I love meal subscription boxes. There, I’ve said it out loud. When these meal plans started popping up in my newsfeed, I was skeptical, uncertain of the quality, the shipping process, the variety. But not long after the first couple of boxes were consumed, I began creating a strategy to use them often. If you’re interested in joining me as a meal subscription junkie, here are a few tips:
Try some different options.
We have tried at least six different plans before settling on the three we really enjoy. Some provided recipes that were a little too difficult or time-consuming to follow; some just did not taste good to us; some we didn’t even finish. I highly recommend that you take advantage of the sign-up discounts and try a few to see what suits your tastes and cooking skills.
Have an ordering strategy.
Once you determine which plans you like, you need to take advantage of the calendaring options within the plans to determine which weeks you want to have a shipment and which weeks you will skip. Most plans make it easy to skip a week so you are not obligated to buy every week, and you can even de-activate if you find you will not be using for a while. I put a reminder on my calendar once a month to update the ordering for the next month, paying attention to when we’ll be out of town or when we have lots of social obligations.
Explore new foods.
One of the most beneficial aspects of meal subscriptions is the variety they inject into your diet. I don’t know about you, but I have a standard repertoire of meals that I go to again and again. The subscriptions have encouraged us to try knew flavors and preparation methods that we even take into our regular cooking routine. In fact, this week I’ve learned to cook my rice with minced garlic and then stir chopped chard and dates into the warm rice – delicious!
Save some money.
Yes, we have discovered that our grocery bill has been significantly reduced, along with our dining out budget. Having those meals sitting in the fridge makes us accountable to prepare them because they are PAID FOR – huge motivation. We also don’t buy a bunch of stuff that we ultimately throw away, and we keep mostly staples for breakfast and lunch. Plus, if you have an ordering strategy and a rotation of plans, you will receive regular coupons from your favorites.
You might think that a meal subscription plan is not for you and your family. Granted, we are empty nesters, cooking for two, and the plans fit our lifestyle particularly well. But you parents of picky toddlers, who are munching on chicken nuggets and apple slices because that is all your kid will eat – imagine preparing a lovely herb-basted chicken breast with sautéed spring veggies (in just 30 minutes) to enjoy instead. Can you picture that?
I’m committed to my meal subscription junkie status. I love that someone else plans the meals, does the shopping, and makes the cooking so simple that my husband and daughter are confident in the kitchen. I love that we do not waste food that we buy thinking we will cook. I love that we are accountable for cooking a meal instead of throwing in the towel and ordering take-out. I love discovering new flavors and techniques.
If you want to join me, comment below or DM your e-mail to me and I’ll share some free-trial coupons from my three favorites. Happy cooking!
