After years of buzzwords and Portlandia jokes about the prevalence of local, sustainable ingredients on Portland restaurant menus, many small-scale farms, ranchers, and culinary artisans are household names to frequent forkers.

However, even with the dozens upon dozens of farmers markets in the area, many of these small-scale food growers—who might not have the production capabilities to supply New Seasons or other local supermarkets—have a hard time reaching customers outside of the restaurant industry.

Portland's new farm-to-door meal service Local Plate hopes to change that by connecting busy, discerning eaters with those small-scale farms and producers by offering pre-measured, single-meal sets of ingredients for pick-up or delivery.

Each Local Plate meal kit includes all the ingredients necessary for preparing straightforward, seasonal recipes at home, pre-measured and ready for the home cook (in 2 or 4 serving portions). 

Current Local Plate meals include:

• Indian-inspired Spinach and Potatoes with Mint and Chive Frittata
• Herb-roasted Chicken, Potatoes and Chard with Shallot Mint Vinaigrette
• Green Curry Chicken with Broccoli 
• Sesame Noodles, Oregon Albacore and Greens with Broccoli 
• and Flat Iron Steak Salad with Herbed Rice

By building relationships with and buying in bulk from Northwest farms and producers like Gathering Together Farm, Split River Growers, Golden Glen Creamery, Sauvie Island Organics, Mountain Shadow Natural Meats, and Port Orford Sustainable Seafood, Local Plate is able to pass along the wholesale prices to home cooks for meals (almost) as convenient as carryout.

What's more, Local Plate meals allow occasional home cooks to try new recipes without investing in the large amounts of ingredients they'll typically find at the store—like a whole bundle of thyme when you only need a sprig, or a big bottle of vinegar when a teaspoon is called for.

Want to give Local Plate a try? Eat Beat readers get 10% off their first order by using the code AAJUL24 at checkout—meals start at $8 per serving. Head to the Local Plate website to browse available meals, which will shift weekly as new ingredients are harvested.