Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It?

The Benefits

Recipes

Who doesn’t love to try a new, delicious recipe? The problem is that the new recipe you were so excited to try might turn out to be a complete dud, and you end up wasting time, money, and all those precious ingredients on something subpar at best.

The beauty of meal kits is that the recipes have been tested, tested again, and enjoyed by many satisfied customers. The margin of error with a meal kit recipe is so small that even beginning chefs can feel confident in their abilities.

Plus, with each new meal you create, you get to add another recipe to your repertoire. With each new recipe you create, you gain confidence in your culinary abilities.

And for those prepared meals, its as simple as heating for a few minutes, and you have an entirely new recipe ready to eat.

Delivered to Your Door – No Shopping

Hands down, one of the biggest benefits of a meal delivery service is that it keeps you out of the grocery store. This is a perk under normal circumstances but considering we’re in the midst of a global pandemic, it’s always nice to know there’s an option to trying to maintain social distancing in a crowded grocery store.

Plus, having meal kits delivered to your door saves time. There’s no rushing to the store after work, or begrudgingly doing the shopping when you’d rather enjoy your day off in other ways.

Premeasured/Prepared Food or Completely Heat & Eat

Can we talk about simplicity for a minute? Whether you’re someone who wants to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen or is just looking for a way to create amazing meals without all the fuss, meal delivery services make mealtime super easy.

Meal delivery services aim to please all types. With a meal kit company, you choose the recipes and all the ingredients, along with directions for perfect execution, are delivered to your door. Preparation and skill level depends both on the company you choose, and the recipes selected.

If you’re more of the hands-off type, there are plenty of heat & eat options that will have a hot meal on your table in mere minutes.

Quality of Ingredients Is Sometimes Better Than What You Find at Your Local Grocery Store

If you’re someone who spends time choosing only the best, highest quality ingredients, then you probably know all too well that neighborhood grocery stores don’t always come through to meet your expectations.

The average grocery store stocks its shelves to cater to a broad customer base, and they’re going to stock the most popular items they can, often at the lowest possible cost. This model tends to exclude certain items like organic produce, non-GMO products, grass-fed beef, and wild-caught fish.

For the person who is always in search of the elusive organic produce section, the answer to the question “are meal kits worth it?”, is a solid yes.

With meal delivery, you can choose the company based on the quality of their ingredients, and whether they’re aligned with your food values, like if they supply only organic ingredients and if proteins are sourced using humane practices.

Makes Sticking to Diets Easy

We’ve mentioned how choosing a meal delivery service can keep you out of the grocery store. We can take this benefit one step further and say that staying away from the store is one of the best ways to avoid the temptation that might steer your diet off track.

There’s also the anticipation factor that can help keep up a level of enthusiasm over a diet that you might be tired of. Ordering meal kits is fun, even if you’re strictly following a specific dietary protocol. You get the chance to try exciting dishes with new ingredients or look forward to your favorite arriving on your doorstep.

Many popular meal delivery services that make sticking to a diet easy. Some of the most popular, like Blue Apron and Sun Basket make it easy to find meals that fit with your dietary needs by indicating if a meal is vegetarian, low-calorie, carb-conscious, etc.

With a little research, you’ll also find a growing number of meal kit services that are targeted specifically toward special diets. These are great for people who follow Paleo, Keto, Whole 30, and a handful of other dietary plans, that can be difficult to stick to without a little help now and then.

Prepared Meals for One Person

As a single person, cooking meals at home can be frustrating. You often either find yourself with leftovers for days or end up wasting so much food that eating at home doesn’t feel very budget-friendly. Meal delivery kits are perfectly portioned, and you can often choose how many portions you get.

With prepared meal services, meals are delivered to your door, fully prepared, in individual portions. You simply heat and eat. There’s no trying to figure out how to use up extra ingredients or rummaging around your cupboard to find something to store the leftovers in.

Even more important is the fact that prepared meals that are portioned for one person give you the chance to try new dishes, without blowing your budget (or diet) on take-out every night.

Cost

Cost is one of the biggest factors in whether someone decides to try a meal delivery service. At first glance, there might be a bit of a sticker shock but when you stop and consider what you’re actually getting, the costs really aren’t that bad.

With meal kits that require preparation and cooking, the average cost per portion ranges between $7-$10, with a few outliers. This isn’t much more than you’d pay if you purchased all the ingredients yourself.

For example, a meal like pecan-crusted trout, with an apple studded salad and thyme potatoes from Hello Fresh will cost about $9 per serving (or even less if you happen to catch a discount). The chances of spending less to purchase everything you need for this gourmet sounding meal are slim. You benefit from the meal delivery company’s access to fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Heat & eat meals cost a little more, averaging about $11-$13 per portion, with some gourmet options costing a few dollars more. With this, all the work is done for you, except heating it up. The meals are comparable to restaurant quality but at 25%-50% less than what you’d pay for takeout.

Bottom Line

Have you been asking yourself “are meal kits worth it”? If you’re even considering this question, the answer is probably yes. They simplify your life, give the opportunity to try new dishes, and expand your tastes, save you time and money, all while providing you with a fresh, delicious meal on your table.

The bottom line? You really have nothing to lose by picking one (or a few) meal delivery services and trying them out. Chances are, you’ll find a new favorite.