Reasons To Use Meal Kits (From A Nutritionist)
I think a lot of people suffer from having to do things perfectly, especially when it comes to nutrition. The pressures of social media make us think that unless we’re perfect meal planners who effortlessly get all our nutrients and lead “healthy” lives, we’re “not doing it right.” But the fact of the matter is that meal planning, cooking balanced meals, and getting all the nutrients we need is hard work, and some people don’t always have the means or time to do it.
So, we make things easier and gentler on ourselves where we can. That’s why I think mail-order meal kits can be truly beneficial for a lot of people –– and your reason for using them is entirely up to you! There are lots of reasons to try them:
You are tired: When we’re too tired to cook, we reach for the easiest thing to eat. This makes it so the easiest thing is also the most nourishing thing.
You want to try something new: Buying the same groceries over and over because you can’t think of anything else can be monotonous. These kits make it easier to add food and meal variety and expand your own tastes.
Inspiration: Trying these meal kits might make it easier to discover new recipes! You can always cancel your meal kits but add those dishes to your repertoire.
You want to reduce mental fatigue/load or decision-making: At the end of a long day, perhaps the last thing you want to think about is meal planning, cooking, or simply deciding what to eat or make.
You want to try a different eating pattern or plan (vegetarian, carbohydrate conscious, higher protein, etc.): Are you thinking of going vegetarian? Pescatarian? Being more carb-conscious or following a higher protein diet (for whatever reason)? Navigating a new type of diet can be confusing and may lead to excess food waste because you’re not sure what foods work for your taste or routine. Some companies even have balanced meals for conditions such as diabetes, which can be very helpful if you’ve just been diagnosed and need guidance on what to eat.
You don’t have time to prepare balanced meals: Maybe you work more than one job, or you have to balance work life and raising children, or you just have long days. Cooking and planning meals takes time that many people don’t have, so it’s so much easier to just pick your meals for the week with a few clicks.
You want to reduce your food waste or don’t have a lot of storage: Don’t want to buy a million ingredients and have them lying around? Meal kits often come perfectly portioned, so you’re less likely to throw away food that’s been sitting around.
You’re learning to cook or want to teach others how to cook: For the meal kits that send you the raw ingredients, this is a great way for you (or someone in your family) to learn how to cook for yourself without creating more waste. Plus, it could also *encourage* others in your home to cook (side eye).
You just WANT to! Honestly, you don’t need some special justification. If you like these kits, you can just use them, and your reasoning why doesn’t really need to enter into it.
Once you’ve decided to try a meal kit, you’ll find a plethora of options. My advice is to try out a few to see which one you like best. I find that most companies do both “cook it yourself” and “no prep” or “ready to heat” meal kits:
HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef, Sunbasket, Green Chef, EveryPlate, Purple Carrot, Dinnerly, Snap Kitchen, Territory Foods, Freshly, Trifecta, Martha and Marley Spoon, Gobble, Factor, Mosaic, and there are probably a lot more out there!
Personally, I have tried Factor (which is mostly ready-to-heat meals) as well as Cook Unity and Yellow Picnic (also ready-to-heat). You can also try Hungry Root (which is both ready-to-heat and kits to cook yourself)
I will say that one drawback can be the price. These kits mean that you’re paying for the convenience of someone prepping (and sometimes cooking) the meals in advance, so many meals end up being between $8 and $15 per meal – which can be more expensive than just grocery shopping. If you are a person who orders takeout a lot, however, this is often a cheaper alternative than delivery several times a week.
Other things to consider are delivery dates and times. Some companies can only offer limited days and times for delivery, so you might have to consider that if those fall into time frames when you’re rarely home (and you don’t want your food sitting on your doorstep for hours). Most companies will have a fairly easy cancellation or skipping process, but you do have to do it within a certain time frame, or you’ll be charged for the next week/month.
And finally, the last thing to consider is if you actually like the food they give you and want to eat it. There’s no reason to spend your money on something you hate to eat. There are so many companies to choose from –– and some might not be to your taste.
I often suggest meal kits to patients who are low on time or energy. If you’re in New York/New Jersey, I’d love to work with you! Feel free to book an appointment with me (I also offer free 15-minute consultations).