Anybody use dinner by mail services?

[Doc]

Just curious...a while back somebody got us a "Blue Apron" gift card and we used it (was a free week) and we liked it so we continued. Basically you get 3 meals for 2 people a week delivered to your door, which you prepare. Cost is $60.00 which is roughly what we spend anyway. Meals are complete and you pick from selection of 6 options, and you can "skip" a meal as well as select your delivery date. We just decided to change to "Sun Basket" which is similar to see if the meals were easier or more convenient. Cost is the same. I just finished preparing the first Sun basket (Chili rubbed chicken breast with tomatillo avocado salsa and asparagus) but haven't eaten yet. Anyway, wondering if anybody else does these? As I say, we get 3 a week which has cut down our grocery shopping but still leaves us 4 meals a week to either go out or cook the same old same old. I actually enjoy them quite a bit. Seem to be much healthier and much better variety as I doubt I ever would have made Chili rubbed chicken breast with tomatillo avocado salsa and asparagus on my own. I think we also have a Sabo noodle salad and a quinoa chickpea salad with lemon tahini dressing.

[Darrell KSR]

No, but I am very intrigued by that, especially as my household gets smaller and closer to empty nest. Glad to hear its good.

Have heard some groceries are starting something similar, although you have to go there to get the food, of course, which defeats the benefit of having it delivered to you.

[Doc]

We enjoy them. Offer a nice variety which is nice, and they are excellent quality. We did find that Blue Apron at times was a bit time consuming and overly complicated. We have found that it really isn't any more expensive than going to the grocery store, is certainly more convenient, much better meal, and much healthier. With the Sun Basket you can "double up" so if you are having company you can do that. Also they have a "20 min" meal and a breakfast in their picks and have more options (blue apron has 6 each weeks and will some times will limit if you pick one selection you can't pick one of the others, where as SunBasket is 8 or 9 and you can do any combination).

Its great for "empty nesters" which we are, sort of. We still have the "group home", just not for dinner. We still have the parking situation though

http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/sliding-puzzles-1.jpg

[Darrell KSR]

As I'm shopping for yet another car, I am right there with you on parking. The math doesn't work. I have given up.

[Doc]

tonight I'm in #13.

I have a dumpster coming tomorrow morning. Should be fun. Full sized one as we are ripping out 2 stands of saw palmetto's and brazillain pepper from our front yard. Going to set the dumpster in the yard so we have to relocate the used car lot while they get the truck in as well as the front loader.

[Darrell KSR]

tonight I'm in #13.

I have a dumpster coming tomorrow morning. Should be fun. Full sized one as we are ripping out 2 stands of saw palmetto's and brazillain pepper from our front yard. Going to set the dumpster in the yard so we have to relocate the used car lot while they get the truck in as well as the front loader.
Takes a statistician, an actuary and a CPA to park cars at your dealership.

[Doc]

Or a towtruck

[MickintheHam]

No, but I am very intrigued by that, especially as my household gets smaller and closer to empty nest. Glad to hear its good.

Have heard some groceries are starting something similar, although you have to go there to get the food, of course, which defeats the benefit of having it delivered to you.

ShipT has a grocery shopping service. They bring the foodstuffs to your house. I talked to one of their runners in the Public the other day. He said the most popular item for them is to get one of the store's recipe cards, buy everything on the card and deliver it to your house. You tell them what the protein needs to be and they do the rest. Biggest difference with Blue Apron is you must measure the quantities.

[Darrell KSR]

ShipT has a grocery shopping service. They bring the foodstuffs to your house. I talked to one of their runners in the Public the other day. He said the most popular item for them is to get one of the store's recipe cards, buy everything on the card and deliver it to your house. You tell them what the protein needs to be and they do the rest. Biggest difference with Blue Apron is you must measure the quantities.

That's interesting to me, because depending on the day, the meal could be for two people or seven. Usually in-between, but sounds like you could sort of fit it to the number of people very easily.

[Doc]

ShipT has a grocery shopping service. They bring the foodstuffs to your house. I talked to one of their runners in the Public the other day. He said the most popular item for them is to get one of the store's recipe cards, buy everything on the card and deliver it to your house. You tell them what the protein needs to be and they do the rest. Biggest difference with Blue Apron is you must measure the quantities.

Correct...Blue Apron and Sun Basket, its all premeasured. If you need 1/8 teaspoon of saffron, you get 1/8 teaspoon of saffron. IMO that makes it nice because I don't have a bottle of saffron in my cupboard for 8 years that I have no use for. You get what you need and use it all. It makes clean up easy too. Mostly they are much healthier than what we normally eat. My wife teads to eat healthy. Me, not so much (I'm an onion rings and corn dog kind of guy and have the body to prove it) but am trying to change. These seem to be working as they are edible

[catmanjack]

Was wondering about these meal services myself but for a different reason.
I am single and not a great cook but also do not want to take the time to cook.
My reason was wondering how easy these meals are to prepare?

[BigBluePappy]

There is no Missus catmanjack?
Gotta get you married.
Why should you not be miserable like the rest of us? :tongue08:

[Doc]

Was wondering about these meal services myself but for a different reason.
I am single and not a great cook but also do not want to take the time to cook.
My reason was wondering how easy these meals are to prepare?

"Fairly easy". Sun Baskets are easier. Prep time is typically 15 to 20 minutes. I'm not sure if they have a singles option.

[Darrell KSR]

Singles option = cook once, put away ½ for a second meal ;).

[catmanjack]

Thanks for the feedback, will definitely look into the meals.