Meal subscription kits

ReenieHJ · July 2020

I'm sure there have been posts about this but am trying to rush through my routine this a.m.

So, just wondering what your feeling/experiences/thoughts are on these? Didn't realize how many there are or the cost of some.

scarlett_k · July 2020

I've tried a few of them for the novelty factor. I love the idea but in reality they're incredibly expensive and I hate not having leftovers for lunch the next day, which they don't normally allow for unless you pay even more for larger meals.

RelCanonical · July 2020

I think they're expensive. I also tend to be pretty picky when it comes to weight loss - I'm not going to eat something if it's meh, and usually these meal kits have some sort of meh ingredient that I would rather just leave out and bulk up on the other ingredients. With the kit, it's harder to get more of just one or two ingredients to make sure I'm satiated.

asthesoapturns · July 2020

I like cooking my own food. I like making my own sauces. I like having ingredients that can be used in more than one way and in more of one meal.

I consider those kits a waste of money for me.

hmaddpear · July 2020

I've used them quite a few times. Yes, they are expensive and they don't completely fit what I like to eat (heavy on the veggies, light on the butter and cream etc.), but I have very busy days at work and it's given me some great mid-week easy cooks and takes away some of the panicking about what I'm going to cook in the evening when I've had a 12 hour day. I use them as a substitute for takeaways, basically.

When we first started them we were in a rut as to meals. I cycled through the same 8 or so meals (chicken and veg, bolognese, beef and cream, tuna bolognese, minestrone soup, paella, biryani or Mexican rice), so it's been great getting some different ideas. The kit brand we use gives you all the basic ingredients (including herbs and spices), a recipe card and all you add is oil, butter, salt and/or pepper. It still feels like cooking because it is, but the recipes are fairly simple and quick, so it doesn't feel you're slaving over a hot stove for ages.

I've now got a folder full of these recipes, and we cook them again quite regularly, buying the ingredients from the supermarket and subbing (say half the rice, double the veg) so they match a little bit better with my food preferences.

They're tailor-made for busy professionals who have a little time to cook, but less to plan and buy ingredients, want to learn to cook more adventurously, but would otherwise be subsisting on takeaways and ready meals for two.

corinasue1143 · July 2020

hmaddpear wrote: »

I've used them quite a few times. Yes, they are expensive and they don't completely fit what I like to eat (heavy on the veggies, light on the butter and cream etc.), but I have very busy days at work and it's given me some great mid-week easy cooks and takes away some of the panicking about what I'm going to cook in the evening when I've had a 12 hour day. I use them as a substitute for takeaways, basically.

When we first started them we were in a rut as to meals. I cycled through the same 8 or so meals (chicken and veg, bolognese, beef and cream, tuna bolognese, minestrone soup, paella, biryani or Mexican rice), so it's been great getting some different ideas. The kit brand we use gives you all the basic ingredients (including herbs and spices), a recipe card and all you add is oil, butter, salt and/or pepper. It still feels like cooking because it is, but the recipes are fairly simple and quick, so it doesn't feel you're slaving over a hot stove for ages.

I've now got a folder full of these recipes, and we cook them again quite regularly, buying the ingredients from the supermarket and subbing (say half the rice, double the veg) so they match a little bit better with my food preferences.

They're tailor-made for busy professionals who have a little time to cook, but less to plan and buy ingredients, want to learn to cook more adventurously, but would otherwise be subsisting on takeaways and ready meals for two.

These are the reasons I’d like to try it. I haven’t yet.

Shortgirlrunning · July 2020

I’ve tried Blue Apron and Daily Harvest. I preferred Blue Apron, both were more expensive than I wanted to keep going with them. I still make a lot of the recipes we were sent though! I think it’s a great option if you have the money and want to mix up your routine, I definitely ended up trying a lot of things I probably would have skipped over. Also, it’s very helpful if you just don’t have a lot of time for meal planning and grocery shopping. Or if you’re interested in learning how to cook more.

fstrickl · July 2020

I’ve been getting Hello Fresh for years. Here are my thoughts:
- yes, they are the expensive and wasteful in terms of packaging
- They are useful when you’ll have a busy week and are good for adding more variety to your diet
- Keep the recipes or bank the general idea of the meal to recreate on your own later
- Be active with canceling your weekly order so you don’t get it every week. I get it about 1x a month now for a meal planning break.

ReenieHJ · July 2020

Thanks for all your input!!
I just wish I liked to cook, or could be better at it, or more creative.....or something. I just throw together a few things and call it good. It's gotten boring.
One of my dds has started using Home Chef and likes it but they're both working people. I'm retired and well, lazy about cooking.

Plus my dd has lost 30# using the meal delivery. I'm thinking if I ordered for 1 meal a day then only bought fruit, veggies and dairy at the store......IDK. Certainly couldn't be that much more expensive than buying meat, junk food, etc. I'd also like to try more vegan recipes and I saw some offered vegan meals.

kimny72 · July 2020

ReenieHJ wrote: »

Thanks for all your input!!
I just wish I liked to cook, or could be better at it, or more creative.....or something. I just throw together a few things and call it good. It's gotten boring.
One of my dds has started using Home Chef and likes it but they're both working people. I'm retired and well, lazy about cooking. Plus my dd has lost 30# using the meal delivery. I'm thinking if I ordered for 1 meal a day then only bought fruit, veggies and dairy at the store......IDK. Certainly couldn't be that much more expensive than buying meat, junk food, etc. I'd also like to try more vegan recipes and I saw some offered vegan meals.

I had a coupon for Home Chef so I did it for a few weeks, and now I do it one week a month. I tend to get into a rut of making/buying the same stuff all the time so it alleviates my self imposed monotony lol. But doing it full time was too expensive so one week a month was the right balance. I figure I might treat myself to an extra week every once and awhile if the meal choices call to me

From one lazy cook to another, Home Chef has some choices that are "15 minute" meals that I tend toward. I found the other meals can be fun but the lazy cook in me started to feel like they were more effort than I was willing to put in once the novelty passed! Def pay attn to the amount of time and recipe instructions when picking your meals, as some of them are honestly more effort than I wanted to be putting in

I got the three meals a week, 2 servings and ate one serving for dinner one night, then leftovers for dinner the next night.

maryfayem · July 2020

We have been getting EveryPlate for the past few weeks now. We have really enjoyed it. My concern the nutritional value in every meal. I find them to be very high in calories and fat. Not sure how well i can lose weight while continuing to use the service.

Meal subscription kits

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