Subscription meal kit services seem to be a dime a dozen these days, and it’s no wonder. They provide busy people with all they need to prepare home-cooked dinners made with fresh ingredients delivered right to their doors. If you’re interested in checking out this revolutionary food option, the biggest challenge is to know what factors to consider as you decide on the meal kit company that’s right for you.
Transparency and Flexibility
When you purchase a subscription, you and the meal kit company you choose are, for all practical purposes, in a relationship. The length and success of that alliance will depend on how happy you are with the service. To that end, be sure to settle on a company that treats you right when it comes to your delivery agreement. You should be able to pause, cancel or modify it at any time with minimal fuss or confusion.
Variety
They say it is the spice of life, so don’t deprive yourself of it when you subscribe to a kit service. Some companies specialize in specific types of meals such as vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, all-meat or standard vegetarian without giving you the option to make other choices. Unless you are on a strict diet, allow yourself to take advantage of one of the most appealing features of meal kits: They give you the opportunity to experiment with cuisines and ingredients you may have never even heard of before. Some companies even offer add-on wine subscriptions that you can pair with your dinners.
Size of Meals
Size does matter, especially when it comes to meal kits. Some companies only offer snacks or side dishes which, while they have their place, are not going to answer your need for home-cooked dinners. Before you make any commitments, be sure the company you choose is going to send you fully portioned meals.
When trying to decide between, say, Home Chef vs Hello Fresh, another thing to consider is the number of people you plan to cook for. Most plans provide three meals per week, each of which feeds two adults. If you have a hungry tribe coming to your table each night, find a vendor who provides a family option.
Budgetary Concerns
You might have guessed that it is actually cheaper to go to the supermarket yourself, pick up the ingredients you need and cook them at home. While that is undeniably true, meal kits offer a level of convenience and time-saving that you won’t otherwise have. Be sure, however, that you are able to pay the extra cost, about $10 per meal.
It might be very tempting to jump at committing to a year-long subscription that appears to save you money. … Read the rest
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