I Tried Blue Apron Meal Kits for a Week—Here’s How They Fit Into Real Life Leave a comment

This text is sponsored by Blue Apron. All opinions offered are the writer’s personal.

Meal planning usually sounds simpler than it’s. Between busy workdays, restricted time to prepare dinner, and wanting meals that really feel each satisfying and balanced, it’s simple to fall into the identical routine. To see how a meal package may realistically match into on a regular basis life, I spent every week cooking with Blue Apron.

To set the stage – I wish to make clear this was my first time attempting Blue Apron. I approached the week each as a house prepare dinner and as a registered dietitian, taking note of the main points that are likely to matter most daily—prep time, balanced diet, portioning, flexibility, and naturally, total enjoyment.

Right here’s what stood out.

Why I Tried Blue Apron

Once I was requested to evaluate every week’s price of meals from Blue Apron, I used to be curious to see how a set of meal kits would stack up towards the normal recipes I like to make at residence. I like to prepare dinner and I’m all the time up for attempting a brand new recipe however I’m fairly specific concerning the high quality of produce and meat that I deliver into my residence. I’d heard good issues about their meal kits however wished to judge the meals by way of my private {and professional} lens as a registered dietitian. 

What made it particularly approachable was that Blue Apron not requires a subscription. With the ability to attempt the meals with out committing to weekly deliveries made it really feel like a low-pressure solution to experiment with one thing new—notably for anybody seeking to make extra sustainable, long-term adjustments moderately than leaping into an all-or-nothing plan. 

I picked a variety of meals with totally different proteins and preparation types, together with conventional meal kits and assemble-and-bake choices. Supply went easily, and substances arrived contemporary. Some proteins had been partially frozen, which truly made it simpler to determine which meals to prepare dinner first and which proteins to retailer frozen till I had time to arrange that specific meal package.

Every meal got here packaged as a two-serving package, which made portioning easy and predictable. I flag this as a result of if you happen to order a meal package with 4 servings – it’s going to nonetheless arrive in a two-person serving bundle so you’ll be able to decide to prepare dinner the 4 servings to feed your entire household or just prepare dinner two servings if you happen to’re not feeding a gaggle and save the second meal package for later. 

No Guesswork, No Chaos: How It Really Cooked

All through the week, prep and prepare dinner occasions matched what the recipe playing cards promised, which made planning my evenings a lot simpler. In the event you’re quick at chopping produce chances are you’ll even discover your prep time diminished permitting you to get dinner on the desk even sooner than estimated. 

Understanding precisely what I wanted to do from evening to nighttime made the entire course of really feel organized as a substitute of chaotic. Their recipes are chef-crafted but extraordinarily approachable. Directions had been clear and included useful visuals that streamlined the method – particularly if you happen to’re not an avid prepare dinner or if you happen to’re a visible learner. Pre-measured sauces, spices, and seasonings lower down on prep work and meant fewer dishes to scrub afterward. I liked not having tons of measuring cups and spoons together with a number of chopping boards, bowls and extra to scrub after every meal as I historically do when cooking recipes from scratch at residence. However I’ll word, many recipes use comparable cooking instruments – assume saucepot, knife, chopping board, skillet – so if you happen to’re making a brand new recipe every evening don’t go away the dishes sitting round as you’ll want them for the following recipe.

In the event you are likely to fall in to the final minute, “What’s for dinner?” behavior – having structured, easy-to-assemble meal kits, could make it easier to keep extra constant along with your diet and your meal plan every week. 

Did it Ship? My Vitamin Observations

General, the meals I ordered felt balanced and satisfying with the recipes I chosen containing 40 grams of protein or extra per serving serving to me make progress in the direction of my day by day protein objectives. One other nutrient I prioritize when meal planning, fiber, got here by way of within the greens, entire grains, and considerate pairings like facet salads – one thing I generally get pleasure from at dinner —and I might simply add extra produce into any meal I wished.

I paid shut consideration to protein sourcing, notably floor beef, since small variations there can affect total calorie and fats consumption. Blue Apron doesn’t record the lean share whenever you order, so I reached out to their buyer assist group. They responded shortly and defined that their customary floor beef is often a higher-fat mix, whereas the premium possibility is leaner. You may’t choose a precise lean share at checkout, however selecting the premium mix when accessible,  provides you a solution to go leaner if you happen to’re watching your complete calorie or fats consumption whereas monitoring in MyFitnessPal.

Understanding that info made it simpler to make knowledgeable selections whereas nonetheless having fun with meals that highlighted intentional parts leaving me feeling full whereas offering vibrant flavors I liked. 

The Blue Apron Meal Lineup: Hits, Tweaks & Takeaways

Some meals leaned sweeter, saltier or richer than I usually want, however adjusting the sauces or seasonings made it simple to tailor dishes to my liking. I loved the Orange Beef & Wonton Noodles with Bok Choy, for instance, however used rather less sauce to make it my very own. Don’t be afraid to switch a recipe if in case you have a most well-liked cooking oil, sauce or seasoning (I personally prepare dinner with much less salt or swap for low sodium alternate options every time potential) readily available you recognize you or your loved ones will love.  For example, I do know my household enjoys a bit kick of warmth so we opted to all the time use all of the crushed purple pepper flakes or chili crisp when offered and even add a splash of scorching sauce to the completed dish just like the Peanut Udon Stir-Fry to make it our personal! 

Actual Life, Actual Meals: Why This Really Works

Meal planning and residential cooking have been proven to supply quite a few advantages to your well being, total well-being and your pockets. Based on current research it might probably enhance weight loss program high quality, portion management and assist weight administration, whereas additionally providing price financial savings and alternatives to boost household relationships. (1,2,3)

And in at present’s busy panorama we want sensible options to get a house cooked meal on the desk with out the chance of forgetting that key ingredient on the grocery retailer or the ever standard grabbing takeout on the best way residence from work. Belief me, I’ve been there, finished that. And don’t get me fallacious – take out may be enjoyable infrequently however there’s nothing fairly like a house cooked meal. 

Meal kits fall into that class of sensible options for when life will get busy between altering schedules and shuffling youngsters to and from apply a meal that may be made in half-hour or much less with pre-portioned substances turns into much more magical. 

Over the course of the week, Blue Apron felt adaptable moderately than inflexible. With the ability to select from a broad menu, prepare dinner on a versatile schedule, and modify last dishes to style made it simple to suit into my current routine.

The Blue Apron meal kits struck a pleasant steadiness offering sufficient construction to cut back determination fatigue, however nonetheless loads of room for private touches. They made weeknight cooking really feel manageable, even throughout a busy stretch and allowed me to attempt new recipes and taste combos to mix-up my conventional go-to weeknight meals. 

So whether or not you’re seeking to deal with contemporary, portion balanced meals or just on the lookout for new recipe concepts with out the effort or procuring take into account attempting Blue Apron meal kits. 

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

How lengthy do the meals take to arrange?
Prep occasions for the meals I selected different from 20 to 40 minutes. As soon as I bought the dangle of the directions and arranged my steps, some meals got here collectively even quicker. Plus, if you happen to’re a extra superior prepare dinner – I believe you’ll discover the recipes come collectively fairly shortly. 

Are the parts filling?
Sure—parts felt satisfying and well-balanced, notably with the protein-forward choices. I additionally opted so as to add protein to recipes similar to floor beef, floor pork or you’ve the choice to order extra proteins on the facet. This can assist you make progress in the direction of your protein objectives when monitoring in MyFitnessPal. 

Can meals assist protein and fiber objectives?
As a dietitian, I prioritize hitting my day by day protein and fiber objectives in MyFitnessPal so these are two key vitamins I paid particular consideration to when ordering my meals. The meals I selected had not less than 40g of protein per serving and between 4 – 8g of fiber per serving. You may simply enhance fiber by including additional greens both to the recipe or by serving a salad on the facet. 

How versatile is the menu?
The menu features a vary of meal types, from faster choices to assemble-and-bake meals, which might go well with totally different schedules. There are all types of proteins (fish, hen, beef, pork, and so forth.) in addition to vegetarian choices.

The Backside Line

After every week of cooking with Blue Apron, the expertise felt sensible and versatile. The meals had been tasty, well-balanced and designed with diet in thoughts.

General, Blue Apron delivered flavorful meals that match into on a regular basis routines—making it a sensible possibility nicely past January.

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