6 Meal Kits to Try Now

As a busy freelancer, I’m always looking for ways to save time. Whether it’s a quick workout on YouTube or new or organizational hack, I welcome any method that promises to add minutes back to my day, even if it’s just a few of them.

One place where the struggle is real though, is in the kitchen. The foodie in me is always looking for new ingredients and recipes to be inspired by — I am a food writer after all — but the preoccupied worker bee in me doesn’t always have time to spend hours experimenting in the kitchen. It also doesn’t help that the kitchen in my Miami apartment isn’t exactly equipped for a chef.

That’s why I’m really feeling meal kits these days. Besides satisfying my curiosity for food and sharpening my cooking skills, meal kits provide everything I need to cook up something delicious without all the time and guesswork that comes with buying ingredients – not to mention, figuring out what to do with the leftovers.

There are so many meal kits to choose from. Whether you are vegetarian, paleo, trying to eat organic or are even looking for some fun smoothie recipes, there is something out there to fit your needs.

If you’re looking to explore the world of meal kits, here are a few good options to get you started.

VEGETABLE + BUTCHER

Thoughtful. Transparent. Fresh. Always. That’s the simple motto for this Washington, D.C. –based meal kit service, making it the perfect option for anyone looking to make easy meals using hyperlocal, seasonal ingredients that are great tasting and genuinely healthy.

The pros: With the help of Vegetable + Butcher, you get colorful meal options that can easily be made vegan or paleo-ish, depending on your preference. Some menu items include roasted carrot and beet salad with mint dill and toasted brown rice (kit includes grilled steak) and vegetable enchiladas with avocado and roasted tomato salsa (kit includes poached chicken breast).

The cons: Vegetable + Butcher is only available in the D.C. area, which means they’re not totally accessible. And at about $11 per meal, they aren’t the most inexpensive kit on the market.

HOME CHEF

Convenience and taste are of utmost importance for the folks at Home Chef. That’s why it’s not surprising these guys have catapulted to meal kit stardom, getting media attention from the likes of USA Today and The New York Times, and giving other big players in the meal kit space some healthy competition.

The pros: One of my favorite things about Home Chef is that the website is ridiculously easy to navigate. The “how-to” instructions are clearly identified and you can access sample menu items right from the homepage.

Their recipes, which include yummy options like turkey avocado tostadas and salmon will dill crema are so simple. And, with new 5-minute lunch recipes like pear almond chicken salad, even those with zero experience in the kitchen can enjoy. The price (about $8 per meal) isn’t too bad either.

The cons: Recipes are pretty basic. If you’re looking to get a little fancy in the kitchen, there are other options that might hold your interest longer.

KARV

One of the newer meal kits to hit the market — and one of my current favorites — is Karv, which offers monthly subscription boxes of high quality meats.

Karv is a little different from your average meal kit in that there isn’t a single recipe to follow with each box. Instead, you get a generous selection of frozen USDA-certified beef, chicken and pork with creative recipes you can choose to follow to the tee or let serve as inspiration to your own culinary creations.

The pros: This meat is good — really good. From the ground beef to the chicken sausage, the quality was apparent in every entrée I whipped up. All the meat is sourced responsibly from U.S. farmers and is free from hormones and antibiotics. They also offer convenient oven-ready entrée like chicken with organic asparagus, wrapped in uncured bacon and beef pinwheels with grass-fed organic mozzarella and spinach.

If you’re following a paleo or semi-paleo lifestyle, this box is great. And the $179 price tag (for two people per month) is even better.

The cons: Karv boxes only include meats, so it’s not the best option if you’re looking for a more traditional, one-and-done meal kit. The included recipes are wonderful, but you might need to do some additional shopping to make them all happen.

PURPLE CARROT

If a plant-based lifestyle is more up your alley, or you’re interested in exploring a vegan diet, Purple Carrot might be the meal kit for you. The company’s mission is simple: to empower people to eat more plants. And they’re doing just that by offering easy recipes that make plant-based eating more approachable — like creamy mac and cheese with broccoli and herb bread crumbs.

The pros: Like Home Chef, the Purple Carrot website is really easy to navigate. Recipes are straightforward, each taking around 30 minutes to prepare.

The cons: This meal kit doesn’t work for a paleo diet. And, at about $11 per meal it also isn’t the cheapest option.

THE GOOD KITCHEN

I get it, not everyone wants to cook — even if it all comes in an easy-to-prep meal kit. Some people just want to eat clean food that someone else makes for them. For this group, there’s The Good Chef: providing fresh, fully prepared meals delivered right to your door.

The pros: It really doesn’t get more convenient. All you have to do is select a meal plan from the company’s seasonal, rotating menu and, that’s it. It’s delivered to your doorstep. From there, your meal is taken care of with just three minutes in the microwave. You’re also getting clean ingredients including grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pastured pork, lamb and turkey, and antibiotic- and hormone-free poultry and eggs from trusted farms.

The cons: There’s no playing in the kitchen with this meal kit so if you’re looking to flex your cooking chops, this might not be the option for you. Also, some people just don’t love microwaved food, no matter how wholesome it is.

GREEN BLENDER

If you’re a sucker for a good green smoothie like I am, you definitely want to check out Green Blender. The weekly smoothie delivery service features perfectly-portioned organic ingredients and innovative, health-driven recipes — delivered right to your door.

The pros: Green Blender provides an endless array of smoothie recipe options like Cinnamon Spiced Apple, Lemon Carrot and Cucumber Protein. Every box includes all of the ingredients needed to make 5 different recipes, with 2 servings in each recipe so it’s definitely tough to get bored. Plus, all ingredients are from organic farms, green markets, and vendors who value sustainable practices whenever possible.

The cons: Green Blender is strictly smoothies with subscriptions starting at $49 per week. If you’re looking for additional meals, you may want to consider a different subscription.

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Adria Greenhauff is a Miami-based writer focusing on food, wellness and lifestyle topics. She also does copywriting, social media and content strategy for restaurant and hospitality brands. Get in touch at www.adriagreenhauff.com.