Various Meal Kit Delivery Services Assessed: Key Benefits Highlighted for Each
Rewritten Article:
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Give meal delivery services a shot - over the last decade, I've used them, on and off, for various reasons. These services were super helpful for me when I was a cooking newbie, helping me get the hang of things in the kitchen. They were also a lifesaver during the postpartum phase after my first child's birth, when I had no time for meal planning or grocery shopping.
Whether you're in need of a push to learn cooking fundamentals, short on time and want a simpler cooking routine, curious, or have limited mobility due to a medical condition, there's a meal delivery service tailored just for you.
Below is a list of meal delivery services I've tried out, along with their pros and cons. Most let you choose between meal kits and ready-made meals, while others like CookUnity and Sakara only offer the latter. Each service offers unique benefits and makes for a great way to enjoy fresh, high-quality food without having to set foot in a store.
1. Purple Carrot
2. Hungryroot (worth mentioning for its mix of healthy ingredients and quick meal prep)
3. CookUnity (a great option for convenience as the meals are chef-prepared and ready to heat)
4. HelloFresh (with a wide variety and good portion sizes)
5. Blue Apron (a pioneer in meal kits, offering exceptional ingredients as well as prepared meals)
6. Sakara (reputed for its high-end, organic ingredients and health-focused meal plans)
7. Marley Spoon (offering meal kits with a focus on fresh ingredients and diverse global recipes)
Now, let's dive a little deeper into the pros and cons of each service:
1. Purple Carrot
- Positives: Offers top-notch, organic ingredients and caters specifically to vegans.
- Negatives: Can be pricey and limited choices are available.
2. Hungryroot
- Positives: Provides a mix of quality ingredients for quick meal prep, although specific details were missing.
- Negatives: May be limiting for recipe creativity due to pre-prepared components.
3. CookUnity
- Positives: Offers convenience through pre-cooked meals, no need for cooking!
- Negatives: Typically more expensive and has fewer dietary options compared to meal kits.
4. HelloFresh
- Positives: Widely available with a diverse menu, good portion sizes, and catering to several dietary needs.
- Negatives: Can be slightly pricier and generates more packaging waste.
5. Blue Apron
- Positives: Long-standing reputation for gourmet recipes, quality ingredients, and offering both meal kits and prepared meals.
- Negatives: Relatively average pricing to slightly higher than competitors and uses significant plastic packaging, although much of it is recyclable.
6. Sakara Life (Sakara)
- Positives: Known for high-end, organic ingredients, and meal plans designed with health and wellness in mind.
- Negatives: Typically more expensive than other services.
7. Marley Spoon
- Positives: Offers meal kits with a focus on fresh ingredients, diverse global recipes.
- Negatives: The complexity of some recipes may be challenging for some users.
- Exploring meal delivery services like Purple Carrot, Hungryroot, CookUnity, HelloFresh, Blue Apron, Sakara Life (Sakara), and Marley Spoon can provide unique benefits, such as offering top-notch, organic ingredients, catering to specific dietary needs, and providing convenient meal solutions. However, these services might come with higher costs and could generate more packaging waste.
- For instance, Purple Carrot is a popular choice among vegans, offering organic and high-quality ingredients, but its prices might be considered steep compared to other services. On the other hand, Hungryroot provides ingredients for quick meal prep, but its pre-prepared components might limit recipe creativity.
- CookUnity, known for its convenience, offers chef-prepared, ready-to-heat meals, making it a great option for those seeking simple cooking routines. However, CookUnity is typically more expensive than meal kit services, providing fewer dietary options. It's important to consider these factors when choosing a meal delivery service that best suits your needs, budget, and lifestyle. Additionally, some services, like BuzzFeed and its associates, may earn a commission from the links provided within these articles.
