Some of the most dreaded words in America, what’s for dinner?
As a solo parent I know I am certainly tired of asking myself that question. My solution? I signed up for meal delivery services! Here is a quick overview of three of them: Blue Apron, Gobble, Inc., and HelloFresh.
What’s for dinner: the pros and cons
Blue Apron
Pros: great introductory pricing, quality ingredients, satisfying portions.
Cons: literally have to prep everything, the directions were laid out in a format that if you did not read them fully prior to starting the meal you would not be cooking things at the correct stage, difficult to cancel.
Blue Apron was my second meal service ordered so it was being compared to HelloFresh during the entire process from prep to dinner time. Personally, I do not own a cheese grater and this posed a challenge for all three of the meal kits in my box. The sirloin steak in my kit was the only item that was not high quality. The vegetarian option was delicious.
The directions where a bit more challenging than HelloFresh‘s and as a busy mom that gets distracted often I was not a fan. If you want to feel like you are fully engaged and preparing a meal from scratch this is your best option.
Would I subscribe again? No. And that is why I know that canceling is a challenge.
Gobble, Inc.
Pros: extremely quick to prepare, great taste, clearly labeled, generous portions.
Cons: sauces are pre-made, not a full cooking experience.
Though I listed it as a con that it was not a full cooking experience, I still think these meals are tasty and plated look like you went to all the effort to make it. If you are a person who likes to learn how to make meals on your own so that you can shop and recreate the experience this is not the meal service for you. The sauces come pre-made, along with side dishes being par-cooked, so you are essentially just reheating it all and assembling.
Overall, great flavors that taste like you made it all from scratch, perfect for those busy nights when you just don’t have time to make a full meal. And a fantastic bonus, toddler approved! My daughter has loved every Gobble meal I have shared with her.
Ultimately, Gobble got too expensive after a few months with a price increase to cover increased shipping costs on their end so I no longer use the service.
HelloFresh
Pros: quality ingredients, fair portion size, easy to follow directions.
Cons: have to measure out ingredients since extras are included, need to have some cooking knowledge.
One of those cons isn’t really a con if you have some basic cooking knowledge. I have turned the extra ingredients into some yummy extra meals. For example, the One-Pan Orzo Italiano has an extra chicken sausage, cheese, and spinach which I used to make some delicious scrambled eggs the next morning. Dinner and breakfast out of one meal kit is a pretty good value.
These meals are much more labor-intensive than the Gobble meals. Personally, if my toddler is underfoot these are a bit more challenging to prepare. That said, I have successfully gotten my dish to look like the recipe card on more than one occasion!
So no more “what’s for dinner?” Who wants to try a HelloFresh box? And who would love to get a discount on their first order (or possibly FREE!)? If you said yes to both, here you go! Then let me hook you up. Win/Win… or should I say “Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner!“
Pop over to The Busy Llama community to share your experiences or drop me a line. I would like to hear what you think, too!
