Meal Delivery Services

[MamaMansa]

Which ones are your favorites?

The only service I've tried is Gobble, and we had a terrible experience (although my sister had a wonderful experience, so it may have just been my bad luck).

I'm looking for a reasonably priced service that requires the least amount of prep time. If I have to chop my own veggies, etc. I might as well just cook regular meals.

Does such a service exist? Box to oven?

[twoplustwo]

We did Hello Fresh but wasn't super happy but liked the box coming and have a few meals ready for the week. Liked it enough to try another one. Someone, here I believe, recommended the Martha Stewart one so maybe I need to do that one.

[ECingMama]

I’ve enjoyed Dinnerly and plan to try Every Plate next.

[MamaMansa]

Originally Posted by ECingMama

I’ve enjoyed Dinnerly and plan to try Every Plate next.

Is there a lot of prep involved with Dinnerly? With Gobble, the recipes would state that prep and cooking could be done in 30 minutes...the first meal took me almost 2 hours. The food was good, but the time spent making it was way underestimated.

[JoannaV]

Home Chef has oven-ready meals (not sure how/if they differ from the ones they now sell in grocery stores too). It looks like Hello Fresh might now offer some oven-ready meals and others that are "lightning prep". Blue Apron also seems to be advertising quicker meals, but can't tell if they actually are - so maybe not haha.
Those are the three meal kit delivery services I've tried in the past, but I never tried any oven-ready stuff.

[Elibellamiah]

I've been using Dinnerly for the past month or so. I found it took me a long time to make the meals at first but it's gotten quicker. Still it takes longer than they estimate.
I've also used Hungryroot. Almost everything from them was quick and easy to prepare and you can customize your order. I enjoyed most of it and felt good about how healthy I was eating, but my family hated it.

[MamaMansa]

Originally Posted by Elibellamiah

I've been using Dinnerly for the past month or so. I found it took me a long time to make the meals at first but it's gotten quicker. Still it takes longer than they estimate.
I've also used Hungryroot. Almost everything from them was quick and easy to prepare and you can customize your order. I enjoyed most of it and felt good about how healthy I was eating, but my family hated it.

How long does it take you now that you've been using them for a while?

[ECingMama]

Originally Posted by MamaMansa

Is there a lot of prep involved with Dinnerly? With Gobble, the recipes would state that prep and cooking could be done in 30 minutes...the first meal took me almost 2 hours. The food was good, but the time spent making it was way underestimated.

Hmmm. We got them for my family to learn to cook. They are easy for me (when my family doesn’t cook them). My MIL got them too, and she isn’t an accomplished cook. She’s enjoyed them. Some are too easy for me.

If it’s just for surgery season, I’d maybe get oven ready dishes.

[twoplustwo]

Just signed up for Dinnerly. Will start next week.

[heartofjoy]

I have used Marley Spoon and Hello Fresh successfully. They were both excellent as far as meals go. I think they took about the estimated time but I cook dinner almost every single day and I enjoy using new recipes, so I'm more experienced than many people. I liked learning some new techniques. You can read the recipes ahead of time to see how much chopping is involved. I don't mind cutting vegetables. I did the meal services for ease of planning/shopping and for something new.

I tried Dinnerly but I found the meals boring to the point that I could just make them with stuff on hand. It seemed a waste to pay for it even though it's by far the cheapest of the ones I've done.

I tried Home Chef and that one was expensive AND the meals were much fussier and I thought the time required was not as accurate. This one has the option for 6 servings though!

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[twoplustwo]

Originally Posted by heartofjoy

You can read the recipes ahead of time to see how much chopping is involved. I don't mind cutting vegetables. I did the meal services for ease of planning/shopping and for something new.

I tried Dinnerly but I found the meals boring to the point that I could just make them with stuff on hand. It seemed a waste to pay for it even though it's by far the cheapest of the ones I've done.

As a moderate level cook (bot beginner not expert) I found reading the recipes ahead of time for Hello Fresh helpful and was successful when I did that.

I also don't mind cutting veggies and if its a lot have dh help me.

I also do meal service for ease of planning / shopping and try something new.

I am disappointed to find that Dinnerly may be boring. THAT was what I liked about Hello Fresh - something different. I did notice one of my dinnerly meals looked so boring to the point of "what is this a kids menu meal?" but changed it out for an asian / noodle dish so maybe itll learn my tastes and will get the more "adventurous" meals. I didn't pick adventurous (I didn't pick anything, just left it in the middle of all the choices) - but can maybe can go back and change that. .

[ECingMama]

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

As a moderate level cook (bot beginner not expert) I found reading the recipes ahead of time for Hello Fresh helpful and was successful when I did that.

I also don't mind cutting veggies and if its a lot have dh help me.

I also do meal service for ease of planning / shopping and try something new.

I am disappointed to find that Dinnerly may be boring. THAT was what I liked about Hello Fresh - something different. I did notice one of my dinnerly meals looked so boring to the point of "what is this a kids menu meal?" but changed it out for an asian / noodle dish so maybe itll learn my tastes and will get the more "adventurous" meals. I didn't pick adventurous (I didn't pick anything, just left it in the middle of all the choices) - but can maybe can go back and change that. .

It’s very important to look at the Dinnerly recipes carefully. I avoid the boring ones after one dud.

[heartofjoy]

I only did 1 or 2 weeks of Dinnerly after doing two months of the other two, so my perception might be a little off as well.

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[ECingMama]

Originally Posted by heartofjoy

I only did 1 or 2 weeks of Dinnerly after doing two months of the other two, so my perception might be a little off as well.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

If *I* were doing the cooking, I'd want fancier. *I* got Dinnerly so my husband, who can't cook, could learn and my children could help him. We also got the boxes when we had a brand new, raw-fed puppy. I was glad for the break from dinner. I'd only order boxes in the winter when I'm already tired of things because of the darkness.

I have 3 free Dinnerly boxes if anyone wants one. I need your email.

[MamaMansa]

Originally Posted by ECingMama

If *I* were doing the cooking, I'd want fancier. *I* got Dinnerly so my husband, who can't cook, could learn and my children could help him. We also got the boxes when we had a brand new, raw-fed puppy. I was glad for the break from dinner. I'd only order boxes in the winter when I'm already tired of things because of the darkness.

I have 3 free Dinnerly boxes if anyone wants one. I need your email.

I’d love one! I also just realized that if Dinnerly is new cook friendly, I could have my daughter prepare them after DH’s surgery. Are there any meals or meal types to avoid there?