What is Dinner Studio?
Dinner Studio is a professional kitchen dedicated to providing fresh, healthy, personalized dinners to busy San Diego families. Enjoy home cooked dinners in no time, your preferences included!
Can I make special requests for my dinners?
Absolutely! In fact, we encourage it! Each menu item has a “My Special Instructions” box, here you can tell us what to leave out, if you want a protein switch, or what side dish you’d like. It’s not home-cooking unless it’s perfect for your family!
What if I don’t have a crock pot?
No problem! You can cook crock pot recipes in the oven. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Then divide the LOW cooking time by 4 OR divide the HIGH cooking time by 2 to get bake time. Example: “Cook in Crock Pot on HIGH for 2-3 Hours” = “Bake at 325 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.” Crock Pots are relatively inexpensive ($20-$30) and are a great way to make mealtime easy!
Can I buy a gift card?
Absolutely! Call our kitchen and we’ll send you a gift card in the mail. Or, stop by our kitchen Monday through Friday 9am to 5:00pm.
Who operates the Dinner Studio?
The Dinner Studio is a San Diego family-owned company. Gloria founded the Dinner Studio in 2003, she and her stepson Josh work hard to make it the best it can be!
Will you accommodate special diets?
We’re super flexible! Check out our menu items and their ingredients. Let us know if there is something you’d like us to avoid. We’re not dietitians, and we can’t tell you what to eat, but let us know what your needs are and we’ll do our very best to meet them. *Please call our kitchen if you are extremely allergic to certain ingredients. Shellfish, nuts, etc.*
Does your menu change?
Our menu changes each and every month. You’ll find 25 or more dinner choices on every menu, including a variety of chicken, beef, pork, fish, and vegetarian dinners. With some menu items you’ll even have the option to change from chicken to pork, white meat to dark, and even tofu!
Will picky eaters like your meals?
We try to design our recipes to please everyone. We don’t go crazy with hot spices, we don’t “overdo” our seasonings, and we like to keep salt to a minimum. Obviously, you know your picky eaters better than we do, so let us know if you’d like to avoid certain ingredients and we’ll make it happen!
Who comes up with your recipes?
Once upon a time, Gloria (the owner & founder) was a personal chef. She had hundreds of recipes when she started and over the years has added hundreds more. We’ve also been gifted with recipe favorites from friends, family and customers who have been generous enough to share their favorites! We always test each recipe to get it right and to sure you and your family enjoy each and every one!
Is nutritional information available?
For sure! Nutritional information can be found by clicking the MENU button on your home page and next to each menu item on your order page. It’s easy to count calories and plan your week!
Who makes my dinners?
Gloria, Josh and their experienced kitchen staff (with over 10 years of experience) make every dinner.
Are cooking instructions included?
Absolutely! Simple, easy to follow cooking instructions (method, temperature, and time) are included with every meal. Extra cooking instructions will also be sent home with your dinners and instructions can also be found online.
How do I cook each dinner?
Oven, stove top, crock pot, or grill. Cooking method information is available when placing your order. So if you love the ease of a crock pot or enjoy firing up the grill, choosing the right dinners for you is easy.
Do you include cooking times?
Yes. Our cooking times are listed as a window of time. Every oven, crock pot, grill, and stove top cooks a little differently. For example, your new oven may cook faster or hotter when the dial is turned to 350 degrees than your old oven. The cooking directions might say to bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes. It’s best to check your dinner after 15 or 20 minutes. Depending on your specific oven, the dinner may be fully cooked or it might need a few more minutes. It’s better to check too early than too late!
What is a serving?
A serving is one dinner for one person. For example, a three-serving dinner will feed three people, a four-serving dinner will feed four people and so on. Many times children can split one Dinner Studio sized serving.
How much “hands on” time will I be spending in my kitchen?
Almost none! Most of the preparation has already been done in our kitchen. The last step is to cook! Some dinners might require one or two last preparation steps, but we promise it will be quick and easy. (Easily done during a commercial break!)
How big are your servings?
They’re large! Big enough to make the hungry people happy and children can often share one serving. Even some adults have been known to split a serving.!
How many people can I feed with each dinner?
Each menu item is offered in a variety of sizes. Our dinners come in 2, 3, 4, and 5 servings. Choose the size that best fits your needs. (crock pot and certain “bakes” do not come as 2 servings)
How are the dinners packaged?
Your dinners are packaged in freezer-proof Ziploc bags. This protects the quality by helping your dinners stay fresher, longer and they save space in your freezer. Muy importante!
How long will dinners last in my freezer?
We recommend using your dinners within three months. After that, the quality of your dinners may decline and be susceptible to freezer burn. But don’t throw them out after three months, they’re still delicious!
Do I pickup or do you deliver?
It’s your choice! Your meals can be delivered to your home for as little as $5. Or, you can pick them up at our kitchen in Tierrasanta. Click the “Contact Us” button at the top of this page for the address of our kitchen.
Are the dinners cooked when I get them?
No, your dinners are not cooked. We prepare, personalize, and package every dinner, but we do not cook them. Every dinner will be cooked in your kitchen for the very first time, filling your kitchen with the aroma of home-cooked quality! Each dinner comes with easy to follow thawing and cooking instructions.
Where do you deliver?
We deliver to most areas of San Diego County. See the How it Works page for details.
Do you use quality ingredients?
Absolutely! Fresh produce, all natural meats (even grass-fed when available), 100% natural chicken, and environmentally sustainable seafood, and all hand-prepared by us! We think you’ll love the quality of our meals, we know we do! (We eat a lot of it!)
When do you deliver?
We deliver to a different area of San Diego every weekday between 3:00-7:00pm. See our online calendar for days when we’ll be in your neighborhood!
Where do you get your ingredients?
We get our ingredients from wholesale food markets, restaurant supply companies, and local produce markets. We go through our supply of ingredients almost daily, which ensures you are getting the freshest ingredients possible!
How do I enter a coupon code?
A coupon code box will appear on the left side (bottom) of your checkout page. Type in your coupon code and your coupon will be redeemed automatically. To ensure your coupon is used, enter it only when your order is complete and you are ready to checkout.
How do I use a gift card?
A gift card box will appear on the right side (bottom) of your checkout page. Type in your gift card number and your balance will appear. You will then be asked to authorize use of the gift card and “presto chango”, your total will reflect the use of your gift card.
Why am I asked for a credit card number?
Payment for your meals has never been easier! You can now pay online with a credit card or bank card, just be sure a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express logo appears on the card.
