Find Us
How to Choose Meal Kits and Cook With Them Without Getting Bored
How to Choose the Best Meal Kits and Cook With Them Without Getting Bored
Meal kits are becoming more and more popular as people are looking for ways to make cooking quick and convenient.
But with so many different brands and options available, it can be hard to know which one is the best fit for you and your needs.
In this blog post, we'll explain which meal kit companies stand out from the competition, why, and how you can take advantage of the convenience they offer without getting bored.
Let's start at the beginning…
What Are Meal Kits?
Meal kits are pre-packaged meal solutions that come with all the ingredients you need to create a meal at home. They can be a great way to cook homemade, nutritious meals without having to shop for all the individual ingredients yourself.
Meal kit delivery services offer a variety of meal options, with different recipes each week or month. This can be a great way to try out new recipes and explore different cuisines without having to invest in a lot of ingredients or spices that you might not use again.
The Benefits of Using Meal Kits
Save time
One of the biggest benefits is that meal kits can help you save time.
You don’t have to spend time grocery shopping or planning out your meals for the week. All the ingredients you need are delivered right to your door, so you can start cooking right away.
Try new things
Meal kits can also be a great way to try out new recipes and explore different cuisines.
With so many different meal kit delivery services available, you can find options that cater to any dietary restriction or preference.
Stay healthy
Meal kits can also be a great way to cook more nutritious meals at home. The ingredients in meal kits are often fresh and organic, which can help you make healthier choices when cooking.
Less waste
Finally, meal kits are a great way to reduce food waste.
Most meal kit delivery services send you only the ingredients you need for each recipe, so there’s little chance of leftovers or unused ingredients going to waste.
The Downsides of Meal Kits
Cost
This is the tradeoff for added convenience.
Meal kit delivery services can be expensive. They often cost more than if you were to buy all the individual ingredients yourself.
Wasteful (if not used properly)
Meal kits can also be wasteful if not used properly. If you don’t end up using all the ingredients in a recipe, they might go bad before you get a chance to cook them again.
Complicated
Finally, meal kits can sometimes be difficult to follow. Directions for recipes in meal kits can be complicated, and it can be easy to make mistakes if you’re not familiar with cooking techniques involved.
How to Choose the Best Meal Kit for You
When seeking the best meal delivery services for you, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind.
Dietary restrictions/preferences
First, decide what types of meals you'd like to make or what ingredients you want to include.
Some meal delivery services offer only one type of meal, such as all-vegetarian/vegan (Purple Carrot), while others have a variety of meal options.
If you have dietary restrictions, be sure to choose a service that offers meal options that fit your needs.
Quality
Another thing to consider is the quality, and variety of recipes offered by the service. Most meal kit delivery services have an online recipe library with pictures and step-by-step instructions for creating each meal.
Check out our well-made Kung Pao Chicken:
Tender chicken breast strips paired with a vibrant and spicy Kung Pao sauce made with coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, and chilies.
Kung Pao Chicken
Variety
Be sure to check out the recipes before signing up for a service to make sure there are plenty of recipes that appeal to you.
Price
Take note of the price point of each meal delivery service you research
Many meal kit delivery services offer packages starting at $10 or less per person per meal. You can increase the value of your meal plan (decrease the cost per meal) by ordering more meals per week.
If you're on a tight budget, be sure to shop around and pay attention to "first box discounts" before you commit to a plan. It's also worth investigating whether you'll be allowed to skip weeks or cancel your subscription if you choose to.
Level of convenience
Finally, some meal kit services offer prepared meals and/or ready-to-eat meals that simply need to be reheated. These are the pinnacle of convenience but come at a heftier price tag.
For example, Purple Carrot offers meal kits as low as $11 per serving, but prepared meals cost $12.99 per serving.
4 of the Best Meal Kit Delivery Services
Kevin's Natural Foods: Versatile Meal Kits
If you're looking for a meal kit service with tons of variety and delicious recipes, Kevin's Natural Foods is a great choice.
With over 250 recipes available on their website, there's something for everyone.
Plus, they offer delicious meals for both vegetarians and meat-eaters, as well as gluten-free and dairy-free diets.
Purple Carrot: Plant-Based Meal Kits
For those who eat a meat-free diet, Purple Carrot is a great choice for a meal kit or prepared meals service.
With a wide variety of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, vegetarians and vegans will rejoice at the selection of flavors. The meal kits feature fresh ingredients for healthy meals and simple meal prep.
If you prefer prepared meals instead, they also offer a beautiful selection of cuisines that can be ready to eat in 2 minutes or less.
Blue Apron: Gourmet Meal Kits
If you Google "best meal delivery service" you'll find Blue Apron among the top results. In fact, it made CNet's 2022 list as the "Best Meal Kit for Beginners."
Blue Apron is a popular meal kit delivery service that offers gourmet meal kits. All of their ingredients are organic and fresh, and they have a wide variety of recipes to choose from, including dishes from around the world.
Blue Apron holds their suppliers to very high standards and promotes sustainable farming practices, so you can feel good about the food you eat.
One downside to Blue Apron is that their meal kits can be a bit expensive, costing upwards of $10 per person per meal. However, they do offer a discount for first-time customers.
If you're looking for an upscale meal kit delivery service with lots of variety, Blue Apron is a great choice.
Dinnerly: Budget-Friendly Meal Kits
At the other end of the meal plan services spectrum is Dinnerly - with meal plans that never cost more than $6 per serving.
Their website offers over 45 simple recipes to make cooking dinner easy. In fact, none of their recipes take more than 30 minutes to finish.
Dinnerly is for folks who want a decent meal and a decent price that doesn't take long to cook.
No frills, no fuss. Simple and straightforward.
Meal Kit Recipes for Dietary Restrictions & Preferences
One of the great things about meal kit ingredients is that they can be used in various recipes.
For example, Kevin's Natural Foods offers a variety of delicious meal kit options and recipes that can be made with different restrictions or dietary preferences in mind.
For example, Kevin's Mongolian-style beef entrée is a popular meal kit item that can be used in many different ways to create a variety of dishes.
Tender steak tips paired with a soy-free Mongolian sauce made with coconut aminos, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms.
Mongolian-Style Beef
Here are 3 recipes from Kevin's that use Mongolian-style beef in different ways:
- Cabbage-Wrapped Mongolian Beef - Keto
- Mongolian Noodle Bowl - Keto, Paleo
- Fiery Mongolian Beef and Broccoli - Keto, Paleo, Gluten-free
As you can see, just one ingredient can be used in vastly different ways to create equally delicious flavors, so your palate will never be bored!
Plus, Kevin's Natural Foods offers many other meal kits and products, so you're sure to find something that fits your needs.
Try Meal Kits for Yourself!
Meal kit delivery services are a great way to get delicious, healthy meals without having to spend hours in the kitchen. And with some creativity, you can take the same ingredients and make completely new dishes so you'll never get bored!
They offer a variety of recipes for all dietary restrictions and preferences, so you're sure to find something you love. Plus, they're an easy way to add more variety to your diet.
Give Kevin's Natural Foods a try - the delicious recipes and entrée and sauce options are sure to delight your taste buds and keep you coming back for more!
