Its goal is to make “cooking accessible to everyone.” The company sources its food from more than 150 farmers. Here’s a quick rundown of several boxes that I tried.īlue Apron is arguably the best known of the boxed meal companies. The typical meal box from leading names such as Blue Apron and Chef’d that feeds two people can cost anywhere from $10.00 to $35.00. One or two of these companies uses recycled packaging, but others don’t.Īnd, some people might balk at the prices. There is so much packaging- there’s the large box the food comes in, the insulated layer that protects the food from the box, the freezer packs, and every ingredient packaged in its own little plastic container. The good ones introduced me to new flavors and a new technique or two, and the bad ones … well, they tasted like airline food from the 80’s.īut, for me, the biggest downside of shopping and cooking like this is the environmental impact. I was truly caught off-guard by the quality and ease of some of these boxed meals. I love putting simple homemade meals on my family table (it’s been my life’s work for close to 40 years). I love shopping for seasonal, fresh ingredients. And, I’ll admit, I was really ready to hate them. So, I decided to try out a few of these boxed meals. Some of these companies offer organic or natural foods, but there are big differences between them. You’re sent a box full of ingredients and the recipes you need to make one, two or three meals all you supply are the salt, pepper and oil. There are dozens of them, following the same scenario. A Sampling Of Boxed Meal Companies by Kathy Gunstīoxed meal delivery companies seem to be taking the country by storm. But how good are the meals? Resident chef Kathy Gunst has been checking out a multitude of meal kits and brings Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson a few dishes to sample. This is not a fantasy about hiring a private chef. They’ve provided a well written recipe card, and figured out exactly how you can cook your meal in the shortest time possible. Someone has shopped for you, and measured out exactly what you need. Imagine coming home at the end of a long work day. (Kathy Gunst/Here & Now) This article is more than 6 years old. Ngredients and packaging from a Blue Apron meal box for three meals.