Whether you’re a busy mom, a dieter, or just want to save time in the kitchen, meal kit services are becoming increasingly popular.
The service sends all the ingredients you need to make healthy meals that require little or no cooking at home. The recipes are beginner-friendly and come with step-by-step instructions.
Saves You Time
Meal kit services take out the hassle of cooking from scratch by sending you pre-portioned ingredients for recipes that are already curated. This means you’ll save time by not having to go shopping for ingredients, and you’ll also be saving money from cutting down on trips to the grocery store.
Many meal delivery services will allow you to personalize your meal plan to match your specific dietary needs, which is a huge benefit for anyone with allergies or special dietary requirements. Plus, they often have a variety of recipes so that you can try new things without spending all day in the kitchen.
These services are a great option for busy people who don’t have the time to cook from scratch. They’re also a good choice for those who are trying to lose weight.
In addition to the savings on time and money, meal kits also help you stay healthy by providing a balanced diet. This is important, as you don’t want to eat too many calories or carbohydrates that will make you feel sluggish and unhealthy.
Meal kit services are a great choice for busy people who don’t have the budget or time to cook from scratch. They’re a great option for those who are trying to lose weight, as they’re low in calories and carbs.
However, they’re not as nutritious as foods that you can buy in a grocery store and prepare yourself. These kits aren’t as strict with guidelines around nutrition and portion sizes, so you may end up consuming too much of certain ingredients or not eating enough of others.
Another advantage of meal kits is that they’re easy to use, which makes them perfect for those who are a little intimidated by the kitchen. They’re also a great option for people who are cooking for a small group of family members.
One of the biggest benefits of meal kits is that they save you time, which is especially useful for busy people who have a busy schedule. They also reduce food waste, which can be a huge savings for any household.
Saves Money
You can save time and money when you order meal kits. The meals are usually cheaper than if you bought them at the grocery store and they are also more nutritious. Plus, the ingredients you get are often fresh and organic and the food is typically packaged in a way that is environmentally friendly.
The main selling point of meal kit services is that they can save you a lot of time. Instead of having to decide what to make, finding a recipe, going to the grocery store, and all of that, you can just order your meals online and they will be delivered right to your doorstep.
This is a time-saving strategy that can pay off for many people, especially if you don’t have a lot of time to cook or if you’re busy. It also reduces your impulse buys at the grocery store, so you can stay on track with your goals and stay healthy without spending a lot of money.
Meal kits also use less plastic than if you shopped for your own groceries. Some companies even use curbside recyclable packaging.
However, you should still keep an eye on how much you’re spending on meal kits versus how much you would spend if you were to shop for all of your own food. If you’re already on a budget, then this isn’t the right service for you.
It’s also important to remember that most meal kits only provide dinner and that you still have to grocery shop for breakfast and lunch. This dampens the time-saving theory a bit, but it’s not impossible to do.
Another way to save money is by choosing a meal kit that comes with an extensive menu of dishes. Splendid Spoon, for example, offers more than 40 meals ranging from high-quality grain bowls to soups and smoothies. These plant-based meals are a great option for those who are trying to be healthier or lose weight.
The key is to choose a service that has a wide variety of recipes and doesn’t limit you in any way. It’s also a good idea to read through the ingredient list for each meal to see what ingredients are included and how they’re prepared. Those with special dietary needs may be especially happy with these meal kits, since they often feature meals that are gluten-free and dairy-free as well as low-calorie.
Saves the Environment
Meal kits are a growing industry that has helped a lot of people cut down on the amount of time they spend shopping and cooking for dinner. However, the packaging that comes in these boxes is often a concern and can cause a significant impact on the environment.
The packaging is often made from plastic and other materials that aren’t biodegradable or recyclable. Some of this waste ends up in landfills or pollutes land and oceans.
Food waste is a major problem in the United States, with more than 27 million tons of food going to landfills each year. This can be attributed to overbuying or simply misinterpreting expiry dates, but also includes food that is improperly stored and doesn’t get used up.
One way meal kit services can help cut down on food waste is by pre-portioning ingredients and recipes, so home cooks don’t end up with excess or unappealing foods that they end up throwing away. Similarly, these services avoid the large food losses that occur in grocery stores, which overstock items and throw away blemished products that may not appeal to shoppers.
Another way that meal kit services save the environment is by cutting down on fuel consumption associated with delivery. Because they skip brick-and-mortar retailing altogether, these meals generate fewer emissions in the final leg of their journey to the consumer’s home, known as “last-mile transportation.”
A recent study found that meal kits are a better choice for the environment than a trip to the grocery store. Researchers from the University of Michigan looked at five two-person meals, comparing the same ingredients and packaging for a Blue Apron meal kit box with those for a grocery store meal.
Using a life cycle approach, Miller’s team analyzed the environmental impacts of all aspects of a meal, from its production to its packaging and delivery. It found that grocery store meals had a higher carbon footprint than their meal kits counterparts, even when accounting for the fact that some of their meals are cooked with larger quantities of ingredients.
These results are in line with other studies that have found that meal kits are a more eco-friendly option than a trip to the grocery store. In fact, a recent study from the University of Oregon found that a meal prepared with meal kit ingredients had a lower greenhouse gas emissions than an equivalent dinner cooked with store-bought ingredients.
Makes Meals Taste Better
Meal kit is a subscription service that sends you a box full of pre-measured ingredients for one (or several) delicious meals. The best part is you can skip the grocery shopping altogether, saving you time and money (and calories) in the process.
Depending on the service, these boxes are designed to be ready to cook in as little as 30 minutes. The recipes can be tailored to your dietary needs, such as gluten-free and vegetarian options. The ingredients are accompanied by photo-guided instructions, along with a plethora of useful kitchen tips and tricks.
In a recent study, it was found that most people would rather prepare their own meals than order them from a restaurant or takeout. Those who opt to shop for their own meals are more likely to spend less on food, while also feeling a greater sense of accomplishment.
There are a number of meal kit services to choose from, so finding the one for you isn’t as hard as it might sound. Some of the more prominent ones include Blue Apron, YummyMe and Fresh Direct. In addition to their regular offerings, these companies offer add-ons such as wine delivery and a kitchen tools marketplace. They also boast a well-designed website, user-friendly app and social media channels for sharing photos and stories with friends and family. The best part is most of the companies we’ve seen actually have a free trial period for new users, so you don’t have to shell out a penny to try them out.