These Meal Kits Are the Easiest Way to Overcome “New Ingredient Commitment Phobia”
No matter how much you love to cook, dinnertime fatigue is a real threat. The nightly process can take on Groundhog’s Day-esque implications as you rotate through the same cast of go-to dishes and familiar ingredients, wondering how to snap yourself out of your standby state.
One amazingly easy way to diversify your repertoire without spending a fortune is with Blue Apron meal kits. Many available in both two- and four-serving sizes, these sous chefs in a box are not only a fun and flexible way to mix up your evening routine; they’re also a low-commitment option to experiment with ingredients you might not already have on hand.
Perhaps you’re hesitant to pick up a whole tub of gochujang to fit in your already-crowded refrigerator door. Blue Apron’s Gochujang Chicken Stir Fry lets you take the beloved Korean condiment for a temporary test drive. The same is true for both the Calabrian Chili Shrimp & Couscous — which combines crowd-pleasing shellfish and grains with a dash of spicy southern Italian chili paste — and the togarashi-flecked roasted carrots you’ll make alongside the Seared Steaks & Soy Glaze.
It’s especially fun to introduce different ingredients or condiments to dishes you already know and love. Topping Blue Apron’s Beef Enchiladas Rojas with spoonfuls of guajillo chili sauce brings Mexico’s iconic dried mirasol peppers to your table with ease. And red peppers beneath melted fontina cheese are the perfect vehicle for smoky romesco sauce in the Lentil & Farro Stuffed Peppers.
Think meatloaf is boring? Think again. Blue Apron’s tender pork version is spiked with vadouvan curry powder and topped with a spicy-sweet glaze made from honey, ketchup, and piquant tomato achaar, the red chili spread made with tamarind and other spices popular in Indian cooking. Burgers get a plant-based makeover in the White Cheddar Beyond Burgers™, which top plant-based patties with melted cheese and balsamic-glazed onions, served alongside potato wedges and homemade spicy ketchup.
Once you start experimenting with different ingredients and expanding your home’s cuisines, you start to reconsider your old standbys and find all sorts of new favorites along the way. And even if you do find yourself stuck in a rut again, you know how easy it is to get out!