Inspired by her own struggles to juggle kid activities, maintain a thriving business and provide nourishing meals for her family, North Central resident Staci Bertenshaw seized an entrepreneurial opportunity and has opened a unique home meal replacement business.

          Bistro2go is the fruit of her labor—opened in February in the kitchen of Crossroads United Methodist Church.

Staci Bertenshaw, left, and her mother Janet Parker prep dinners that have been ordered through their new company’s Web site, Bistro2GoAZ.com (photo by Teri Carnicelli).

“I started out thinking this was just a whim, but the response friends and the neighborhood has been unexpected and amazing,” Bertenshaw says.

    A mother of three, Bertenshaw said the idea grew out of her own need. In one week, she had 10 athletic games or practices to shuttle her three children to, plus two night meetings. Many of her female friends are in the same boat, juggling their children’s schedules with their own. What usually suffers is the dinnertime meal, which often consists of take-out or going out to dine. “I needed a service like this for myself,” she ruefully admits.

          With the intent to “bring families back around the dinner table,” Bistro2Go is designed to help busy families, empty nesters, and anyone who would like to eat delicious, healthy meals but doesn’t have the time, energy or desire to do the planning, shopping, preparing and then the clean up.

          “I think that pretty much narrows our audience down to anyone,” Bertenshaw points out, adding, “Who doesn’t enjoy a break from cooking now and then?”

    Her partner in business and in the kitchen is her mom, Janet Parker. Bertenshaw also consults with a professional chef when it comes to menu planning.

          Ordering is simple, but to ensure that the meals are made fresh, orders are taken 48 hours in advance, via the company’s Web site, www.bistro2goaz.com. The Web site accepts Paypal and other major credit cards.

So far, business has been steady, with 25-30 entree orders each week and several repeat customers. If given enough notice, she can customize a meal to someone’s dietary needs, be it a food allergy or a desire to have organic greens and hormone-free meat.

“It’s really less expensive than a family going out to eat, you get to choose what you want—and you get to stay home,” Bertenshaw emphasizes.

Meals are picked up between 2 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the church’s kitchen, located just inside the sanctuary building at the far west end of the CrossRoads campus at the southeast corner of Central and Northern avenues. Bertenshaw invested quite a bit of money in bringing the 50-year-old kitchen up to today’s code, installing stainless steel sinks and countertops. She is licensed with the city as well as the Maricopa County Health Department.

          Meals vary in size from servings for 2-6 people, and range in price from $13 to $27. Menus highlight entrée selections that change with the season. In addition to traditional items such as Bistro Meatloaf, Ziti Pasta Bake and Stuffed Chicken Breasts, seasonal offerings include Luck of the Irish Guiness Beef Stew, Tilapia Filets with Garlic and Peppercorn and Chicken Chili Casserole. Realizing that kids don’t have the same tastes as adults, Bistro2go also offers a kids menu with favorites including Parmesan Baked Chicken Tenders, Macaroni and Cheese Swirly Curls and Silly Spaghetti and Mighty Meatballs.

More information is available at www.bistro2goaz.com or by calling 602-460-9054.