I cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner using only the Blue Apron Meal Kit. Here’s how it went

Although I would never pass up the opportunity to cook a delicious meal and gather with my loved ones, preparing an entire feast can be an exhausting endeavor. So when? Blue apron She offered to send me a sneak peek at her Thanksgiving offerings. I was curious: Could I prepare an entire holiday dinner with just… Meal kits? More importantly, will it make cooking less time consuming and less stressful?

Armed with eight of Blue Apron Thanksgiving Meal Kitseach one for a different dish — which you can order for delivery from November 17 to 30 — I cooked my way through them. Was it a success? Here are the details.

Blue Apron Thanksgiving meal kits, and how they taste

From roasted turkey to all the sides you want and even pie, these meal kits cover it all.

Grilled turkey breast with homemade gravy

This 120-minute recipe requires only 30 minutes of active preparation time. The instructions are to season the turkey with salt and pepper the day before cooking, then cover it with a mixture of salted butter and a seasoning blend of onion and garlic powders, dried parsley, and smoked paprika an hour before roasting.

The stock is reserved, and combined with garlic herb butter, chicken stock, and flour to make the stock.

your vegetableI did not make this recipe, so I cannot comment on its taste. Instead, I donated it to my country Community fridge. However, I will say that the instructions seem simple enough that even a non-meat eater like me can follow easily.

classification: Not available (I’m a vegetarian)
It costs: $50
Meals: 6
Total time: 120 minutes (active time: 30 minutes)

Fresh cranberry sauce

This was a simple recipe that took less than 25 minutes, and tasted amazing. When I make my own cranberry sauce, I usually add fresh orange juice; However, the orange marmalade in this recipe served as a nice alternative that didn’t require orange juice.

The only problem I had was that the meal kit did not contain the maple syrup needed for the recipe, but I had some on hand. It added a nice flavour, although I’m not entirely sure it’s necessary, since the recipe already contains sugar. It still tasted great.

classification: 9/10
It costs: Part of the above turkey meal kit
Meals: 6
Total time: Part of the above

Herb filling with carrots, celery and onions

This was the easiest stuffing I’ve ever made, and it was great to have all the ingredients ready in one place, including the baguette. It took less than an hour, and most of the work went into chopping produce and herbs. The instructions were easy to follow.

I loved the garlic and herb butter, as well as the spice blend, as they added so much flavor to the filling. This recipe calls for chicken broth, but I substituted it with vegetable broth to meet my vegetarian needs. I still find it absolutely delicious.

classification: 9/10
It costs: $15
Meals: 4
Total time: 55 minutes (active time: 25 minutes)

Brown butter mashed potatoes with white cheddar cheese and chives

These mashed potatoes were amazing, I couldn’t stop eating them. The combination of brown butter, white cheddar cheese, and chives was perfect. I’ve browned butter many times before, but I also felt that the instructions were clear enough for someone new to cooking to follow. As someone who doesn’t like to peel potatoes, I was grateful to leave the skin on, as it added a nice texture to the finished dish. There are no notes.

classification: 10/10
It costs: $8
Meals: 4
Total time: 35 minutes (active time: 20 minutes)

Creamy macaroni and cheese with truffle breadcrumbs

This was another recipe that exceeded expectations. However, I changed it. It calls for a technique where you layer pasta with cream sauce and different cheeses separately. I’ve had this type of macaroni and cheese before, and it’s not my favorite style, so instead I made the cheese sauce by combining the cream mixture and different cheeses in the bowl, then added the pasta.

Regardless, I liked the cheeses selected — cheddar, fontina, and Monterey Jack, with Parmesan on top, along with breadcrumbs — and appreciated that they were shredded. The truffle seasoning on top was a lovely touch, although I used half the included amount as my partner isn’t as fond of truffles as I am. The garlic in the béchamel sauce also added great flavour.

classification: 10/10
It costs: $20
Meals: 6
Total time: 40 minutes (active time: 20 minutes)

Challah dinner rolls with maple butter

These came from Zaro’s Family Bakery in New York City, and are packaged in a ready-to-bake pan, making them incredibly easy to prepare in under 20 minutes. They are brushed with a mixture of maple syrup and salted butter, which adds a nice touch.

I thought they were delicious and easy to prepare, but they arrived a little smashed in the box. However, they puffed up a bit once baked.

classification: 8/10
It costs: $7
Meals: 12
Total time: 10 minutes (activity time: 5 minutes)

Roasted Brussels sprouts with toasted pistachios, honey and lemon

Another great recipe that will absolutely elevate your Brussels sprouts. I loved the combination of honey and lemon which went perfectly with the pistachios. I actually added more of my pistachios because I liked the extra crunch.

I enjoyed this recipe so much that I will probably make it myself in the future. It only takes about 30 minutes.

classification: 10/10
It costs: $10
Meals: 4
Total time: 25 minutes (activity time: 10 minutes)

Grilled grape and goat cheese salad with pear and spicy maple walnuts

Although no one tends to think much about Thanksgiving salad, Blue Apron did. I had never roasted grapes before, and they were delicious in this dish, adding a nice jammy flavour. I also loved the spicy maple walnut with rosemary and dijonnaise vinaigrette. I’m not a fan of goat cheese, so I didn’t add it to my salad; However, the other flavors were great together.

The only problem I had was that the little one was bad when I got to him. It was fresh when I received it, but three days later, I found it spoiled in my refrigerator. I should have kept an eye on it or taken it out of its plastic packaging and put it in one of my containers New linen produce bags To increase its longevity. However, this is likely more user error than anything else.

classification: 9/10
It costs: 12
Meals: 4
Total time: 30 minutes (active time: 20 minutes)

Apple pie with almonds

This 80-minute recipe only requires 20 minutes of prep time, was fun to make, and smelled delicious. The pie crust came pre-made, so only the filling and topping required preparation. Both were delicious. I loved the honey in the apple filling and thought the almonds, almond flour, maple syrup, and quadruple salt (a blend of white pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) tasted great in the topping.

The only aspect I thought could be improved was the pie crust (made with wheat flour, water, honey, salt, yeast, enzymes, and palm oil), but that’s probably because I usually make my own crust with butter. However, it’s hard to complain when the crust is ready and requires no effort. It was still delicious. I thought it could have more flavour.

classification: 8/10
It costs: $15
Meals: 6-8
Total time: 75 minutes (active time: 20 minutes)

How much do Blue Apron’s Thanksgiving meal kits cost?

Here are the pricing details for Blue Apron’s Thanksgiving meal kits:

• Grilled turkey breast: $50
• Herb filling: $15
• Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes: $8
• Creamy macaroni and cheese: $20
• Roasted Brussels sprouts: $10
• Goat cheese salad: $12
• Challah dinner rolls: $7
• Apple pie crumble: $15

Total cost: $137

Although you may be able to make these recipes cheaper yourself, I think the convenience and time savings are worth the cost. When we did the math, we discovered those meals It can also be less expensiveEspecially now with food prices rising.

Additionally, I found all the ingredients to be fresh when they arrived (although the baby cabbage went bad after a few days in its plastic packaging), and I thought the recipes were all delicious and creative. If you’re looking for an easier, more delicious Thanksgiving feast, I recommend it.

How many people can Blue Apron’s Thanksgiving meal kits serve?

The turkey, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, and apple crumb pie can serve up to six people. The rest of the recipes, except for the rolls that serve up to 12 people, are enough for four people.

Since Blue Apron now offers an a la carte model Instead of subscriptions All year round, you can choose between dishes and add as many as you like. Instead of buying all the meal kits for an entire feast, you can just get a few of them to complement your own meal, so you don’t have to find a recipe, shop, and prepare and cook each dish entirely yourself.

My final thoughts

I think Blue Apron did a great job with creativity These Thanksgiving recipes. I enjoyed all of the dishes, found the instructions easy to follow, and appreciated that everything comes portioned out into individual meal kits that are ready to use. As a vegan, I also love that all of these recipes are vegan, except for the turkey, gravy, and stuffing (which I made vegan by replacing the chicken stock with a vegan version).

To answer my initial question: Yes, you can prepare an entire Thanksgiving meal using just meal kits, and it makes the whole process much easier and less stressful. Who wouldn’t be thankful for that?