Martin D. Goodkin

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Martin D. Goodkin
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Food & Drink > Testing Home Delivered Meals
 

Testing Home Delivered Meals




For two months I tested 3 different home delivered services: 1) Green Chef 2)Hello Fresh 3) Blue Apron.

They all basically offer plans of 6 or 8 “meals” a week. I put quotes around meals because they call them recipes, such as 3 recipes, that will serve 6 meals. They are all sent to arrive fresh, with protein frozen, and ready to cook.

The trial period of one week is fairly inexpensive if you have 6 meals for $5 each but then they almost triple in price.

The portions might be enough for thin people and/or people who want to lose weight but, for me, most cases I had to make each recipe for 1 dinner or add, in some cases, a 10 ounce jar of mushrooms, sometimes a half of a baked potato or something to give it substance. For each meal I would add a salad with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and light dressing plus a 10-12 ounce defrosted package of fresh fruit.

I had 12 recipes which were suppose to make 24 meals but I had approximately 14-16 meals from those 12 recipes. The protein portions may be what is recommended these days like a steak being the size of your palm but that doesn’t work for me.

The recipes were all tasty but I saved a lot of time combining or skipping a lot of cooking steps they suggested while also substituting some items. I do suggest being careful with some of the spices and condiments if you are unfamiliar with or haven’t cooked with them before.

You have to careful with changing orders, skipping a week or two or canceling deliveries because you are given little leeway time wise to do either without being charged. There are no contracts with the companies so you can stop getting orders whenever you want.

Refreshingly the representatives with all 3 companies are easy to contact and talk to.

The main reasons I will not continue with any of the plans are that ‘one dinner’ is too small for me and it can cost $10 or more, plus shipping charges, for one dinner before any additions.

I, also, tested 2 items, SMARTMADE and Smart Ones. The latter frozen meals were started by/for Weight Watchers as part of their program in the 1980s if I remember correctly and are, now, really a waste of time.

SMARTMADE is the best of all I tasted, as fresh looking and tasting as the home delivered meal, filled up a plate nicely, had enough varieties, were certainly easier to prepare and, in the long run, were less expensive. I may not have them too often but will certainly buy them once in awhile and at $3.99 or less they are a good deal.

And now back to my way!!

posted on Sept 22, 2018 10:20 AM ()

Comments:

I'm a little confused. Are the first three designed with weight loss in mind or are they just complying with "recommended portion sizes"?
comment by jerms on Sept 22, 2018 7:25 PM ()
No, nothing to do with weight loss--they are the new nutritional amounts of protein suggested by our ever care for us government!
I know, definitely, if I followed their suggested portions I would have probably lost 15-20 pounds!
reply by greatmartin on Sept 22, 2018 8:05 PM ()
I haven't heard any more about the Trump administration's plan to replace food stamps with 'Blue Apron-type' food packages.
comment by traveltales on Sept 22, 2018 6:35 PM ()
Never heard of it--and I get $15 a month in food stamps!!
reply by greatmartin on Sept 22, 2018 8:06 PM ()
One of the cooks I watch on youtube is now being sponsored by Hello Fresh (I don't like what youtube is becoming but that's another post). The finished dish looks like a course at a French Restaurant. I know I can't afford the stuff so I didn't get involved even when his page offered $70 off the first offer. If we get home too close to dinner time and I can put frozen wings and fries in the oven while I do other things. Or if I'm willing to spend 10 bucks for each of us, we stop at Sarky's for takeout. This place is the best!! Philly cheese stake and fries that didn't leave me hungry and even tho Donna says she doesn't get excited by food, she said that I have to try the burger (8oz).
comment by jjoohhnn on Sept 22, 2018 11:46 AM ()
It's worth getting the 'trial' week--and then canceling---trust me. no one is going to take the time to make the plate look like they show it but most of the dished taste good. Plus, not that I am saying anything, it would work for people wanting to lose weight IF they could stick to the portion size!
reply by greatmartin on Sept 22, 2018 2:39 PM ()

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