Best of...Dinner-To-Go is affordable and fast.

Byline: The Register-Guard

BEST WAY TO AVOID COOKING DINNER Glenwood Dinner-To-Go What: Daily dinner for four, packed up in a bag, ready to go; order by 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and choose your pickup time Where: Available at the Glenwood's campus location at 1340 Alder St. or at the south Eugene location at 2588 Willamette St. Cost: $12 How: To receive a daily e-mail with the Glenwood's nightly Dinner-To-Go special, write to glenwooddiner@yahoo .com or call the campus location at 687-0355, Ext. 10, or the Willamette Street location at 687-8201

CORRECTION (ran 8/26/2006): The Internet address for the Glenwood restaurant's Dinner-to-Go special was incorrect in the `Best of...' column in Friday's Ticket. The correct address is [e-mail].

You've tried takeout, and you've tried fast food. But have you tried Dinner-To-Go?

This genius hybrid offering from the Glenwood - the people who brought you world famous tomato soup and bazillions of reliable breakfasts - combines the tastiness of take out with the affordability of fast food.

We'd even contend that this feast comes closer to approximating a home meal than does a typical takeout order. And for just $12, you could almost argue that this spread costs less than home cooking.

For the price of a single awesome blossom at the local TGI McFunsters, you can get an entree that feeds four, plus rolls or biscuits and a salad or fruit.

The dinners rotate daily, but expect to see lots of pastas and casseroles - most of which could probably earn one of those check marks they give for food that won't stop your heart. Vegetarian options are shuffled in with non-vegetarian options; if there is meat, it's usually chicken or something light.

None of these meals will win a James Beard Award, but that's not the point. For good, honest, reasonably healthful meals that allow you to quickly fill a void in your weekly household menu, nobody beats the Glenwood.

The ordering process is simple. Just subscribe to a daily e-mail list and you get a menu sent to your computer every day. If you decide you want what's being served, simply send an e-mail back or call the restaurant.

Pickup times are flexible. You don't even need to specify when you'll be there to get it.

The beauty of this dinner is that it requires absolutely no brain power, which is something you can appreciate if you've ever tried to navigate the 20-page takeout menu from your local Chinese restaurant. And if you've ever been stuck in the drive-thru line behind a Ford Exterminator with a family of 14 in the back, you can appreciate the fact that the Glenwood's service is fast and efficient.

Did we mention that it's $12?

The only drawbacks as far as we can tell are that the meals can be somewhat bland and the slightly wilted lettuce has a tendency to look like salad in a bag factory seconds. But for 12 bucks, who can complain. Plus, salt, pepper and a bottle of Annie's Goddess dressing quickly resolves both problems.

One team member felt that the meals had a tendency to all look about the same, but that's probably a good thing. Think of it as insurance against you developing an addiction.

If you're eating all your dinners out of a plastic takeout bag, that's probably not a good thing.

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