When Denise LeBolt launched her premade meal company Homemade. Delivered., word spread quickly. The overwhelming response from the community ushered in the need for her to expand into a commercial kitchen to keep up with the demand. That’s when her friend, Ashley Shreffler, a restaurant veteran, offered to pitch in and help.
That decision, 12 years ago, altered the course of Shreffler’s career. “I immediately fell in love with the concept,” she says.
Two years ago, Shreffler purchased the Springfield-based service that delivers healthy, nutritious and delicious meals, juices and smoothies and it's clear that she's just getting started.
In doing so, she is creating a special, heartwarming and personal mealtime experience for families across the Springfield area.
“Our clientele include busy families who want to eat healthily but are too busy to cook, don’t like to cook or just don’t know how to cook. We save them time, energy and money while simplifying their lives,” Shreffler says. “We have a deep commitment to those facing health challenges. We donate extra juices, meals and bone broths to clients undergoing cancer treatment. One elderly client was going to move into a nursing home because she couldn’t cook for herself anymore. And I said, ‘Let me cook for her.’ We’ve kept her out of a nursing home.”
Today, Shreffler says Homemade. Delivered. is providing homemade meals to than 2,100 households and adds between five and 10 new homes a week.
Here’s how it works: Menus — which include entrées, sides, bone broth, juices and smoothies — vary weekly and are posted on Sunday. Clients place their orders by noon on Friday for delivery the following Wednesday. There is no cost to subscribe and no commitment; clients can order as often — or as infrequently — as they desire. The meals are pre-cooked or partially cooked for easy preparation and can keep through the following Tuesday. They can also be frozen for later use.
Drivers deliver Ashley's freshly-prepared meals make their way across the Ozarks, delivered with care and the friendly smile of a familiar friend.
Meals are made from scratch, using ingredients with no preservatives or hormones. Whenever possible, Shreffler incorporates natural and local ingredients, partnering with other local businesses. She has three raised garden beds where she grows herbs, works with NuVenture Farms for pasture-raised pork and bones, and purchases eggs from Thunder Chicken Farms and meat from Blue Silo Beefs.
Shreffler meets the dietary needs of all her customers, serving food that is gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, Keto and vegetarian. “I love to cook. I love feeding people. Working here broadened my horizons,” says Shreffler, who started working in restaurants at 16 and moved to Springfield from Oklahoma 22 years ago to be closer to her grandparents.
Community is everything to Ashley, and that value shines through every carefully prepared dish. She also takes every opportunity she can to give back.
“Our hardworking staff is like family. Each week, we donate meals to our team and share extra food with local organizations that support those in need, such as The Rare Breed and Harmony House, and have helped with teacher appreciation meals at The Discovery Center,” she says. “We are excited about our new partnership with Ozarks Food Harvest, which helps provide weekend backpack meals for hungry children. Whether big or small, each act of giving is our way of saying thank you to the community that continues to support us. Together, we are ensuring that good food and a little kindness always reach those in need.”
Learn more at homemadedelivered.com.