The Power of Resource-Sharing and Outsourcing for Working Moms - Part 1: The Cedar Street Dinner Co-Op

Imagine this: three exhausted moms with young kids, demanding jobs, and a never-ending list of responsibilities. We all lived within a few houses of each other—Jenny two doors up, Steph across the street, and me in the middle. We were all in the same boat, feeling constantly overwhelmed. After long days of work, the idea of coming home and having to figure out dinner seemed like running a marathon with no energy left in the tank.

Then one day, over the noise of our toddlers running around, one of us had a lightbulb moment: “What if we didn’t have to cook dinner every night?” And that’s where it all began—the Cedar Street Dinner Co-Op. It was an idea that not only solved our daily dinner dilemma but completely changed how we approached our busy lives as working moms.

The Cedar Street Dinner Co-Op: Outsourcing Dinner

The dinner co-op was simple. Each of us would take one night a week to cook for all three families. That meant on two nights, we didn’t have to think about dinner at all. No standing over a stove at 6 p.m., no scrambling to figure out what to make last minute. The idea felt revolutionary to us—why hadn’t we thought of this sooner?

We quickly divided up the week. Jenny took Mondays, I claimed Tuesdays, and Steph, ever the master of the Crockpot, took Wednesdays. That left Thursday and Friday open, which worked well because by then we were usually running on leftovers or opting for pizza.

We made it as easy as possible. We each bought identical Pyrex containers—four servings per family—and dropped them off at each other’s doorsteps between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m. No knocking or chatting was necessary unless we felt like it. The system was so efficient that within a few weeks, it became second nature. You’d come home from work, and like magic, dinner would be sitting at your door.

Simplifying Life: One Meal at a Time

For six years, we maintained this routine. Jenny’s Monday dinners were always reliable, I’d experiment on Tuesdays (some experiments worked better than others), and Steph’s Crockpot Wednesdays were sometimes a mystery, but we didn’t care. The food wasn’t the most important thing—the relief was. Knowing that you didn’t have to think about dinner on certain nights was a game changer.

But the impact of this little dinner co-op went far beyond just saving time in the kitchen. It created a sense of community. We weren’t just sharing meals; we were sharing the load of our busy lives. Each meal was a reminder that we didn’t have to do it all by ourselves. We had each other’s backs.

Why Outsourcing Matters

The Cedar Street Dinner Co-Op wasn’t just about convenience—it was about survival. As working moms, we were always juggling too many things. We had careers to manage, kids to raise, and homes to take care of. The mental load of it all was overwhelming, and the co-op became a lifeline.

Outsourcing—whether it’s through paid help or neighborly cooperation—lightens the mental load. It frees up time and energy for the things that matter most, like spending time with your family or just getting a little bit of breathing room in your day. It’s about recognizing that you don’t have to do everything yourself.

The idea of outsourcing can sometimes feel uncomfortable, especially for moms. There’s this notion that we’re supposed to be able to handle it all, but that’s a myth. Outsourcing isn’t about giving up control or shirking responsibilities—it’s about making smart decisions to preserve your sanity and well-being.

We had to let go of the idea that cooking dinner every night somehow made us better moms. In reality, being better moms meant being less stressed, more present, and more available to our kids when they needed us.

The Relief of Sharing the Load

If there’s one thing that working moms know, it’s that time is a precious resource. There are only so many hours in a day, and when those hours are spent working, commuting, managing a household, and taking care of kids, there’s little time left for much else. The dinner co-op gave us time back—not just physical time but mental time.

On the nights I didn’t have to cook, I could focus on my kids or even sit down for a few quiet moments to myself. That might sound small, but for a busy mom, those moments are gold. The co-op allowed us to show up for our families in ways that mattered more than slaving over a stove. We could read with our kids, help them with homework, or just be more present because we weren’t worried about what to make for dinner.

Outsourcing dinner was also about reclaiming our evenings. Instead of dragging ourselves into the kitchen after an exhausting day, we could use that energy for something more meaningful—whether it was quality time with our kids, a conversation with our partners, or even just an early night to bed.

The Babysitting Co-Op: Outsourcing Beyond Dinner

After a while, we realized that dinner wasn’t the only thing we could outsource. Like all parents, we craved some time off, whether for a date night or just a few quiet hours to recharge. But hiring a babysitter for six kids added up quickly. So, we expanded our co-op to include babysitting.

We created a simple system. Each of us took one Friday night a month, and on that night, all six kids—aged two to six—would be dropped off at one house. For a few hours, you’d have a house full of kids, but the other two Fridays? You were free. You could go on a date, run errands, or just sit in a quiet house with a glass of wine.

The kids loved it. Friday nights became “fun nights,” where they got to play with their friends, have pizza, and run around. For us moms, it was a lifesaver. The pressure of finding and paying for a babysitter was gone, and we each got two precious nights off a month.

Of course, it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Wrangling six kids through bathtime and bedtime could feel like a circus, but we made it work. And the kids learned that Friday nights were their nights to be together, play, and make memories. By the time they were old enough, those Friday nights evolved into sleepovers, with all the kids camping out in someone’s living room or backyard.

Building a Community Through Outsourcing

What started as a practical solution to our dinner dilemma grew into something much bigger. The Cedar Street Co-Op became the backbone of our little community. We didn’t just share meals and babysitting duties; we shared our lives.

There’s a saying that it takes a village to raise a child, and our co-op became that village. My kids called Jenny and Steph “Aunt Jenny” and “Aunt Steph,” and their kids did the same with me. We knew we could count on each other for everything, from picking up kids from school to being a shoulder to cry on when the pressures of motherhood became too much.

That’s the true power of outsourcing. It’s not just about getting things done—it’s about building a support system. When you outsource, whether it’s meals, childcare, or household chores, you’re creating space for connection. You’re freeing yourself from the burden of doing it all alone, and in the process, you’re making room for the things that really matter.

Why Every Mom Should Outsource

Outsourcing isn’t just for high-powered executives with personal chefs and nannies. It’s for all of us. Whether you’re trading dinners with neighbors, hiring a sitter for a night off, or just ordering groceries online instead of going to the store, outsourcing gives you the time and space to focus on what really matters.

For me, the Cedar Street Dinner Co-Op wasn’t just a way to get dinner on the table—it was a way to survive the chaos of motherhood without losing my mind. It was about reclaiming time, reducing stress, and building a community of support.

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, ask yourself: What can I outsource? What part of your day could be made easier if you weren’t the one doing it all? Trust me, letting go of that control and letting someone else share the load is one of the best things you can do for yourself—and for your family.