Grand Haven friends’ ‘Stocked Kitchen’ cookbook promises savings and less stress

BY SUSAN M. SELASKY
FREE PRESS TEST KITCHEN DIRECTOR

Womens Lifestyle Article

Women’s Lifestyle Article

Grand Haven mom entrepreneurs get cooking with successful time-saving business, second book

 
Kallio and Krastins, two Grand Haven moms with engineering degrees and a love of home entertaining, are scheduled to release their second book this week, The Stocked Kitchen. Formerly called The Stocked Host,The Stocked Kitchen details a system that speeds up grocery shopping and meal preparation. The book releases this week online and at four West Michigan retailers.

Krastins says the concept saves time, money and food waste, and trips to the grocery store. The idea starts with a standardized grocery list that helps users stock their kitchens with foods that can be used in hundreds of recipes. 

“It’s definitely not just a recipe book,” Krastins says. The book comes with a grocery pad and list of items that go into over 300 recipes. It also includes tips for storing foods and organizing the kitchen. “We felt strongly about using items that people already have and will use.”

Krastins notes that meals are healthier because they don’t use processed foods. 

For the past year, Krastins and Kallio developed the business full time, targeting the local market. Each lost her job for economic reasons, and that’s when, Krastins says, they “decided to jump in with both feet.”

“We would like to take our idea and book to the masses,” Krastins says. “Go national with the book and possibly license this idea to other companies.” 

Source: Stacey Krastins, The Stocked Kitchen

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted atdeborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

by Teresa Taylor Williams | The Muskegon Chronicle

Sunday April 12, 2009, 6:43 AM

Who knew their kids’ play dates would evolve  into a business partnership?  Passionate about entertaining and preparing simple yet healthy and delicious meals for their families, Grand Haven moms Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins are turning their passion into a viable business. Three years ago, the duo were working mothers who were weary of pressure to put together quality suppers for their families. Engineers at the time, they brainstormed and devised the Stocked Host.

The meal planning system is designed for the user to purchase specific items on the grocery list, which allows them to choose from scads of recipes ranging from appetizers, meals, salads and desserts. ”How many of us have gone to the store for one item for a meal, only to come out having spent $50-75, but little to show for it? The point is to never make a wasted trip to the store again,” said Kallio. “The system works. It saves time, money and stress.” While perfecting their system, Kallio and Krastins were laid off from their jobs. They took this as a “sign” that they should pursue their dream of starting their own business. Instead of waiting for a book deal, they enlisted marketing advice from friends and family and self-published. Thus, “Taste,”

their first cookbook, was born. The book includes 120 recipes and a pad of grocery lists for ease of use while shopping.  After a dozen home shows and presentations within the community in less than six months, they sold all 500 books. They are in their second printing, and have more than 300 subscribers from all over on their Web site, www.thestockedhost.com. Now, they are stay-at-home moms — there are four children under age 6 between them — who devote time daily to the Stocked Host endeavors. The idea for the system has a patent pending, the logo is trademarked and the book and grocery list are copyrighted.

“I’ve learned if you have a good idea, no dream is too big. People have thanked us for helping them simplify

cooking,” said Krastins. “We’re just moms and wives who just wanted to see it done the way we would’ve

liked.”  The women are currently testing recipes for their next soon-to-be-released book, which may have

twice the recipes using the same ingredients on the initial list.  ”Right now we’re sampling recipes on friends and family. I’m paying my babysitters in food,” said  Krastins with a laugh.