Meal Kit Companies

[Cyclone6]

Do any of you use a meal kit service, like Hello Fresh? I'm having a hard time finding an answer to this question I have. Do any of these meal kit services allow you to tell them to exclude certain common ingredients? For example, I don't need a small packet of black pepper, since I already have that ingredient at home. It would make me feel better about the amount of packaging if I could have them omit these ingredients that I already have.

 

[RoseSki]

I tried Hello Fresh and Sunbasket a few years ago. If I remember correctly, they don't ship common ingredients (salt, pepper, olive oil, butter), as they expect you to have it already. That said, I still found the amount of packaging excessive (e.g., individually plastic wrapped portions of green beans or other veg).

 

[altagirl]

I've tried several but have never seen one that lets you customize like that. Some just assume you have basics, but from what I've tried they don't let you modify things beyond picking the meals.

 

[knolan12]

We use Hungryroot - it's more of a grocery delivery vs. a meal kit. You get to choose different recipes from their database and can supplement with other items you need. Even if you choose say fajita bowls for a dinner recipe, you can edit the final grocery list to leave out chicken if you already have it.

I'm only marginally happy with them, like a 3/5. There was a time the deliveries were consistently a day late and items do get forgotten from our order. I found it really handy right after I had my daughter as the recipes are simple and quick. We don't order from them every week anymore, but I'll use it in a bind or to stock up on certain items (their pre-cooked chicken is delish).

 

[Pequenita]

I've been using Sunbasket for about 6 years. It does not include salt, pepper, oil, or butter. What it does include are bases that you add oil to. Depending on the recipe, it will also include farro, quinoa, rice, flour, potato starch, sesame seeds, various dried ground peppers (e.g., urfa chili, smoked paprika), etc. You are unable to tell them not to include these.

I previously had concerns with the packaging, but for me, it is offset by the lack of food waste associated with cooking for one.

 

[Cyclone6]

I've been using Sunbasket for about 6 years. It does not include salt, pepper, oil, or butter. What it does include are bases that you add oil to. Depending on the recipe, it will also include farro, quinoa, rice, flour, potato starch, sesame seeds, various dried ground peppers (e.g., urfa chili, smoked paprika), etc. You are unable to tell them not to include these.

I previously had concerns with the packaging, but for me, it is offset by the lack of food waste associated with cooking for one.

Yeah, food waste is a concern for me as well, but also, I hate hate hate having to decide what to cook! We end up eating the same things all the time as a result. I'd like to take advantage of the convenience aspect and mix up our diet a bit.