult life up until buying her house a few blocks from mine living in intentional communities. She missed sharing meals with other community members and so wanted to recreate the experience of shared meals here in our neighborhood.

The idea is simple. There are five hosts (my partner and I count as one) who take turns cooking dinner for all six members of the group plus any approved guests (hosts are free to invite guests without prior approval). Dinners are posted on a shared spreadsheet to inform guests of date, location and menu and hosts of how many guests to cook for.

Dinner group provides the gifts of company, food and not needing to cook. These meals are not potlucks. The hosts provide all the food. Attendance is also not required. If a member’s schedule (or inclination) does not allow for sitting down for a meal, food can be taken to go.

That’s the basic structure of what has become a treasured part my life over the past several years. To share a meal, to talk, to laugh, to spend time with friends. Simple idea. Simple pleasures. Rich harvest of connection and community.

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Here are some additional comments from members of the group:

Alex: When I talk about it, one thing that seems important is that no money is exchanged.  And that it’s not a fixed or obligatory schedule, that everyone just cooks when they want to. 

Paula: Because dinner group went on pause during the pandemic, I now appreciate more deeply the pleasure of gathering with you all in your homes.