Comparing Popular Meal Kits: Which is Right for You?
What are meal kits? If you’ve been grocery shopping or
are involved in social and popular media, you’ve probably already heard of
them. They have gained wide favor for promising to make cooking at home easier.
"Meal kits" refers to pre-planned meals delivered to your home. They
usually come with the exact portions of ingredients for the meals you choose.
For people who lead busy lives, are tired of eating at restaurants, or just
don’t enjoy cooking, meal kits can be a solution. The concept is simple enough.
Open the box, follow the recipe, and cook. All of the recipes are easy to
follow, which is convenient for the home cook.
History reports that many current food and meal
delivery services started as smaller companies. In fact, today’s meal kit
services deliver about 30 million meals to customers, while one service serves
10 million meals on a monthly basis. There are different types of meal kit
services, some of which are gluten-free, paleo balanced, or weight loss
oriented. Other meal kits are vegetarian. All have different gourmet qualities
based on cooking ability. Initially designed as a major convenience for the
busy family, some meal kits highlight singles as well as the health conscious.
Paleo, vegan, and gluten-free options are also available. If this sounds like
something that you may want to try, this overview will give a brief overview of
the major meal kit services before we start comparing them. These comparisons
may help you choose the meal kit that is right for you.
1. Key Features of Popular Meal Kit Services
With all the different services out there, it is hard
to know which meal kit is right for you. Each service will vary in selection,
how quickly they prep, and what their menus offer. Some may specialize in quick
30-minute meals that are perfect for working professionals. Others may focus on
menus that create gourmet meals for special days or foodies. Regardless of what
service you go with, meal kit providers typically offer meals for two, four, or
six people, meaning that they cater to everyone from an individual eating on
their own to a bustling family.
All meal kit delivery services focus on people looking
to cook. Recipes are easy to follow, so even if you are not an experienced
cook, you will still be able to put together a delicious meal in no time at
all. To support this, various services also cater to those with dietary
restrictions and vegetarians. Many of the popular meal kit services feature
fresh, seasonal ingredients. For those wanting the best of the best, certain
gourmet meal kits might include ingredients like balsamic vinegar and prime steaks.
Pricing will be exceptionally higher than other meal kit providers with
products that are not as luxurious. When it comes to delivery, your food will
be shipped in a refrigerated box. Inside, meals and portions are packaged in
totally separate bags, making it super easy to keep the ingredients organized
before you start cooking. While the ingredients will reach your door fresh,
they will not necessarily be cut, so it is always best to prepare your meal
soon after you get home. Some of these services also allow you to choose
specific menus each week, while others will let you skip their shipment
entirely, syncing back up with them once you are ready to get back in the
kitchen. In addition, when you need support, it is easy to call any of these
companies. Most meal kit delivery services also offer readily available and
user-friendly customer service.
2. Cost Comparison and Value for Money
You probably have to be at least somewhat interested
in upping your cooking game if you're considering getting a meal kit. Maybe
you've been eating out too much, grabbing unhealthy snacks on the go, or eating
quick meals with zero pizzazz. Or perhaps you’ve been making the same meals
week after week and want to regain your love for cooking by trying new meals.
Whatever has fueled your interest in meal kits, cost is likely a concern.
Below, we compare the costs of popular meal kit delivery services to help you
find one that suits your budget. People usually choose meal kits based on a
bunch of factors, including their appetite (and how big their family is), cost,
and the reviews indicating if the food tastes as good as the menu sounds. To
make the most accurate comparison possible between the services, I broke down
the prices to the per-serving cost of the meals that each company offers. For
most of these companies, the quality of the ingredients makes a difference in
cost. Other cost factors could include the portion sizes — some meals serve two
or four, so more food comes with some of the higher-priced options. Another
factor that could affect cost includes the number of meals, or meals per
person, that a company's plan provides. Every meal kit service we investigated
includes a shipping fee, excluding one service, which has a standard shipping
rate, and another, which has a flat fee. Although the shipping fees are not
included in the costs represented here, prices are still fairly close in range,
outside of a few services that fall outside the $11-13 per serving range. That
said, given the scope doesn't represent the full length, breadth, and depth of
each service, it's impossible to fully account for the value you'll get with
the cost. Plus, cost certainly isn't the most important determiner for which
service you should consider. Value is determined, not price. Considering the
portion sizes, the cost per serving, the quality of the offerings, and what
customer reviews are raving about should give you an idea of how much you'll
likely enjoy different meal kits. Each highlighted service offers at least two
recipes at $11.99 or less per serving.
3. Nutritional Content and Dietary Options
When considering meal kits, nutrition is a significant
component of meal satisfaction. Nutrition research acknowledges the importance
of balancing macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), and people are
often advised to eat from a range of food groups within six food categories:
aquatics, meats and plant-based foods, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds,
dairy, and whole grains. Unlike most restaurant meals, meal kit services offer
detailed nutritional information, and the accuracy and burden of nutrition are
evident in the provided content. The fat and carbohydrate contents have almost
always been on target for meals and are well distributed. However, the lack of
enough protein content per meal negates the dietary goals of over 90 percent of
adults. Another surprising fact is that less than 10% of the sample
population's fat does not include its saturated fat allotment. A shortage of
fiber was observed in distinct quantities in all the meals. This is a clear
indicator that whatever the meal, there is usually much less fiber than what
would normally be recommended.
Apart from dietary guidelines and avoidance, the
feasibility of meal kits offering a variety of dietary options is included in
this section; the level of personalization provided by various programs to
adjust incentives depending on personal health goals, habits, practices,
dietary preferences, and children's taste profiles is also included. Since meal
kits can be in various types and for different purposes, the attention towards
healthy eating, fitness and fun, and nutrition of meal kits should be emphasized.
Nutritional content, including additives, is typically accessible in a big,
straightforward way to get from meal kits. In some occasions, an example of
allergy-sensitive or "not compatible with different lifestyle
requirements" is given in terms of dietary constraints enforced through
the feature of customization and/or ingredient differences.
4. Convenience and Flexibility
One of the biggest selling points of meal delivery is the straightforward convenience of having ingredients and meal plans delivered directly to your door. No longer do you have to spend time grocery shopping, carefully planning meals, and portioning out ingredients; it's all done for you. Many meal kits offer various delivery options, including insulated boxes that can be dropped off at your house if you won't be home, complete with ice packs to keep everything fresh. Once a pack has been received, the meals are simple to prepare and often streamline meal preparation by focusing on hands-off ingredients and quick cooking times. Many kits will come with some items pre-cooked or pre-soaked, as well as with sauces and sides that can help cut dinner prep time down to a busy weeknight length. Plus, all the ingredients are portioned to the requirements, so there's no food waste, making meal delivery an eco-friendly choice as well. Flexibility is the meal kit model's cornerstone. Most meal kits offer box plans that can be customized in a variety of ways, including entirely organic and vegetarian ingredients or meals that cater to gluten-free, low-salt, or high-fiber requirements. Most plans can be customized to increase or decrease the number of meals in each box to meet different needs, such as catering to a family of four or to someone who is cooking just for themselves. Delivery plans are tailored to your specific schedule as well, and the best meal delivery kits allow you to skip delivery whenever necessary as well as make changes to the weekly meal plan. When it comes to meal kits, you can easily manage your plans through a digital dashboard accessed through a website or mobile app. From there, you can select meals for upcoming deliveries, edit your choices, skip a delivery, or cancel your subscription. You can also monitor the recipes and your status on different deliveries in most cases, as well as read information about the ingredients in each meal and study nutritional labels. Some of these apps also allow you to update any dietary preferences you may have, track your delivery location, or set items to a vegetarian default if you prefer. Easy access to your account and food information is crucial to enjoying your meal kit experience to its fullest.