Blue Apron
Blue Apron
Our kids bought it for us as a Mother's Day/Father's Day gift. I was at first somewhat skeptical, as my wife is an excellent cook and buys everything fresh. Having worked through the first box (three meals for two), I must say I am amazed.
Their trick is to provide you with exactly the right amount of ingredients, so you don't wind up with a partially-used bunch of parsley (etc) you finally wind up throwing away. Directions for the preparation of each meal are included, so even neophytes can manage.
Mind you, when it comes to food, my wife and I are hard to impress.
The price is competitive with store-bought fresh (about $10/person/meal). If you have not tried it, it's worth a look-see.
The kids' gift has another three weeks to run. We are seriously considering subscribing on our own after that runs out.
Their trick is to provide you with exactly the right amount of ingredients, so you don't wind up with a partially-used bunch of parsley (etc) you finally wind up throwing away. Directions for the preparation of each meal are included, so even neophytes can manage.
Mind you, when it comes to food, my wife and I are hard to impress.
The price is competitive with store-bought fresh (about $10/person/meal). If you have not tried it, it's worth a look-see.
The kids' gift has another three weeks to run. We are seriously considering subscribing on our own after that runs out.
Re: Blue Apron
Foodie coworker with adventuresome palate who loves to try new restaurants told me about Blue Apron. She and her husband have had a subscription for a few months and love it. Her opinion is its well priced and portioned and a great way to try new dishes, many she's made again on her own with the included recipe cards. Fresh, fast, no waste and no shopping. She said it even includes little packets of spices and condiments called for in the recipes.
Sounds good to me and may give it a try. Thanks for reminding me to look into it.
There is another one that sounds similar called Plated. No idea how they compare in quality or cost though.
Sounds good to me and may give it a try. Thanks for reminding me to look into it.
There is another one that sounds similar called Plated. No idea how they compare in quality or cost though.
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Re: Blue Apron
Well, there must be waste from produce, you just don't see it. I hope it winds up in someone's compost pile.
Re: Blue Apron
We've used Blue Apron regularly for about 9 months now. We don't like to shop for produce, and prior to using Blue Apron, we rarely cooked. Blue Apron sends fresh produce and meat right to our door and includes instructions for cooking. Prep can be tedious, but my wife has gotten garlic and ginger mincing down to a science, and I can chop or peel just about anything. The actual cooking is the easy part. Now whenever we decide to skip a week (as one has the option to do at any time), we miss doing it!
Each week usually includes a fish dish and dishes with two other meats (usually beef, chicken, turkey). There is also a veggie option, and evidently they now allow the meat people to substitute veggie dishes if they wish. Our favorite meals have generally been the asian-inspired ones, like the turkey steam buns and the congee with caramarelized pork (a recreation of a dish from last season's winner of Top Chef). The arepas last week were tasty. A burger with beer cheese on a pretzel bun a while ago was amazing.
We also think it's a good value. We have some single friends who do it, and the value proposition there is being able to eat leftovers. For the family plan, I imagine the prep can be even more tedious. But that will also be the case if you buy it yourself. There is probably still value.
Yes, if you want to do the shopping yourself and come up with your own recipes, you can do it more cheaply. But for those of us not inclined to do so, it's a great way to have tasty meals made with fresh ingredients at a good price.
Each week usually includes a fish dish and dishes with two other meats (usually beef, chicken, turkey). There is also a veggie option, and evidently they now allow the meat people to substitute veggie dishes if they wish. Our favorite meals have generally been the asian-inspired ones, like the turkey steam buns and the congee with caramarelized pork (a recreation of a dish from last season's winner of Top Chef). The arepas last week were tasty. A burger with beer cheese on a pretzel bun a while ago was amazing.
We also think it's a good value. We have some single friends who do it, and the value proposition there is being able to eat leftovers. For the family plan, I imagine the prep can be even more tedious. But that will also be the case if you buy it yourself. There is probably still value.
Yes, if you want to do the shopping yourself and come up with your own recipes, you can do it more cheaply. But for those of us not inclined to do so, it's a great way to have tasty meals made with fresh ingredients at a good price.
Re: Blue Apron
Unfortunately it doesn't look like I can specify a soy protein allergy. I suppose any ingredients containing it could be left out or substituted unless it's a large part of the dish.
But the price... wow. Our entire monthly grocery budget is exactly the same as the monthly price for this subscription. Maybe it's worth increasing it?
I'll consider trying the "get two meals free" promotion I've heard on a netcast I watch. Then go from there.
But the price... wow. Our entire monthly grocery budget is exactly the same as the monthly price for this subscription. Maybe it's worth increasing it?
I'll consider trying the "get two meals free" promotion I've heard on a netcast I watch. Then go from there.
Re: Blue Apron
amd2135 wrote:Unfortunately it doesn't look like I can specify a soy protein allergy. I suppose any ingredients containing it could be left out or substituted unless it's a large part of the dish.
But the price... wow. Our entire monthly grocery budget is exactly the same as the monthly price for this subscription. Maybe it's worth increasing it?
I'll consider trying the "get two meals free" promotion I've heard on a netcast I watch. Then go from there.
-If you have allergies it is not for you. You can make it vegetarian or exclude a certain meat (ie pork) but you can not eliminate most things (ie allergy to soy, peanuts etc).
-It is expensive. Personally I got it to drop some weight (I would just eat both of the servings in one sitting and that would be all I ate for the day. So around 1200-1600 calories a day). Also part of the cost is cut via not having to drive to the grocery store.
-There IS waste- plastic the spices/vegetables are in, the box, the ice packs. They did recently cut the size of the box/ice significantly (about 8 months ago) but it is still a lot of waste,
-It is still some work. You have to prepare/cook/clean
-Some of the meals are basic and normal (cheeseburger and the like) and some are less common. Generally I like/really like 2 of the meals and one meal is just "meh"
Re: Blue Apron
How does the price compare to going out somewhere and ordering a similar meal?Paul78 wrote: -It is expensive. Personally I got it to drop some weight (I would just eat both of the servings in one sitting and that would be all I ate for the day. So around 1200-1600 calories a day). Also part of the cost is cut via not having to drive to the grocery store.
-There IS waste- plastic the spices/vegetables are in, the box, the ice packs. They did recently cut the size of the box/ice significantly (about 8 months ago) but it is still a lot of waste,
I know they're looking to hire a packaging engineer to further refine and cost reduce the packaging materials/shipping.
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
Re: Blue Apron
A two person Blue Apron meal is $9.99/person. Portion size is 500-700 calories, though, so some might feel a two person meal is actually a one person meal or would want to add additional sides like a salad, fruit, or vegetable.
Where I live (HCOL area) one would be hard pressed to find a high quality meal for less than $10. Many items at Panera and similar "fast casual" places are in that range and some are more. Local ethnic restaurants are $10-15 per person. Blue Apron is going to be a better value in HCOL areas than in LCOL areas.
For me the biggest drawback is loss of flexibility. There are some weeks where my schedule can be unpredictable so I can't say for sure I'd want to spend the time cooking when the ingredients are fresh.
Where I live (HCOL area) one would be hard pressed to find a high quality meal for less than $10. Many items at Panera and similar "fast casual" places are in that range and some are more. Local ethnic restaurants are $10-15 per person. Blue Apron is going to be a better value in HCOL areas than in LCOL areas.
For me the biggest drawback is loss of flexibility. There are some weeks where my schedule can be unpredictable so I can't say for sure I'd want to spend the time cooking when the ingredients are fresh.
Warning: I am about 80% satisficer (accepting of good enough) and 20% maximizer
Re: Blue Apron
Blue Apron sounds intriguing but is more expensive than the restaurants that I usually go to for fresh tasty food and take-out It sounds like a good way to learn how to cook, so in a sense, it could be great training for just out of college yuppies. I will pass it on to my kids. Thanks for starting this thread.
Re: Blue Apron
i purchased for a friend a month trial and he really thought it was good. Ill be trying it again as a gift for a family member
Re: Blue Apron
A meal out for less than $10? Where can that be had?livesoft wrote:Blue Apron sounds intriguing but is more expensive than the restaurants that I usually go to for fresh tasty food and take-out It sounds like a good way to learn how to cook, so in a sense, it could be great training for just out of college yuppies. I will pass it on to my kids. Thanks for starting this thread.
Re: Blue Apron
Numerous Mexican, Chinese, barbecue places in Texas. Many dishes are under $10 and feed 3 to 4 people.island wrote:A meal out for less than $10? Where can that be had?
Let me say that Cheesecake Factory and Panera are not such restaurants.
Re: Blue Apron
Chipotle $7, tasty and fresh. When i get double chicken ($10) the bowl feeds both my girlfriend and I.island wrote:A meal out for less than $10? Where can that be had?livesoft wrote:Blue Apron sounds intriguing but is more expensive than the restaurants that I usually go to for fresh tasty food and take-out It sounds like a good way to learn how to cook, so in a sense, it could be great training for just out of college yuppies. I will pass it on to my kids. Thanks for starting this thread.
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
Re: Blue Apron
My Short Review
The food is excellent for the most part. I've had some meals from Blue Apron that you'd hope for in a really nice restaurant; just fantastic. Most meals I'd rank as "very good". Some of the ingredients would not be easily found at your local grocery story unless you live in a more affluent area.
Their service is really good. If you ever need to suspend the subscription (traveling out of town?), they are very good to work with you if you miss their deadline. No penalty to suspend, etc. If you happen to get something that is not up to par (I believe this happened once to us) they may offer to give you the entire box for free ($60 value). I get the sense the company is ran very well from a customer satisfaction perspective.
The produce is really good. They go out of their way to source from natural and organic farms. But as far as I can tell they don't identify what is organic, etc. Obviously this might be important to some but not others.
My wife and I don't have any foods we "just won't eat". We like not having to decide what we're going to cook so this works well for us. The meals are easy to cook and take about 30 minutes to prepare.
We started it shortly after our child was born so it makes it easier to have nice meals without leaving the house or planning.
It is expensive compared to buying groceries yourself, and I feel guilty about that. It is cheaper than buying anything in a restaurant that would be as good and as healthy. I view it as a convenience/quality of life purchase. If my wife would let me, I'd live on rice and beans and eggs for a 6 months to save money and to prove to myself I could.
Conclusion: I'd recommend with the above limitations. I consider it a splurge.
The food is excellent for the most part. I've had some meals from Blue Apron that you'd hope for in a really nice restaurant; just fantastic. Most meals I'd rank as "very good". Some of the ingredients would not be easily found at your local grocery story unless you live in a more affluent area.
Their service is really good. If you ever need to suspend the subscription (traveling out of town?), they are very good to work with you if you miss their deadline. No penalty to suspend, etc. If you happen to get something that is not up to par (I believe this happened once to us) they may offer to give you the entire box for free ($60 value). I get the sense the company is ran very well from a customer satisfaction perspective.
The produce is really good. They go out of their way to source from natural and organic farms. But as far as I can tell they don't identify what is organic, etc. Obviously this might be important to some but not others.
My wife and I don't have any foods we "just won't eat". We like not having to decide what we're going to cook so this works well for us. The meals are easy to cook and take about 30 minutes to prepare.
We started it shortly after our child was born so it makes it easier to have nice meals without leaving the house or planning.
It is expensive compared to buying groceries yourself, and I feel guilty about that. It is cheaper than buying anything in a restaurant that would be as good and as healthy. I view it as a convenience/quality of life purchase. If my wife would let me, I'd live on rice and beans and eggs for a 6 months to save money and to prove to myself I could.
Conclusion: I'd recommend with the above limitations. I consider it a splurge.
Re: Blue Apron
I think this is a fascinating concept, but I find the packaging situation less than ideal. I'm imagining receiving a sturdy styrofoam box every week. Is that a good guess?
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Re: Blue Apron
No, most of the packaging is recyclable. The outer box is cardboard. Inside is a foil-like bag (think the liner of the bags that you can buy to keep things hot/cold). Inside the bag are the ingredients. The produce and "knick-knacks" are separated by another piece of cardboard from the meats, which are covered in frozen ice packets. I think everything can be recycled except the ice packets.retiredjg wrote:I think this is a fascinating concept, but I find the packaging situation less than ideal. I'm imagining receiving a sturdy styrofoam box every week. Is that a good guess?
EDIT: see this link: http://blog.blueapron.com/how-to-recycl ... apron-box/
Last edited by Cash on Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Blue Apron
Agreed on the customer service. We have had a couple of meals that have missed an ingredient. We called, and they refunded the entire cost of that meal (which we used to go to the grocery story to find the ingredient). The biggest mishap we've had is a punctured fish container. It was probably still edible, but we didn't want to take the risk (and they recommended against it). So they refunded the meal and we went to Whole Foods to get the same type of fish. That said, those occurrences are very rare...only a few times in the 9 months or so we've been using them.JDot wrote: Their service is really good. If you ever need to suspend the subscription (traveling out of town?), they are very good to work with you if you miss their deadline. No penalty to suspend, etc. If you happen to get something that is not up to par (I believe this happened once to us) they may offer to give you the entire box for free ($60 value). I get the sense the company is ran very well from a customer satisfaction perspective.
Re: Blue Apron
Feed 3-4 people for under $10 a healthy balanced meal??livesoft wrote:Numerous Mexican, Chinese, barbecue places in Texas. Many dishes are under $10 and feed 3 to 4 people.island wrote:A meal out for less than $10? Where can that be had?
Let me say that Cheesecake Factory and Panera are not such restaurants.
Ok now I think your yanking my chain, but they do everything bigger in TX so I hear.
Re: Blue Apron
You asked for under $10 a meal. I did not state that $10 dish was a healthy balanced meal. I stated it was a dish.island wrote:Feed 3-4 people for under $10 a healthy balanced meal??
Ok now I think your yanking my chain, but they do everything bigger in TX so I hear.
So if one mixes 3 to 4 dishes costing under $10 each, then definitely, one can get a healthy balanced meal in a restaurant for under $10 per person. Such meals are not for pigs though.
If you give me your ZIP code, I will try to find suitable restaurants near you and link their menus.
Re: Blue Apron
Since we're talking about the cost and quality of Blue Apron, I assumed you would be posting about something comparable. Sure I can find a dish under 10 bucks, someone mentioned Chipolte as an example, but not the same.livesoft wrote:You asked for under $10 a meal. I did not state that $10 dish was a healthy balanced meal. I stated it was a dish.island wrote:Feed 3-4 people for under $10 a healthy balanced meal??
Ok now I think your yanking my chain, but they do everything bigger in TX so I hear.
So if one mixes 3 to 4 dishes costing under $10 each, then definitely, one can get a healthy balanced meal in a restaurant for under $10 per person. Such meals are not for pigs though.
If you give me your ZIP code, I will try to find suitable restaurants near you and link their menus.
Re: Blue Apron
I didn't look too far into this, since they wanted an email address along with the zip code to give out particulars, but I would be concerned about getting such a delivery during our summer heat waves. We don't quite have the same level of heat as say Phoenix, but it's pretty toasty for about 4-5 months a year around here.
It does look like a good resource for recipes though.
It does look like a good resource for recipes though.
Re: Blue Apron
I am not writing about Chipotle. I just went to the blue apron site and looked at the pictures. I am writing about better meals than pictured which were grilled cheeseburgers or crispy fried chicken or black-bean & quinoa enchiladas, ….island wrote:Since we're talking about the cost and quality of Blue Apron, I assumed you would be posting about something comparable. Sure I can find a dish under 10 bucks, someone mentioned Chipolte as an example, but not the same.
Re: Blue Apron
Very encouraging. I might give this a try then. Looks like fun!Cash wrote:EDIT: see this link: http://blog.blueapron.com/how-to-recycl ... apron-box/
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Re: Blue Apron
I learned about this "meal kit" service when Blue Apron harassed my mailbox. When they gave me an intro promo that I couldn't give up ($30 off), I gave it a try. I also learned about their competitors (Plated, Hello Fresh) and tried them out as well.
Ironically, Blue Apron came out the least favorite out of the three for me. Plated and Hello Fresh both came out superior in terms of flexibility, freshness, easy of handling, and creativity.
PeachDish is on my list to try.
If you are in New York City, you have way more options than these four. Search online. Intro promos are not hard to find. I think I got "buy 2 get 4 free" for Plated and $40 off for HelloFresh. Try them out before you commit yourself Blue Apron.
Since Blue Apron is my least favorite, I've canceled my membership with them. I am keeping Plated and HelloFresh to spoil myself once every so often when I want my husband to do the cooking.
Ironically, Blue Apron came out the least favorite out of the three for me. Plated and Hello Fresh both came out superior in terms of flexibility, freshness, easy of handling, and creativity.
PeachDish is on my list to try.
If you are in New York City, you have way more options than these four. Search online. Intro promos are not hard to find. I think I got "buy 2 get 4 free" for Plated and $40 off for HelloFresh. Try them out before you commit yourself Blue Apron.
Since Blue Apron is my least favorite, I've canceled my membership with them. I am keeping Plated and HelloFresh to spoil myself once every so often when I want my husband to do the cooking.
Re: Blue Apron
Cheeseburgers and fried chicken were mentioned as dish examples from Blue Apron. I wouldn't consider Chipotle any less healthy or balanced than those dishes.island wrote: Since we're talking about the cost and quality of Blue Apron, I assumed you would be posting about something comparable. Sure I can find a dish under 10 bucks, someone mentioned Chipolte as an example, but not the same.
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
Re: Blue Apron
LoveMyDog, thanks for the other two suggestions. Mind you, Blue Apron (as a gift) was and is are only experience thus far with these types of services, and we are certainly open to trying the competition.
Two concerns were noted by other posters: (1) environmental impact of all the plastic bags; and (2) delivery to hot climes. As to the first, yes, it is a concern. They must come up with bio-degradable packaging throughout. Hopefully, they are working on this. As to the second, our latest box arrived in mid-morning, sat out in 90-degree full sun for several hours, and was just fine.
The biggest "plus" for us was "no waste". When my wife shops for a recipe calling for many different herbs, she invariably has to buy a "bunch" of this and a "bunch" of that, and of each bunch she uses but a portion. The remaining herbs go in the refrigerator, only to be tossed in a week or two. As she noted to me, that's ten bucks or so "down the tube". We used to have an herb garden, but the drought ended that.
Two concerns were noted by other posters: (1) environmental impact of all the plastic bags; and (2) delivery to hot climes. As to the first, yes, it is a concern. They must come up with bio-degradable packaging throughout. Hopefully, they are working on this. As to the second, our latest box arrived in mid-morning, sat out in 90-degree full sun for several hours, and was just fine.
The biggest "plus" for us was "no waste". When my wife shops for a recipe calling for many different herbs, she invariably has to buy a "bunch" of this and a "bunch" of that, and of each bunch she uses but a portion. The remaining herbs go in the refrigerator, only to be tossed in a week or two. As she noted to me, that's ten bucks or so "down the tube". We used to have an herb garden, but the drought ended that.
Re: Blue Apron
Sadly, I don't think making less of an environment impact is a concern to these companies. They may reduce packaging to reduce weight, thus shipping cost. Their service is designed for folks who want convenience or who are intimated by cooking.
I have some luck with storing herbs in a glass of water in the fridge. Parsley, especially, keeps for many weeks. Various herbs also make great pesto, which can be frozen for later use.
I have some luck with storing herbs in a glass of water in the fridge. Parsley, especially, keeps for many weeks. Various herbs also make great pesto, which can be frozen for later use.
Re: Blue Apron
I was interested in signing up for Blue Apron or a similar service, but it doesn't seem to be economical for single people. Either I'd end up having six meals a week from them, which is more than I'd like to commit to, or (more likely) I'd end up eating both portions in a single meal, which changes both the cost/benefit and the dietary calculations.
I'd probably join if they had a one or two meal a week plan, but three is too much given my current needs.
I'd probably join if they had a one or two meal a week plan, but three is too much given my current needs.
Re: Blue Apron
Another alternative (although not nationwide) is Dinner A Fare. I tried Blue Apron as well but decided on Dinner A Fare. I will admit Blue Apron has 'fancier' meals but I don't like time-intensive cooking. Blue Apron recipes have a number of steps and prep required (e.g. chopping veggies and such). Dinner A Fare (because they are local and deliver rather than mail) does all that for you. The downside to Dinner A Fare is that they don't always provide the complete meal. You have to provide some sides on your own (their menu sheet does recommend pairings for sides and wine though). Dinner A Fare is cheaper because of that ($6 per serving). Another benefit to Dinner A Fare is that you can choose which meals you want from a menu and you can choose whole (4-6 servings) or half (2-3 servings) portions, which is nice for singles. The only constraint is that you can only purchase in increments of 6 (either 6 or 12 meals).
-Steph
-Steph
Re: Blue Apron
I'm thinking along the same lines, but I think the solution is not using the service more than 1 or 2 weeks a month and putting the second portion in the freezer.FedGuy wrote:I was interested in signing up for Blue Apron or a similar service, but it doesn't seem to be economical for single people. Either I'd end up having six meals a week from them, which is more than I'd like to commit to, or (more likely) I'd end up eating both portions in a single meal, which changes both the cost/benefit and the dietary calculations.
I'd probably join if they had a one or two meal a week plan, but three is too much given my current needs.
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Re: Blue Apron
We tried it and cancelled after one month. Food was just OK and took a long time to make.
Re: Blue Apron
We have been using blue apron for 3 weeks and love it. I prep the food and my wife does the cooking. It seems to save us the 'its 4pm and wtf am I going to do for dinner tonight...' We do the family plan. It gets the kids to try lots of new things which I think is good.
Re: Blue Apron
That doesn't seem any different than ordering take-out though.SRenaeP wrote: Dinner A Fare (because they are local and deliver rather than mail) does all that for you.
Re: Blue Apron
Well, the food isn't cooked so... They have a delivery schedule based on your area and you pre-select and order your meals for delivery on your day. You can choose 6 or 12 meals in full or half sizes. Though the ingredients are 'prepped' for you, they're still raw. As an example, I've ordered roasted red pepper stuffed chicken from them. I get a saran-wrapped bundle. When I open the bundle, there will be a Ziploc bag that has the chicken breasts already butterflied and sitting in the marinade. There will be another bag that has the red pepper ricotta mix. There would be another bag with any sauces, etc. They're delivered frozen and they provide cooking instructions as well as suggested side dishes.livesoft wrote:That doesn't seem any different than ordering take-out though.SRenaeP wrote: Dinner A Fare (because they are local and deliver rather than mail) does all that for you.
-Steph
Re: Blue Apron
OK, so the difference between take-out and Dinner A Fare is that that latter costs more and you have to cook it yourself. And you have to clean up the cooking dishes afterwards, too. Ugh!
I'm still waiting for island to inform me of their ZIP code (either in the thread or via a PM), so I can look up some menus for them.
I'm still waiting for island to inform me of their ZIP code (either in the thread or via a PM), so I can look up some menus for them.
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Re: Blue Apron
Sounds just like the Papa Murphy's Pizza thing. It doesn't necessarily taste better, isn't cheaper when you include all associated costs, and you have to clean up - I have a hard time understanding the appeal, of any of these services, but they are becoming popular.livesoft wrote:OK, so the difference between take-out and Dinner A Fare is that that latter costs more and you have to cook it yourself. And you have to clean up the cooking dishes afterwards, too. Ugh!
Re: Blue Apron
Plated.com is very flexible in that sense. As long as your order is above $50, you’ll get free shipping. There’re premium “Chef’s choice” meal that costs more than $12 per plate. I remember seeing a filet mignon dish that was $28(?). Otherwise, you can get just 2 meals (4 plates) and a dessert, and it will push you over $50.FedGuy wrote:I'd probably join if they had a one or two meal a week plan, but three is too much given my current needs.
Re: Blue Apron
I just don't understand. Those meals cost $1.50-$3 to make yourself and that gives you $7-8.50/waste per person per meal. And if your herbs are going to waste, either learn to cook things that take the same herbs close together, learn to store them, or by dried herbs (sure, not quite as tasty, but last plenty long).
If I'm going to spend $10 I'd much rather have some casual fast food or takeout.
If I'm going to spend $10 I'd much rather have some casual fast food or takeout.
Re: Blue Apron
+1. Right there with ya.nordlead wrote:I just don't understand. Those meals cost $1.50-$3 to make yourself and that gives you $7-8.50/waste per person per meal. And if your herbs are going to waste, either learn to cook things that take the same herbs close together, learn to store them, or by dried herbs (sure, not quite as tasty, but last plenty long).
If I'm going to spend $10 I'd much rather have some casual fast food or takeout.
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
Re: Blue Apron
Thanks, but no need. I've lived here since the mid 80's, Ive got it covered.livesoft wrote:OK, so the difference between take-out and Dinner A Fare is that that latter costs more and you have to cook it yourself. And you have to clean up the cooking dishes afterwards, too. Ugh!
I'm still waiting for island to inform me of their ZIP code (either in the thread or via a PM), so I can look up some menus for them.
However I will be hitting you up for assiatance if I ever get the opportunity to TLH. If only I knew about that in 2008!
Re: Blue Apron
For those of you who can't see the appeal at all, do you work full time, commute, do the food shopping, cooking and cleanup?
All of that is time consuming and I hate grocery shopping. So this service appeals because I wouldn't have to plan and shop for some meals. We go out to dinner a lot or get takeout, but sometimes not in the mood for that either. It's just nice to have more options.
I didn't realize there were several companies like Blue Apron. Will have to look more closely. I'd probably try them on an introductory offer. Wouldn't be thrilled if many meals turn out to be basic stuff like burgers or tacos that i could get anywhere, whip up in no time, or throw together with what's on hand.
All of that is time consuming and I hate grocery shopping. So this service appeals because I wouldn't have to plan and shop for some meals. We go out to dinner a lot or get takeout, but sometimes not in the mood for that either. It's just nice to have more options.
I didn't realize there were several companies like Blue Apron. Will have to look more closely. I'd probably try them on an introductory offer. Wouldn't be thrilled if many meals turn out to be basic stuff like burgers or tacos that i could get anywhere, whip up in no time, or throw together with what's on hand.
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Re: Blue Apron
I work full-time plus teach one night a week at a local university, commute (though, not bad at 25 miles each way), food shop/cooking/clean up, my wife also works full-time, we have two small children, and we are both competitive athletes who train ~10hrs/week. The only thing I can deduce is that there are some people who value food variety and not having to go to the grocery store WAY more than I do.island wrote:For those of you who can't see the appeal at all, do you work full time, commute, do the food shopping, cooking and cleanup?
All of that is time consuming and I hate grocery shopping. So this service appeals because I wouldn't have to plan and shop for some meals. We go out to dinner a lot or get takeout, but sometimes not in the mood for that either. It's just nice to have more options.
Re: Blue Apron
I work full time and probably cook ~30% of the dinners, and I'm perfectly fine doing the grocery shopping as it is on the way home from work (and only 1 mile from my house). Not only do I cleanup, I also cleanup for my 3 kids who are 5, 3, and 1.island wrote:For those of you who can't see the appeal at all, do you work full time, commute, do the food shopping, cooking and cleanup? All of that is time consuming and I hate grocery shopping.
Let's put it this way. It takes me ~15 minutes to get everything I need to cook pizza 3-4 times (I make pizza every weekend). And I actually do grab that much in terms of ingredients, but sometimes I freeze the cheese and pepperoni if I won't use it all in time. Those 2 pizzas serve 8 people, for a total of 24-32 meals per grocery store run. If we assume that $7 per meal is going towards not having to shop, I'd be paying $672-896/hr for someone to get ingredients together for me to cook pizza.
I understand paying for convenience, but not at that hourly rate.
Even if I choose something that I'm not going to be quite as efficient at, it still will work out to a ridiculous convenience fee.
Let's say I want to make a burger (it is on their example menu, but I'll pass on the pickled rind). Again, it probably takes me 15 minutes to walk into the store and grab, pre-formed burger patties, rolls, lettuce, tomato, onion, and watermelon. Maybe I'll even swing by the cheese area and get some fancy cheese instead of my constantly stocked American cheese. Everything else I need is standard pantry stuff at home. I won't buy enough for 32 meals, but I will buy enough for 8 meals (standard size of Hamburger rolls). That comes out to $224/hr for them to shop for me. Even if I say it takes 20 minutes, it'll still come out to $168/hr. Even if it took 1 hr, it would cost $56/hr.
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Re: Blue Apron
As an incredibly busy family of three with very little time for meal prep, consumption, and cleaning, I'm intrigued by Blue Apron, but still can't justify the price at this point. $20 for us to have dinner at home? And STILL have to cook and clean? No way.
With just a little planning and list making, I can spend 30 minutes in Kroger once a week and feed our family for much, much less per meal.
With just a little planning and list making, I can spend 30 minutes in Kroger once a week and feed our family for much, much less per meal.
Re: Blue Apron
All the local grocery stores have a deli/cafe where one can order meals that they have prepared that afternoon for take-out. It is more the Luby's or Boston Market kind of meal, but one has a selection of meats, fish, vegetables, starch, salads which they can put in a "to-go" box. Even a decent sushi box is under $10. So for busy people in our area, they can just run in on the way home and bring dinner home with them.
I do realize that not every location has this kind of thing. For instance, if you have only a mountain cabin, I don't think the grocery store with deli is within a half mile of your cabin.
I do realize that not every location has this kind of thing. For instance, if you have only a mountain cabin, I don't think the grocery store with deli is within a half mile of your cabin.
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Re: Blue Apron
I realize not everybody can do what my family does because we have no problem eating the same thing pretty much every day, but we cook 90% of our food on Sundays in about 2hrs. It's all put in tupperware and ziplock bags, then reheated at our offices and at home throughout the week; much of it doesn't even need to be reheated (mixed veggie salads with a protein). During the week, we spend nearly as much time shaking our son's formula as we do cooking. Dramatic savings in time and financial cost.livesoft wrote:All the local grocery stores have a deli/cafe where one can order meals that they have prepared that afternoon for take-out. It is more the Luby's or Boston Market kind of meal, but one has a selection of meats, fish, vegetables, starch, salads which they can put in a "to-go" box. Even a decent sushi box is under $10. So for busy people in our area, they can just run in on the way home and bring dinner home with them.
I do realize that not every location has this kind of thing. For instance, if you have only a mountain cabin, I don't think the grocery store with deli is within a half mile of your cabin.
Re: Blue Apron
Sounds like this would be a great gift for an out-of-state friend or family to give to new parents.JDot wrote: We started it shortly after our child was born so it makes it easier to have nice meals without leaving the house or planning.
Thanks for the idea.
Re: Blue Apron
One option that we really like about Blue Apron is the flexibility to schedule weeks in advance. We probably only average getting one shipment per month, at absolute max. We do on weeks when we're going to be more busy than usual, including when we're out of town for the weekend, which means missing our beloved farmers market where we get most of our fresh produce year-round. The default is always "yes, I'd like to receive a shipment", and you have to opt out by the Wednesday prior, but you can schedule, I believe, two months in advance.
It's definitely more expensive than doing it yourself, but it's also generally better quality than what I make at home and what I can find at a comparably priced fast casual place. And I say that as a couple who both enjoy cooking and are both decent at it, and in one of the best cities in the country for fresh, local produce. We make a lot of veggie centric meals, but don't generally have the time or inclination to plan ahead for a given meal and then be prepared to go shopping for individual ingredients, like fresh herbs, that I don't keep on hand. Another benefit is that the recipes are so detailed and the ingredients so precise, that you can actually learn a bit about cooking and flavor combinations if you're inclined to. Granted, I could try a new recipe and buy the ingredients that way, but I generally don't. YMMV of course. It's too pricey for us to be worthwhile to do outside of rare weeks where we don't shop or have time to make a full meal, but still nice to break things up.
It's definitely more expensive than doing it yourself, but it's also generally better quality than what I make at home and what I can find at a comparably priced fast casual place. And I say that as a couple who both enjoy cooking and are both decent at it, and in one of the best cities in the country for fresh, local produce. We make a lot of veggie centric meals, but don't generally have the time or inclination to plan ahead for a given meal and then be prepared to go shopping for individual ingredients, like fresh herbs, that I don't keep on hand. Another benefit is that the recipes are so detailed and the ingredients so precise, that you can actually learn a bit about cooking and flavor combinations if you're inclined to. Granted, I could try a new recipe and buy the ingredients that way, but I generally don't. YMMV of course. It's too pricey for us to be worthwhile to do outside of rare weeks where we don't shop or have time to make a full meal, but still nice to break things up.
An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered. -- GK Chesterton
Re: Blue Apron
I do the same, I don't mind eating the same thing every day. Heck, I've eaten my oatmeal concoction everyday for the last 10+ years. My GF though, she thinks I'm weird and has to have variety.stoptothink wrote:I realize not everybody can do what my family does because we have no problem eating the same thing pretty much every day, but we cook 90% of our food on Sundays in about 2hrs. It's all put in tupperware and ziplock bags, then reheated at our offices and at home throughout the week; much of it doesn't even need to be reheated (mixed veggie salads with a protein). During the week, we spend nearly as much time shaking our son's formula as we do cooking. Dramatic savings in time and financial cost.livesoft wrote:All the local grocery stores have a deli/cafe where one can order meals that they have prepared that afternoon for take-out. It is more the Luby's or Boston Market kind of meal, but one has a selection of meats, fish, vegetables, starch, salads which they can put in a "to-go" box. Even a decent sushi box is under $10. So for busy people in our area, they can just run in on the way home and bring dinner home with them.
I do realize that not every location has this kind of thing. For instance, if you have only a mountain cabin, I don't think the grocery store with deli is within a half mile of your cabin.
Chase the good life my whole life long, look back on my life and my life gone...where did I go wrong?
Re: Blue Apron
Don't know about barbecue in Texas under $10. Definitely not Lockharts in downtown Plano and Dallas. Austin barbecuelivesoft wrote:Numerous Mexican, Chinese, barbecue places in Texas. Many dishes are under $10 and feed 3 to 4 people.island wrote:A meal out for less than $10? Where can that be had?
Let me say that Cheesecake Factory and Panera are not such restaurants.
is real high. Maybe Bill Millers.