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Takeout family meal deals can help solve back-to-school dinner planning problems. Here are some places to order complete prepared meals that serve at least four people.
Summer meals are often less structured, by design. Whatever is fresh from the garden or from the farmers market makes its way onto the plate. Meals can be later, and easier. Too hot to cook? Bread and cheese and a slice of fresh tomato is A-OK.
So when kids are heading back to school, getting back on track with a meal plan can be tough.
These seven places offer takeout meals that can solve the dilemma of what to serve the family on a busy weeknight. Our criteria: It needed to be a complete meal, already prepared (so no cooking at home, although Erin’s Table offers many options if you’re willing to turn on the oven), enough to serve four people and available weeknights, not just on weekends.
What is your favorite takeout meal for your family for a busy week? Tell us about it at vanessa@lookoutlocal.com.
BJ’s Meal Deals
1080 Valley River Way
(541) 344-2200
$75 to $115, with sales from 30% to 42% off currently
BJ’s meal deals serve four to six people. In the Classic Cheeseburger Bundle, everyone gets to customize their burgers, and they come with salad and fries or potato chips. Other options include a choice of pasta (spaghetti and meatballs or chicken alfredo) along with a large pizza and a salad. The Slow-Roasted Sirloin and Chicken Bundle provides 18 ounces of roasted sirloin and three sliced chicken breasts along with two family-sized sides. Options include four baked potatoes (which come with green onions, sour cream and butter), a tray of garlic-roasted vegetables, white cheddar mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.
The meal deal also comes with a family-sized salad (Caesar or house salad). Adding on a chocolate chunk pizookie with caramel sauce for $9.85 brought the total to $80.48 with a $10 tip, which seems high, but it’s possible to get six to eight meals out of the deal.
The Old Spaghetti Factory Family Feast
27 E. Fifth Ave.
(541) 735-9668
$55.85
Pasta will please almost everyone, and the Old Spaghetti Factory Family Feast provides a baked lasagna for $44.95, a large salad for an additional $4.95 and a pint of ice cream for an additional $5.95. Instead of lasagna, you could also choose a tray of chicken penne. Both entrees come with two bread loaves.
Nelson’s in the Whit
400 Blair Blvd.
(541) 844-8404
$44.95
Nelson’s Sampler Platter is a great way to provide variety for a family. It comes with two street tacos, two enchiladas, two hard tacos and two taquitos for $27.99. Add beans and cheese for $4.99, rice for $4.99, and chips and salsa for an additional $6.98, and you’re set.
Chinese American Feasts
Twin Dragon Restaurant
919 River Road
(541) 688-5481
$11.50 to $15.50 per person
Szechuan Chinese Restaurant
2674 Roosevelt Blvd.
(541) 689-4770
$33 for two people to $72 for four people
Two local Chinese American restaurants, Twin Dragon and Szechuan Chinese, offer similar family-style meal deals with four different menus. Twin Dragon’s menus feature combinations of chow mein, fried rice, sweet-and-sour dishes, and fried shrimp.
Szechuan’s four family dinners include options for appetizers and fried rice plus three to four entrees featuring combinations of sweet-and-sour dishes, beef and chicken, fried shrimp, and chow mein or lo mein. Some menus include spicy Szechuan specialties.
Market of Choice Supper Club
Market of Choice locations
Typically $25 to $35
Market of Choice’s Supper Club takeout meals vary by the week. This week’s diners can choose from five meals that include four pulled pork sandwiches plus a tub of potato salad for $34.99, a vegetable tart and salad, or satay chicken skewers with rice, sauce and a carrot and cucumber side salad, both for $24.99. Two other options are a spatchcock-cooked whole chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy and salad, or Dijon-grilled salmon with lemon herb yogurt and salad, both for $29.99. Order online and at checkout, choose your pick-up location and time.
Glenwood Restaurant
2588 Willamette St.
(541) 687-8201
$21
After the Glenwood Restaurant’s dining room closes at 3 p.m., the kitchen shifts into gear for takeaway family meals, which can be picked up between 4:30-6 p.m., Monday through Friday (with no meals offered on holidays). Glenwood’s owner, Jaqui Wiley, changes the menu weekly, and all meals are designed to feed four though often can feed five or six. Two menu options each day typically include a meat and vegetarian dish along with occasional gluten-free options.
Common meals are eggplant parmesan, pork roast, quiches, tofu curries and their famous tomato soup. All meals include some sort of side, such as biscuits and salad or fruit and cookies. Ordering is done through the online link or via phone call. For $8.50, diners can add a bottle of wine to the meal, which can be picked up at the same time. Orders for the daily dinner must be placed no later than 2 p.m. Sign up for the mailing list to get notice of next week’s menus on Saturday.
