Are Meal Delivery Services Worth It?

Are any of those popular meal delivery services worth it? 

I'm not sure, but i'll let you know.

Ultimately i have decided to try a meal delivery service because i'm a little bored of eating the same things and I really need to start cooking instead of eating out all the time. Also, I HATE THE GROCERY STORE.

For those who actually know me in real life, i'm sure it comes as a surprise that I have decided to jump onto the meal delivery service bandwagon especially because I don't like a lot of foods and I don't really cook. I have always been a very picky eater. I don't like certain meats, cooked vegetables, lots of spices, weird sauces, etc. I do like fresh fruit and all carbs. Sugar and carbs, i'll eat them all. I will be honest in saying that my lack of desire to cook has more to do with laziness than ability. I don't consider myself to be lazy person at work or school but when i'm home I like to relax and most of the time I don't find cooking to be the way to do that.

What do I eat if I don't cook? Takeout. We will cook at home occasionally, especially this time of year because we can grill, but not nearly as much as we should. I'd say about 4-5 dinners per week are takeout (you don't even want to know about lunch) that mostly include Chipotle, Pizza, Thai Food, or Burgers. Takeout has also been especially easy because it requires no prep time. When I am hungry I WANT FOOD NOW and it has really enabled that behavior.


So, in an effort to switch up our foods and change some not so great habits I have decided to try as many of these services as possible in hopes of finding one that I like and might want to stick with for at least a little while. I want to determine:

1. Which one fits my lifestyle and meal preferences the best?
The reason I want to try so many is because as much as I love reading reviews, I also like to be able to form my own opinions. Just because something worked great for someone else doesn't mean I will have the same experience.

As you will soon learn, my cooking desire and ability and picky tastes can make meal times somewhat difficult so finding the fit for my life will be essential in continuing using any of these. If the recipes take too long, are too complicated, or include foods I just won't eat, it doesn't make sense to pay for something I won't use no matter how convenient the service is.

2. Are they cheaper than grocery shopping?
More often than not, the first comment I read on every Facebook Ad i've seen for these boxes has to do with it being cheaper if you buy it yourself at the grocery store. In some cases, i'm sure that is true. I have never been one to price out my groceries per meal/serving but I will do my best to compare pricing so I can better answer this question. I expect that these services are slightly more expensive than purchasing the ingredients yourself because you are really paying for the convenience of the service and not just the food.

3. Are they worth it?
I think this is what everyone is wondering and for some it goes along with the price being cheaper than the grocery store. For me, deciding if it is worth it will be about the value for the price instead of just the price. As long as I like it and believe it is a good value, I am willing to pay a little more for the added convenience of not having to go to the grocery store.

The Chosen Meal Delivery Services and Review Process

I have picked a handful to try which I believe are also the more popular meal delivery services. Popularity was one of the reasons I picked them but the real determining factor was the promotional codes offered. All of the ones I signed up for offered about 50% (or more) off on the first box making it affordable enough to give it a try without losing too much if I hate it.

I will be trying:
Hello Fresh
Blue Apron
Home Chef
Green Chef

For each of these I have chosen to receive 3 meals per week for 2 people which is the smallest option available. As I try all of these I am going to share my experience and thoughts of the presentation/packaging, freshness, food choice, cook/prep time, taste, and clean up.


Stay tuned for my journey into actually cooking and (hopefully) eating better.