Weeknights are busy. We know this. And while we try to have ingredients on hand and employ a few tips and tricks to speed up the process, sometimes all we want to do is pick up something on our way home, or order in. But for some people, there's a 3rd option: ready-to-cook dinner kits delivered to their door, providing everything but the cook. Have you ever tried a service like this? Would you?
I read an article recently in The New York Times about these dinner delivery services, particularly Plated, Blue Apron, ChefDay!, and HelloFresh. These kits provide all the ingredients needed to make a particular meal, all measured out, chopped, and chilled. All that's required of the cook at that point is to open the box and follow the recipe.
As the Times says, these services promise "to relieve Americans of kitchen drudgery while retaining the flavor and cachet of home cooking." They're aiming for "a sweet spot" somewhere between buying and cooking everything yourself, and ordering restaurant delivery. In other words, when people feel too exhausted to find a recipe and make dinner from scratch, yet they don't want to order takeout or have processed heat-and-eat meals, this is the next best thing.
But is it? Not surprisingly, these kits are more expensive than if you were to buy and assemble the meal yourself. The meals cost $7 to about $17.50 a serving, or "more than it would cost to buy the raw ingredients at FreshDirect or Whole Foods," according to the Times. But the companies maintain that their way saves money in the long run by reducing food waste: "There is no need, say, to buy a jar of curry powder when only half a teaspoon is called for."
What do you think? Is the time and streamlined-process worth it for a home-cooked meal even if it is more expensive? Have you ever used a service like this? Would you?
Read More: Everything But The Cook | The New York Times
Related: Have You Ever Priced a Home-Cooked Meal?
(Images: Plated)
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
10 No-Fail Decor Tricks & Tips for Small Spaces
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
A few years ago, I probably would .. however, now, I make the time to cook. It's not that difficult to work some cooking time into your schedule, no matter what your schedule is :D
I used a vegetarian one for a while. But the food ended up not being seasoned to my taste and not particularly hearty so I dropped it.
this takes the joy out of planning and shopping for me. i would also like to inspect all of the produce before i spend a dime, only because reasons.
this kind of service would definitely make sense though, if i were pregnant or just had a baby so i wouldn't have to leave the house.
If you're going to pay a premium and have some of the work taken out, I'd just order out. I don't find throwing a meal together that hard. I don't have kids though.
A few months ago when my twins were just born this would have been a godsend. Maybe not every day of the week, but 2-3 times a week would have been great. And I beg to differ with the "no matter what your schedule" comment. Ours was outrageous, and sleep was a scarce commodity. Now that things have settled down a bit, I doubt I'd be willing to pay the premium.
I might not use a service like this, but I occasionally fantasize about one of those services where you get a chef to come into your home and prepare a week's worth of meals for you, that you can just heat and serve, with maybe some minimal preparation. Healthier than ordering in, faster than doing it yourself.
If I'm cooking, I want to experience the whole cooking process. If it's already being delivered, I may as well get take out. My girlfriend and I live in an area with several nice restaurants that deliver, so it's a no-brainer for us.
I can see why someone would get this service if they didn't enjoy all the elements of making a meal. Also, is there a surprise element to these services? I can also see the value if you don't know what you're getting. That'd be fun.
With a new baby, yes. Otherwise too expensive.
Our local organic delivery service (Greenling) does many vegan read-to-make meals and they are AWESOME. Use it all the time!
No. If I was going to get something delivered, why not just get regular delivery. There's a lot more out there than Pizza Hut. If I was going to cook anyway, why spend more. You still have to do the washing up and that, to me, is the most annoying thing about cooking.
I get a Blue Apron once in a while if I want to spoil myself. I love to cook but I hate planning and food shopping so it works for me. Plus, it lets me try dishes that I might not otherwise make on my own.
I have no interest in this, but I'd take in a heartbeat a service that would do regular grocery shopping for us.
It's not delivered, but I buy premade food from three stone hearth. It's incredibly expensive but delicious. I also shop at places like birite- gourmet deli food. Sometimes there isn't time to cook and it's easy to pick up a meal and ingredients for future meals.
I think I'd give it a try if I needed it. (I work from home, but have plenty of time to do the shopping and chopping.) My local grocery store always has something like this inside the front door - ingredients for pizza or stirfry basically all ready to go. I think this is the same sort of thing, enough work in the kitchen to make it feel homemade!
I wouldn't use one, but it's the sort of thing I'd dream of selling to others. For me, the best part of cooking is the excitement of trying a new recipe or ingredient, the challenge of adapting it to my tastes (or available ingredients in the house), and the reward of a successful dish. This service takes away all of that. So, if that part is gone, I may as well indulge in the true convenience of a freezer meal or takeout (depending on budget).
Before they closed up - I used Pop Up Pantry. It was a 3 course meal fully prepared and flash frozen and was AMAZING. All created by high end chefs and using local (CA) ingredients. It was the cost of a meal out, with the convenience of eating in and I loved it.
As far as this - with just all the ingredients and you just assemble, I'm not sure as I'd be so inclined as part of the allure of the above was hubby (who can barely boil a hot dog and doesn't want to compete w/ my skills anyway) could set up a meal when I worked late. So I think I'd just stick to continuing to buy my own stuff and prep for the price.