Meal Kits Customize in Post-Pandemic Slump

In the early months of the pandemic, many people who relied on restaurants for their meals had to learn to cook food at home.  To help new home chefs develop the skills and techniques to make tasty and nutritious dishes from scratch, delivery meal kits were invaluable.  But now, two years later, many kitchen novices have “graduated” from meal delivery services and these companies are pivoting to help people with special dietary requirements cook more easily or challenge seasoned home chefs to step up their game. 

According to a recent Washington Post report, meal kit growth has slowed as more people eat out again and competition from new companies and grocery stores crowd the market.  With rising food and delivery costs, many households are cutting back on luxury items like meal kits.  Now that more people know their way around the kitchen, subscriptions services are taking a hit.  

But in many households, one or more adults may still be working from home and delivered ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes still hold appeal when meal planning and shopping become a burden.  For people interested in trying a Keto, Vegetarian, or Vegan lifestyle, customized meal kits simplify the process, especially when transportation is an issue.  

Because proper nutrition is a cornerstone of good health, learning to shop for healthy ingredients and prepare nourishing meals is vital to protect overall well-being.  But sometimes we need a little course-correcting when cooking fatigue takes over.  Subscription services like Blue Apron may help bring joy back into the kitchen with balanced meals that cut down on food waste and are designed to be WW (Weight Watcher) and diabetes-friendly. 

For those who simply want to streamline their shopping and cooking, Eat at Home is a subscription meal plan that offers traditional, slow cooker, Whole Foods Plant Based, and No Flour, No Sugar recipes for a whole month, complete with shopping lists at a cost of $14 a month.   You can shop your local store or use curbside pickup or a delivery service.  

If you happen to have a New York Times subscription, you can sign up to receive weekly recipe suggestions for meals that will expand your palate and culinary skills. For $5 per month, you can have full access to the NYT Cooking catalog.  Irish Tacos?  Yes, please!