you’re out of inventory! what’s happening?
AAAAHHHH, I KNOW! It’s so frustrating. I am taking a step back to reevaluate the business model based on the way costs have changed over the past few years; everything is more expensive now, from ingredients to shipping to labor to the kitchen space we rent. I’m trying to be strategic about how to make this a financially successful business, and I’m actually in the fortunate position of needing to decide if I raise/invest money to scale the business to a point where it can be profitable or if I take a step back and pivot completely. On a personal note, I’m also reevaluating the impact of running a business during a pandemic on my family, my mental health, and my wallet. It’s a tough position to be in. This is my second baby, and I love my customers and the work so much.
I have a gift card, what should i do?
If you have a gift card and you don’t see anything on the site that you like, you have two options:
Sit tight for now and see what happens. You can get our emails or follow us on social media for any updates.
Reach out to me at alyssa@alamedahomemade.com. I am doing some special orders and catering-type work, so maybe we can work something out! If that doesn’t pan out, I can refund the cost of the gift card for you.
You can follow us on Instagram or Facebook or sign up for our mailing list to find out when I have an update:
How does this work?
Place your order online and select when you’d like to receive your delivery during the checkout process (free for orders over $50, $5 fee for orders under $50). If none of the listed options work, please contact us and we can work something out! Alameda is a small place, we’re probably neighbors! We offer deliveries two to three times per week.
Do i have to pay for Delivery?
Delivery is free on orders over $50, otherwise there is a $5 fee. If no one will be home to accept your delivery, please leave a cooler somewhere accessible for us to leave your food. If you don’t have a cooler, we can leave our items in a reusable, insulated freezer bag for $4.
Why is everything frozen?
Your food comes frozen so there’s no pressure to eat it right away! If you want it that day, simply follow the heating instructions on the product page (the url is provided on the packaging or you can search our website). If you want to save it for a different day, you can either throw it in your freezer (and consume by the “use by” date on the packaging) or let it thaw in your refrigerator (and consume within 3 days).
We always wish we had some of our favorite chili or our toddler’s favorite breakfast muffins in the freezer for days when we want homemade food but don’t have time to cook and clean up. Sometimes you just want an option that isn’t takeout. Or you have surprise company coming over for dinner and there’s no way your single chicken breast is going to stretch to feed 3 people! There are so, so many times when we wish we had a better-stocked freezer, which is why we created Alameda Homemade.
How do I heat my food?
We include heating instructions for each item on the package, or you can find it on our website (just look for the product in question). Most of our food is easily heated in the microwave or stovetop, but some items taste best when thrown in the oven for a few minutes or quickly toasted (but that’s usually an optional step!).
Frozen food has so much packaging waste though…
We are serious about being as green as possible. We are working on a sustainable, eco-friendly packaging solution that still preserves the quality of the food. Please bear with us, though! In the meantime we are using the least amount of packaging we can.
Do you make your food at your home?
Nope! We cook out of a commercial kitchen in Alameda. We use the word “homemade” to reinforce the concept that we make our food from scratch with lots of care. We use the ingredients we want to feed our families, and often use our family recipes (or at least ones that we have on heavy rotation in our homes!).
Do you have a meal train program?
We started Alameda Homemade for times when people need a little extra help, and we are happy to work with people creating a meal train. When you add Alameda Homemade digital gift cards as a preferred option on your meal train, we will provide a promo code that allows you to take 10% off your orders for a month. It’s eligible when you use the gift cards purchased from your meal train.
Email alyssa@alamedahomemade.com or use our contact form to set up your meal train promo code now.