Food delivery used to mean calling a local restaurant that offered the service, placing your order, and waiting for it to come to your door. While you can still order restaurant delivery from your favorite eateries, you can also order groceries, pre-measured ingredients, and pre-cooked meals for delivery.
Because of apps like GrubHub and Instacart, you can now get delivery from takeout-only restaurants, grocery stores, and meal-kit businesses. Food delivery apps may be a lifesaver if it is difficult for you to leave the house, do not have transportation, or are busy managing life. Find out how you can get different types of food delivered to your door and what to expect from delivery services.
How much time do you spend on food planning? Thinking about meals, driving to the store, and buying food could take at least a couple of hours a week. Add in a few more hours if you want to meal prep, or make food to last several days or the entire week.
You can save time and hassle with a prepared meal delivery service that sends packaged dishes you enjoy. Delivered prepared meals make decision-making, shopping, and food prep easier and quicker.
Whether you’re a master chef or a novice in the kitchen, you can find a meal delivery type that meets your abilities.
· Ready-to-cook meal kits come with a recipe and chilled, pre-measured ingredients for easy-to-make dishes. Meal kits are a convenient option if you like to cook. Many companies let you select your cooking experience level, so you can learn the basics or improve your kitchen skills. Kits give you more freedom, so you can add your favorite spices and herbs or substitute ingredients.
· Ready-to-eat deliveries are frozen or refrigerated pre-cooked meals that only require a quick warm up in a microwave or oven. Prepared meal delivery is a quick way to eat a delicious dish without putting in the work.
Prepared meal delivery services can eliminate grocery shopping, driving, and eating out at expensive restaurants. If you need more meal ideas, recipes can fuel your creativity. For instance, you can choose low carb meal delivery kits that show you how to substitute portobello mushrooms for hamburger buns and cauliflower for pastas.
The best home meal delivery kits let you specify your diet type, food preferences, and allergies. Select companies focus on specific dietary preferences. For example, you can choose keto meal delivery that only offers low-carb and high-fat dishes.
You can usually select portions in pairs, such as two or four people. Plus, delivery providers may allow you to select meals weeks or months in advance.
Here are some of the most popular meal delivery options.
· Hello Fresh meals are non-frozen, pre-measured ingredients you prepare on the stove. Weekly meal plans can be for two or four people, and you can choose between two or six recipes. You can filter recipes by your diet, time, or household, such as wholesome, quick, and family-friendly meals.
· Freshly meals are pre-cooked (but not frozen) meals that you heat in a microwave. Weekly plans are between four and 12 meals, and you can choose options based on your dietary needs, such as vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, and low-calorie.
· The Home Chef menu includes meal kits and no-prep recipes. Home Chef deals with dietary preferences like low-carb and low-calorie, and you can also select certain foods you want to avoid, like peanuts, shellfish, and pork.
· Blue Apron offers fresh meal kits and ready-to-eat options. The company has dietary options like Mediterranean meals, meals under 30 minutes, and Weight Watcher-recommended suggestions.
Meal delivery providers often have discounts around holidays. You can find Home Chef and Blue Apron deals fairly often throughout the year.
You can find the right diet delivery meal service for you when you compare the following options between providers:
· Meal types, like ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook.
· Meal options, like breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and dessert.
· Dietary needs and preference options, such as gluten-free and paleo meals.
· Menu variety because repetitive meals become boring fast.
· Dish complexity, like trying new types of food and ingredients.
· Portion sizes, such as offering individual- and family-size meals.
· Nutritional and ingredient quality, including food source and the nutritional facts listed
· Green and sustainable, since meals require a lot of packaging.
· Price, including if buying more meals lowers the overall price.
· Delivery area since not all companies are available nationwide.
· Reviews from former customers on third-party websites.
Does your favorite restaurant offer delivery? If not, you may still be able to get it delivered, thanks to food delivery apps.
