Want to cook at home to maintain control of what you eat while spending less time shopping, prepping, and cleaning? This might be where Dream Dinners Arizona steps in for you.
This small business combines the convenience of meal kits with the heart of a neighborhood favorite. Since 2004, Dream Dinners Tucson has simplified dinnertime for local families while supporting schools and nonprofits throughout the region.
Owner Stephanie Boreale runs her Tucson location with full local control and deep community ties.
“Dream Dinners may be a national brand, but here in Tucson, we’re completely locally owned and operated,” she said.
Boreale’s journey started in her own kitchen.
“It started around my own dinner table,” she said. “I was a Dream Dinners customer first, and I saw what a difference it made. Less stress, more time with my kids, and better meals on the table. That experience made me a long-time customer and when the previous owner mentioned she would be closing I decided to buy it.”
Over the years, Dream Dinners Arizona has adapted to meet changing family needs.
“We’ve evolved so much,” she said. “We used to only offer in-store meal prep, where customers would come in and assemble their meals. But now, with busy schedules (and a little help from COVID), we’ve shifted to curbside pickup and fully prepped meals. It’s the same great food, just with more flexibility.”
The shift to fully prepped meals has helped busy Tucson households get delicious, home-cooked dinners on the table faster.
“I love that we can do all the shopping, chopping and prepping for our customers,” Boreale said.
Each month, customers choose online or in person from a rotating menu of curated meals. Dream Dinners’ team assembles the dishes with fresh ingredients, then freezes them for convenient storage.
“We’re not a subscription box or a last-minute takeout fix,” she said. “This is about building a stockpile of delicious, ready-to-cook. No wasted ingredients, no extra packaging, and way fewer dishes. And unlike a lot of national kits, our meals are made right here in Tucson.”
Dream Dinners Arizona blends seasonal ingredients with family-friendly favorites.
“It’s a blend of customer favorites, seasonal ingredients, and a little culinary creativity,” said Boreale. “We listen to what people love and what their kids will actually eat.”
Dream Dinners provided two dinners for me to try; see video of the experience here:
This dish was the Peach Bourbon Chicken with Oven Roasted Broccoli. However, I wanted something to cook in one pan on the stove rather than something for the oven, so they let me substitute the broccoli for their Almond Green Beans. They clarified that they are flexible with adjustments like this for customers.
First crucial step: let the meals thaw in your fridge when you get home. After that, I heated my pan to toast the sliced almonds. Next, I sautéed the green beans with the butter and spice mix. I put that all aside and browned my chicken, then poured over the Peach Bourbon sauce and let it simmer about 10 minutes to cook through. I freshly grated some pepper at the end to make me feel more like a chef. Thawing time aside, I spent about 15 minutes cooking the dish. I followed the instructions provided with the food and it all came together nicely; the chicken was juicy and tender, the sauce had a nice little bite from ginger.
The second dish was a sort of chipotle shrimp skewers with mango salsa and jasmine rice. This one came together faster, but I ignored the instructions. Instead of using the provided skewers, I sautéed them in the pan. The mango salsa came with red pepper on the side, so I was able to add as much as I wanted (all of it). The jasmine rice was plain and served as the vessel for the bold shrimp. I let my rice cooker do the work of making rice (about 20 minutes), but otherwise, it took about 10 minutes for this dish to come together.
Overall, I enjoyed the time saved from prep and cleaning while still being able to feel in control of my cooking with fine details like the spice level and the final doneness of the chicken and shrimp. I could also see how Dream Dinners would be useful for people that are not like me and have half of their fridge dedicated to condiments.
Boreale says the reward is in the relationships.
“I honestly love the concept, the team and customers. It’s a wonderful small business and I’m proud to be part of the community in that way.”
At the heart of the Dream Dinners mission is reconnecting families over dinner.
“Food brings people together,” she said. “When you remove the stress of planning and prepping, people actually enjoy cooking and eating together. We’ve had customers tell us their kids now help cook dinner, or they use the time to reconnect as a couple. That’s powerful. That’s why we do this.”
One of her favorite moments?
“Just this week one woman called to put in her order and proudly announced she had retired and was retiring from the hassle of cooking too.”
Community also serves as the foundation for Boreale.
“Supporting Tucson is part of our DNA,” she said. “We’ve partnered with schools for fundraisers and give quite a few gift baskets and events to local charities. We love this city, and giving back is just one way we say thank you.”
Dream Dinners Arizona is located at 3682 W. Orange Grove Rd. Ste 132. Visit their official site to explore monthly menus and schedule your first pickup at dreamdinnersarizona.com.
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