I think just about anyone can relate to this conversation:
- “What do you want to do for dinner?” I asked my wife as she was driving home from work.
- “I don’t care… what do you want to do?”
This is typical for us, and it usually ends up with one of three options:
Where to go for dinner
- Swing by Publix and pick something up, which usually ends in a $100+ “quick run” to the store (Downside: we spend way too much money!)
- A stop at our local fast food spot to get a burger or fried chicken of some sort (Downside: Usually unhealthy)
- Or we go out to a sit-down dinner and spend a quick $35 (Downside: Expensive and keeps us out late)
There has got to be a better way…
A healthy dinner option for body, life, and wallet
…And there is! Finally, the food industry is picking up on millennials who don’t have the time to shop or piece together complicated healthy meals. Enter: Meal Kits. Consistent, well rounded meals that are sent right to you, some assembly required. These meal kits offer a balance between time and money; some meals cost as low as $8.00 per serving. Plus, you spend much less time at the grocery store (none in fact), you spend less time on meal prep, and still enjoy high-quality, home cooked food. If you don’t enjoy researching recipes or shopping for ingredients, meal kits bypass these steps entirely.
Why meal prep kits are great, even if you can cook from scratch
I should say that my wife is an AMAZING cook, I love every meal that she makes and no, I’m not “just saying that!” (Her food is magical.) The problem is that our work/social lives don’t give us the time we need for her to prep a healthy homemade meal every single evening. Meal kits have also provided me the ability to carry my weight when it comes to making dinner. And for you guys who are saying you can’t cook; well, I’m no master chef, but I CAN follow directions. Meal kits give you step by step instructions – in fact, they are pretty easy and (don’t tell my wife) kind of fun. They give you the exact amount of ingredients you need to cook a healthy meal and are efficient, too.
Wait, aren’t meal kits expensive?
But they cost so much, you might say to yourself. However, according to a new study by Atlanta-based credit and debit card spending analysis firm Cardlytics, subscribers to meal kit services are spending 6 percent less at supermarkets than they did before using the service.
This is due to spending less time at the grocery store in general – plus not picking up all those “extra” items on impulse that weren’t on your list but you just had to have. Those impulse purchases really add up.
Getting started with meal kits
In my experience, my wife and I have found that meal kits actually save us money on our groceries, save us time on preparation, and still allow us to eat healthy. Meaning it’s as good for our bodies as it is for our balance sheet. So how do you get started?
Most providers deliver to your door and do require a subscription. However, some grocers are evolving into this market. Our local Southgate Publix has Apron’s Meal kits available near the front of the store, no subscription required. If your local grocer offers this, it’s a great way to easily try out the benefits. Get cookin’!
July 2018
