Dinner Plans? Solved! With These Easy Meal Services

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As busy moms, it is nice to have a simple, tasty plan for dinner every night that does not always involve meal planning, grocery shopping, and ingredient prep. Some nights, especially during busy times like the start of a new school year, simple is best! Having tried a few different meal services, I wanted to compare how each one added up, in my opinion.

Blue Apron

This was the first meal delivery service I tried, about four years ago. Blue Apron delivers a box of ingredients and a recipe card, and you cook the meal according to the instructions on the card. They offer a two-person meal plan, with either two or three recipes per week, as well as a family plan that serves four people, with either two, three, or four recipes per week. Vegetarian options are available. They also offer a wine pairing option, that is available for monthly subscription.

My favorite thing about Blue Apron was convenience, and the unique ingredients they highlight in each recipe. However, I found that I did not recreate the recipes, or make them again, since the special ingredients were not typically things I shopped for or had on hand. With that said, Blue Apron offers some great meal choices, which are fun for a date night spend cooking with your significant other, or preparing food for your family. I liked that these meals were more similar to something I might order at a restaurant, rather than something I typically cook at home.

Hello Fresh

I initially tried Hello Fresh by accident, when one of my neighbors forgot to cancel her delivery while she was out of town. She asked me to pick up the box of food by her front door, and I happily thanked my friend, and cooked what was inside for dinner the following night. Similar to Blue Apron, Hello Fresh offers either a family plan or a plan for two people, with two, three, or four recipes per week. The price point is comparable to Blue Apron, and they also offer a vegetarian plan, as well as wine pairings.

The biggest difference I found with Hello Fresh is that the meals were simpler, and closer to what I might cook for dinner myself. Although both services estimate it should take about 30 minutes to cook a meal, with Blue Apron it actually took me a little bit longer, and Hello Fresh was a bit simpler to prepare. 

Purple Carrot

Purple Carrot offers a similar service to those described above, with a notable difference: all of their recipes are plant-based. While Blue Apron and Hello Fresh do offer veggie options, all of the recipes from Purple Carrot are vegan, and thus meat and dairy-free. They also have high protein, and gluten-free options. The gluten-free plan, called TB-12, was developed in partnership with Tom Brady, and follows his style of eating that helps support energy levels and peak athletic performance.

They offer one plan containing three dinners, for two people, each week. The price point is slightly higher than Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. I found these meals to be unique, fun to cook, and more creative than non-vegan recipes. They were also quite satisfying, with large portion sizes.

Fit Food Fresh

While the three services I have mentioned so far deliver a box of raw ingredients, Fit Food Fresh offers fully prepared meals. They are a local company, based in Boca Raton, that delivers to all of South Florida. After I gave birth to my younger son in May 2017, a friend gave me a gift certificate, and it was a great way to eat healthy during those precious newborn days.

Fit Food Fresh offers a variety of weekly menu choices, including: Healthy Gourmet, Ketogenic/Paleo, Vegan, Crazy Clean, Favorites, Breakfast, Desserts, Snacks, and even a Kids’ Menu. I like that the menu is customizable to suit any style of eating, and includes many options. They deliver on Mondays and Thursdays, and you receive a prepared, healthy meal, for about the same price as takeout.

While this is not a sponsored post, Fit Food Fresh has offered a special discount to blog readers of Palm Beach Moms Blog. If you mention this post, you will receive $25 off your first order.

If you try, or have tried, any of these meal services, enjoy!

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Christen Thompson
Christen Thompson is an attorney and the co-owner of Palm Beach Mom Collective. She lives in Palm Beach Gardens with her husband, professional golfer and PGA TOUR player Nicholas Thompson, and their two children. She enjoys spending time with her family, watching golf, going to the beach, reading, writing, and volunteering with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Nicholas and Christen Thompson Foundation, is the local affiliate of the Imagination Library in Palm Beach County. Learn more at www.thompsonfoundationfl.com.