It’s hard to scroll through your social media accounts or go through a website without seeing an ad for a Home Meal Delivery Kit service like Hello Fresh. There are lots of Pros and Cons that go with each individual company but as a whole we decided to look at the Pros and Cons of Meal Delivery Services in general.
Seeing the ads you’ve probably wondered if these kits are a great deal for you and your family, or just a waste of money for people that are too lazy to go to the grocery store. Well we’ve broken done some of the major pros and cons of meal delivery services to help you decide if they are right for you.
Here are the Advantages or Pros of Meal Kit Services:
Comfort Of Your Own Home
It’s easy to fall into the trap of eating out at restaurants. For some it’s just more convenient, for some it’s because they are scared of cooking their own meal in an actual kitchen. But if you are eating out all the time or getting take out then you are wasting a lot more money than you would ordering a meal kit to your house.
The by-product is that you will learn to actually cook your own meals at home and learn your way around a kitchen which will lead you to eventually ditch the meal kits and become your own 5 star chef at home. You’ll get recipes that you can keep and store away as your favorites for future meals and they will eventually wean you off of the restaurant dependence. Plus, cooking at home as a family is a great experience and promotes more family time which our busy schedules can sometimes block from happening.
Cooking Will Become A Breeze
If you can read and look at pictures then you will have no problems making meals at home. Not only do the meal kits come with all the ingredients that you need to make your meal, but the instructions to prep your meals are very clear and you can follow everything step by step to make your meals at home.
You Will Save Money In The End
Eating at a restaurant means you are paying for the food that is paying for the overhead of running a restaurant. Throw in the Tip, the 200% markup on alcohol, the gas to drive to the restaurant and the parking cost in some cases and you will see that the added costs of a meal delivery kit will save you money if it curbs your restaurant trips.
No More Wasted Leftovers
If you care about food waste and food costs and don’t like to waste food then meal delivery is your solution. Companies will send you the exact amount of everything and you will have no wasted food unless you don’t eat everything. Orders are portion controlled and if you follow the meal prep directions you will have no waste and no wasted dollars.
Become Healthier – Eliminate The Excuses
If you are looking at eating healthier, a more balanced meal and want to watch how much you eat for weight purposes then Meal Kits are the answer. The average amount of calories in a meal works out to be about 700 calories for a dinner which is way less than what you’d get at a restaurant or what you’d probably make at home. The portions are made to keep you in a good balance for weight and then with the vegetables and the lack of unhealthy ingredients such as too much sugar and salt and you get the recipe for a healthy meal that you create.
Variety Is The Spice Of Life
You can eat dozens of different meals using a few different delivery meal kits and still not have the same meal twice. You will never get bored if you join 2-3 meal companies and try different offerings every week. You also will get to try meals that you generally wouldn’t be exposed to or have the opportunity to try at home.
Perfect For People With Allergies or Diet Concerns
Gluten allergy concerns? Peanut allergies? Or are you simply a vegetarian or vegan looking for simple meal solutions? Many of the top meal kit companies provide various options for vegetarian and gluten-free diets or for people who have special dietary needs.
Now on to the Cons or Disadvantages of Meal Kits:
It Can Be Costly
While a meal kit is cheaper than eating out at a restaurant or doing take out, it will cost you more than simply buying your own groceries. Costs of kits varies and we have stated that you can take advantage of the sign up promos to save you money but it is more expensive for a single person to order a kit as opposed to a family. You can look at that cost as a cost savings since you won’t be buying too many ingredients and you will not have food to throw away which happens to everyone that does grocery shopping in general so the costs fall in between eating out and doing everything on your own.
Excess Packing Waste
Most ingredients that are sent to you are individually packed and in some cases you will get cold packs as well in addition to the package that comes to your door. In some cases the packaging is recyclable but if you are truly concerned about your carbon footprint then you may be disappointed with your delivery.
You May Be Ordering Blindly at First
Just like a restaurant, you may run into a meal that after you’ve prepared it and sit down to eat it…you just don’t like it. Whether it’s the ingredients, or the flavor you may have spent an hour prepping and cooking your meal only to realize it doesn’t fit your palate.
Portion Size For The Active Person
Although we mention in the advantage section that portion size is great, it can also be a disadvantage as well. If you are an active person that requires more calories to sustain yourself or have a set of growing teenagers that are prone to eat more because they are growing then the portions that you make may not be enough to satisfy your hunger.
Final Thoughts
Home meal kit services aren’t for everyone and the pros and cons listed above are just the major things to keep in mind when you are looking at ordering a home meal delivery kit and subscribing to a company for the foreseeable future.
