The best recipe boxes and meal delivery kits – from healthy options to indulgent weekend dinners

Recipe box FAQ

What is the cheapest recipe box?

“Currently the cheapest appears to be Gousto,” says nutritionist Alex Allan. “Simply Cook seems cheaper, but you’ll need to provide four or five of your own fresh ingredients like meat, vegetables and rice or noodles to complete each recipe, which will add to the overall cost.

“Riverford comes out as the most expensive but the ingredients are all organic and sustainably grown and you don’t need to provide anything yourself other than oil or seasoning.”

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It’s worth noting that most recipe box companies will give you an introductory offer, for instance Hello Fresh offers 60 per cent off your first box and 25 per cent off the next eight. Alex makes the point that it’s worth asking around your friends to see if they can pass on any referral codes.

Which recipe box is best for weight loss?

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“Green Chef offers keto and low carb recipe boxes, which can be very helpful if you’re looking to lose weight or manage metabolic disease. Mindful Chef gives details on macros and calories when you’re ordering and has recipes specially designed by Diabetes UK,” explains Alex.

Nutritionist Thalia Pellegrini adds, “Both Gousto and Hello Fresh offer categories of recipes that are lower calorie. This may be helpful if you’re trying to lose weight.”

Are meal delivery services worth it?

Thalia says, “If you buy a recipe box and cook the meals, there’s zero waste. If you shop for a week without planning, you may well find you have food you haven’t used at the end of a week which then goes to waste. Personally, I tried recipe boxes and loved the idea of them, and the meals were varied and delicious – but I assumed I’d always be up for cooking them, which I wasn’t always.”

Alex Allan adds that recipe boxes are useful for providing balanced meals and shaking you out of your comfort zone. It’s all too easy to get into the habit of eating the same four meals on repeat. “And we can’t ignore how incredibly convenient they are,” she says. “Sometimes just trying to think what to eat and find is exhausting, this takes out all of that work and might stop you from reaching for the takeaway menus.

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Both Thalia and Alex note the sustainability isn’t necessarily there yet: meals arrive in single-serve packaging or use frozen gel packs to keep meat and fish cool, which are not always recyclable.

“Thankfully, many of the companies have taken this on board, with Pasta Evangelists moving to 100 per cent compostable or recyclable packaging, with recyclable, paper-based insulation. Riverford have moved one third of their dry ingredients from plastic to paper packaging, they have a Very Low Plastic Box, plus they tell you how to recycle everything. Hello Fresh have launched Climate Conscious recipes in their boxes. Mindful Chef operate a zero per cent food waste model. And Gousto have devised an edible stock sachet. So watch this space,” explains Alex.

How do I get the most out of a healthy meal delivery service?

Thalia offers some very practical advice: “Variety is key for any balanced diet, so I’d encourage changing up your meals week on week rather than falling back on the same favourites. Also, be realistic about what you’ll cook. How much time do you want to spend in the kitchen? Choose meals that reflect the time you have or want to spend on a meal.”

Alex adds, “I would think about why you’re ordering, as this can help you decide which one to go for. Is it for health? Weight loss? Or convenience? Don’t be afraid to cancel it and switch up to another provider if you’re not loving it.”

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe