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Meal kits He’s become the love child of “I want to eat something that didn’t come from the car” and “I don’t know a good recipe if you kiss me on the mouth.” The meal kits are perfect for health-conscious people who have realized that ordering Thai food five nights a week is not a diet plan, and for culinary novices who think “frying” is a French dance move.
Here’s the plot twist: meal kits in reality They cost about the same as regular grocery stores these days. Yes, you read that correctly. Thanks to grocery price inflation, your weekly meal kit subscription might as well Cheaper – and it’s certainly less hassle – than wandering the aisles of your local supermarket.
But here’s where things get interesting (and where most people go wrong): Subscribing to a meal kit is like buying a gym membership—the real magic happens when you actually know how to use it. At CNET, we’ve taste-tested, sliced, chopped, and sometimes burned our way through every major meal kit service known to mankind over the years, and we’ve cracked the code to getting the most deliciousness for your dollar.
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Whether you are already a team Blue apronride Hello Fresh Train, keeping it simple factor Or fancy with Marley spoonyou’re probably leaving money (and flavor) on the table. The good news? A few insider tricks can turn you from a meal kit aficionado into a subscription pro, squeezing every last drop of value out of your weekly deliveries.
Are you ready to become the meal kit staple your kitchen deserves? Let’s dive into the top seven mistakes to avoid.
1. Missing out on a meal kit deal or offer
EveryPlate offers some of the most affordable login deals.
First and foremost, you’ll want to take advantage of new customer sign-up offers. Most meal kit services let you try out their items for deep discounts, up to 70%, often on several weeks’ worth of meals. I’ve rounded up Best meal delivery offers Now to help you choose.
If you’re already subscribed to a meal kit, there’s no rule against pausing or canceling it until you can try another service at one of our super-cheap new customer rates.
Read more: Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh: Which meal kit is right for you?
2. Choosing the wrong size plan
This Marley Spoon meal felt even more elevated thanks to the caper sauce and Brussels sprouts salad.
Meal kit costs vary greatly depending on how many meals and servings you order per week and the delta between them can be enormous. Marley spoonFor example, a serving breaks down to just $9 if you order most Quantity of servings – six recipes with four servings each – but it jumps to $13 per serving if you only get at least two recipes with two servings per week.
My suggestion is to order a larger meal plan than you think you’ll need and choose recipes that keep in the refrigerator or freeze well. Do this and you’ll have lunch and dinner for the next day or two. You’re already putting in a lot of effort to cook, and you might as well get more miles and save some money too.
HelloFresh pricing (left) and Blue Apron pricing (right) for six servings. These prices include shipping and taxes, plus the 5% automatic shipping discount built into the Blue Apron price.
“Meal kit meal planning,” you heard it here first. Which recipes are suitable for cooking in large quantities and eating later? Almost anything other than seafood and salad recipes, both of which are not a good idea to freeze after preparation.
The conversation that…
3. Forgetting to cook seafood first
Always cook seafood recipes first. If you can’t make it within a day, freeze raw fish for later.
It is always best to cook seafood recipes first because they will also spoil first. The same goes for other recipes containing ingredients that may turn sour when left uneaten or uncooked, including vegetables, leafy greens, cheese, and fresh dairy products.
potato Others are dense vegetables It is usually good between four or five days to a full week. steak It is also very delicious and can last for several days in the refrigerator without compromising its quality.
4. Pass on steaks and fish
Blue Apron steak recipes are included in the basic meal plan.
These days, when you browse your weekly meal kit menu, you’ll typically find dozens of recipes to choose from, sometimes as many as 100 or more. While you should definitely choose recipes that work for you and your nutritional goals, some recipes will give you more for your money. Steak and seafood recipes are at the top of that list, but anything with protein (chicken, pork, fish) is usually better.
I I already took a deep dive Pricing a meal kit to see how much it will cost versus purchasing all the ingredients yourself. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive recipes to make from scratch (i.e., the best offerings for a meal kit subscriber) are those that contain steak and seafood. Some meal kit services charge a higher price for certain recipes, but many include steak, shrimp, salmon, and other seafood as part of the standard plan, making it a great investment.
On the other hand, avoid recipes that contain ingredients that are cheap and easy to find in the store, such as simple pasta dishes that do not contain protein or basic soups. If you eat mostly vegetarian, I recommend it Purple carrotThis 100% vegetarian meal kit service contains the most interesting meat-free recipes made with high-quality ingredients.
5. Don’t trust your instincts while cooking
Trust your instincts and make fewer mistakes when it comes to adding salt and spices. You can always put more in but you can’t take it out.
Recipes aren’t one-size-fits-all, so trust your instincts. If a recipe seems like it calls for adding a lot of salt to the sauce, it probably does. You can always add more but you can’t delete any, so you have to be careful. The same goes for heat and spice: If you can’t handle large amounts of habanero or spicy curry, hold back on these elements until you taste the finished dish.
6. Ignore favorite tags
Some recipes earn a Customer Favorite badge and there’s usually a reason for that.
Most meal kit companies will label certain recipes as a “fan favorite” option. For the most part, I enjoyed these dishes and appreciated the recommendation. Services like Hello Fresh and chef Use a large number of aggregated user reviews and subscriber comments, so you can be confident that these tags have some validity. After all, they want you to enjoy their meals as much as you do.
7. Take it seriously
Cooking is fun and meal kits help you become a better cook. Lean on it!
It’s true: meal kits are a good way to feed you and your family affordably, but they can also be a lot of fun and a good way to hone your cooking skills. Never made risotto before? Pounce on those recipes when they come on the list. You might be surprised at how easy it is.
When opening the meal kit, open a slot Bottle of wine Also, or pour yourself a beer, cocktail or Mocktails And play your favorite music or podcast. Cooking can be fun and calming if you are in the right place.
If you’re not in the right space, well, you can always have the kids cook instead.