help me play food swap

April 9, 2015 11:24 AM

I signed up to participate in my first area food swap. Do you have any suggestions for either food/beverage things to make for it, or strategies on how to best play the swap?

I am comfortable cooking most things although I don't want to can/jam anything or make any fresh pasta. Some ideas I'm considering bringing:
hibiscus ginger syrup
cinnamon vanilla syrup
sundried tomato pesto palmier cookies
lemon rosemary shortbread or cheddar shortbread

Also, I just got a sous vide circulator- what kinds of things could I sous vide for the swap?

I'm also interested if anyone has ideas on how to be most likely to get the things that I want in the swap-- I've read to package things in smaller quantities, put out samples, and it seems like some people really go all out on their packaging. Thanks!

posted by tangaroo to Food & Drink (4 answers total)

Best answer: A lot depends on the particulars of the swap, but I think non-super-perishables will do better than things like cookies or shortbread that must be consumed within a few days. If you're swapping a lot, you want some things that will last and not need to be eaten ALL AT ONCE.

In terms of swappable potential, I also think the more common food allergies you can avoid, the broader the set of people you can swap with.

Finally, especially if you are going to make something that is an "ingredient" (i.e. you're not going to chug down hibiscus syrup on its own), include some recipes so people will know what to do with this.
posted by rainbowbrite at 12:01 PM on April 9, 2015

Best answer: NOT anything with sugar or flour unless it's exceptional. Many people may be bringing those, because it's cheap and easy.

- Herbal tea mixes
- Spice mixes, curry for instance.
- lemonade syrup
- homemade bitters
- If you brew kombucha, are you trying to get rid of some mother?
- produce that keeps, such as carrots, potatoes, garlic, onions, cabbage, beets, squash...

It sounds like perishables are ok:
- Beans. Make a TON of beans from dried beans and package them in can-sized quantities.
- During tomato season, do this with salsa and sundried tomato pesto
- hummus, baba ganouj
- produce that doesn't keep, such as lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
- salad fixings. As in: take a bunch of greens that keep, like kale and red and green cabbage and brocolli and brussels sprouts and chop 'em up fine and package them in smallish bags.
- homemade salad dressings

What are your favorite recipes for your own life? Make and bring some of those. If you want to go all out on your packaging, include the recipe so that they can replicate it at home.
posted by aniola at 12:13 PM on April 9, 2015

My local grocery store has an extensive deli area. Mac & cheese is ALWAYS present in the hot deli. It has to be one of their best sellers. I know you said no pasta, but if you have an AMAZING more-cheese-than-pasta recipe, I would expect that to be popular and go over well.

I really like eggplant parmesan.

If you make a ton of soup, you can freeze it into smaller containers.

You can freeze anything you make and pack it in a cooler with dry ice to help it stay frozen. That way you don't have to worry about canning or perishing.
posted by aniola at 12:19 PM on April 9, 2015

I'd go with the syrups over the baked goods. We don't even allow them at our swap. What most people in our area are thinking about are pantry staples or things they can use over time rather than eat in the car on the way home.

As far as I've seen - and I've been to a lot of these, the packaging is not as important as having some samples. So if you're going to do syrups, have little Dixie cups with sodas made from the syrups that you can pour for everyone.
posted by Sophie1 at 12:41 PM on April 9, 2015