Starting At $2656 Per Meal
Clean eating has never been easier with Sakara Life calling the shots for every meal of the day.
The plant-based and nutrition-focused meal delivery service is one that can really revamp the way you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The meals each come in a take-out style container, with a sticker indicating when I should eat the meal right down to the time and day of the week. Dont tell, but for this test, I pulled out a Saturday breakfast and a Friday dinner, just to see the range of offerings and because I needed to know what a pink poppy seed muffin looked like, even though it was 6 p.m.
The best part for me was the portability and ease of the whole thing, especially as someone who skips breakfast or opts for a muffin when running late.
While heating my dinner bowl, a Sakara burger with chili cashew creme, I decided to browse the site to see what sort of plans they offered. For those that want to try out a weekly meal plan but are a bit timid, they do have a one-week trial to test the waters. If you like it, you can set up a reoccurring subscription and have Sakara Life meals all week long, your choice as to which meals of the day and for how many days. Bonus points for being super customizable, as some may want just a few days a week and others an entire fridge of pre-planned meals for their three squares.
TLDR:
What Are The Standout Features Of Blue Apron
- Online marketplace:The subscription-averse can still try Blue Aprons meal kitsno commitment requiredà la carte through the services . Bundles containing two servings each of three recipes start at $71, a few bucks more than the same-sized order would cost for a subscriber. The market also has spices and kitchen supplies recommended by the culinary team, such as knives, pans, and, yes, blue aprons.
- Wine program: Blue Aprons beverage team collaborates with winemakers to make custom red, white, and rosé wines in 500-millileter bottles, just the size for you and your dining partner to sample a glass and a half of wine with your weeknight meal. Bottles come with tasting notes and pairing recommendations so you can choose them based on your recipes. Try them on a subscription basis or grab them à la carte through Blue Aprons marketplace.
- Emphasis on learning:Meal kit services inherently remove most of the thinking from the cooking process: They take care of the planning, shopping, and even some of the food prep. Blue Aprons recipes, however, still feel thoughtfully developed with the subscribers culinary knowledge in mind. Youll experiment with a variety of cooking methods using seasonal produce you may not have tried before.
Specialty Diet Accommodation And Meal Selection
One thing I wish Blue Apron would offer is a gluten free option while some weeks there do occasionally end up being 3 gluten free recipes for us to select, for the most part most of their meals contain wheat, and they arent labeled as gluten free so you have to figure it out yourself, which is one more step. This is why we switched mostly to Sun Basket when Matt needed gluten free meals.
With Blue Apron, they offer a regular and vegetarian plan, but you can mix and match between the meal offerings each week. They used to have a weird restriction where you couldnt pair certain meals together , but they changed that in 2017. That drove me crazy because we like getting some meat and some veggie meals, but didnt always want the specific ones theyd let you pair together.
HelloFresh also offers a regular and a vegetarian plan option they dont have a special gluten free plan , but they note which of their meal options each week are gluten free , and you can mix and match any of them/pair anything you want together .
Regarding gluten free, there were usually 3 gluten free options offered each week from HelloFresh, but no more than that, so that meant if you didnt like the look of those meals, you were out of luck.
Sun Basket offers paleo, gluten free, and vegetarian plans, and you can mix and match within those categories based on which recipes you like the look of the most.
Read Also: Chickpea Flour Publix
What Is A Gluten
A gluten-free diet is an eating plan that eliminates gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Some people follow a gluten-free diet because they have celiac disease, a condition where gluten triggers white blood cells to attack the lining of the small intestine.
Individuals with non-celiac gluten sensitivity or wheat allergies may go gluten-free to avoid uncomfortable gastrointestinal discomfort and other symptoms caused by eating gluten.
People on a gluten-free diet can still eat some gluten-free grains including quinoa, brown rice, wild rice, sorghum, tapioca, millet, amaranth, and oftentimes certified gluten-free oats. In addition, naturally gluten-free foods include fruits and vegetables, seeds, beans, legumes, and nuts.
Eggs, unprocessed meats, fish and poultry, and dairy products are also gluten-free. Even products that typically contain wheat, such as bread, pasta, and cookies, can be made with other grains to be gluten-free.
Variety Is The Best Spice
There are far, far more meal delivery services than these top picks, including choices for nearly every cuisine, specialized diet, or cooking skill level. We’ll be looking at more services from time to time, too. For more information on meal delivery services, please visit our dedicated meal kits page and our guides to the best vegetarian and vegan meal kit delivery services along with the best prepared meal delivery services. Read our Blue Apron vs. HelloFresh comparison to see two of the best meal kit services face off.
Don’t Miss: Kinnikinnick Gluten Free Pie Crusts
Starting At $849 Per Serving Save $40 Off First Four Orders Of Freshlyfit
FreshlyFit is the newer nutritionist-backed ready-made meal line from Freshly, and I was ready to dig in with no dishes to clean up afterward.
The meals, like Freshly, come 100% pre-made, and all one has to do is follow the microwave instructions on the back of the packaging and enjoy. Sounding simple enough, I took out the Sesame-Ginger Bliss Bowl and popped it in for five minutes total, giving me time to browse the site and read the rest of the packaging.
My meal contained one cup of veggies, plant-based protein and a fiber boost, as well as only 320 calories for the whole bowl. They also carry paleo meals and ensure that each dish is always gluten-free and peanut-free, a plus for any families with those common allergies.
With the most wonderfully-sounding ding of the microwave and a quick stir, my meal was ready. The bowl was delightfully creamy, and the veggies retained their crunch, which is no small feat for a refrigerated dish.
FreshlyFit is the service to try for those who like microwavable meals that taste homemade and are packed with proteins for a post-workout feast or diet-friendly choices for an easy after-work dinner with no cleanup involved.
TLDR:
Blue Apron Pricing: Comparable To Other Meal Delivery Services
A subscription to Blue Apron costs between $8 and $10 per serving, or $40 to $120 per week, depending on how many meals you want delivered and the number of servings you’d like per dish. Competitor brands like Home Chef and Sunbasket tend to be a little more expensive, costing around $50 per week for the lowest-tier subscription.
Keep an eye out for specialty dishes on the menu, which may add a few dollars onto the cost of your weekly order . However, the price is clearly reflected on the menu as you go to make your weekly selections, so it should be easy to tell which dishes cost more than others.
Also Check: Food For Life English Muffins Gluten Free
What Are The Requirements Of A Gluten
A gluten-free diet is one that excludes all forms of gluten. Gluten is a substance that is found mainly in wheat and grains and includes barley, rye, and oat, just to name a few.
Nowadays the gluten-free diet is one of the most popular dietary trends to be followed in the United States. Initially, this was out of necessity due to the increase in gluten-related disorders such as Celiac Disease , Non-Celiac Gluten-Sensitivity and Gluten Ataxia. Recently though a growing number of people are following a gluten-free diet by choice due to the belief that a diet free of gluten is better for you and will aid in weight loss and maintenance.
When you follow a specific diet, such as a gluten-free diet, it is very easy to think that your choices are going to be limited when it comes to meal kit menu choices. However, there is a very pleasing amount of delicious and creative menu choices out there for you! There are several meal kit services that understand this diet well and have created tempting and tasty gluten-free options.
***It is important to note that our recommendations include companies that have created gluten-free menu plans for those who have gluten-free related health issues and others that are more suitable for those who follow a gluten-free diet as a lifestyle choice.***
Blue Apron: Editorial Notes
Three years ago, I felt like Blue Apron was going to become the Kleenex of meal kits, where the brand name of Blue Apron would come to replace the word meal kits when it came to discussing the overall industry. At one point, Blue Apron was spending roughly $150 million per year on online advertisinga larger ad budget than Pepsi! Oh, and if youre wondering where the unique name Blue Apron comes fromits in reference to the French culinary world where kitchen apprentices wore blue aprons in the kitchen . We really wanted to try Blue Apron in Canada, and its sad that their meal kits are not available.
Read Also: Bread Crumbs Gluten Free Substitute
How Does Blue Apron Actually Work
When youre ready to sign up for Blue Apron, youll select a plansignature for two or four people, vegetarian for two, or wellness for twoand whether you want to be sent two, three, or four recipes per week.
Youll create an account with your email address and password, fill in your delivery and billing information, and pick your desired delivery date before choosing your meals for the next one to four weeks ahead.
Your menu reflects the plan of your choosing: The signature plan has around 16 recipes per week with everything from tofu and tomato curry to shrimp and pancetta cavatelli. If youre on the vegetarian or wellness plans, youll see the relevant recipes from the signature menu. Each dish has symbols for the cooking time and category, including Weight Watchers-friendly, easy prep and cleanup, craft , or premium .
Dont want a traditional meal kit? Blue Apron also offers two meal prep bundles each week starting at $72. They have the supplies for you to prep eight servings of your chosen recipe in about 90 minutes. The service also recently launched ready-made meals that can be heated and served within five minutes. Mix each of these in with your Blue Apron subscription or try them à la carte through the market.
Other questions? Find answers to most inquiries in the help center. You can also get in touch with customer service via message, email, and phone using the information and hours listed here.
Is Home Chef Gluten
Although Home Chef isnt strictly designed for people who follow a gluten-free diet, there are always quite a few wheat-free options on the menu.
If youd rather save yourself the hassle of sorting through meals that arent relevant for your lifestyle, check out a service like Green Chef, which has a completely gluten-free plan, or Freshly, which is entirely gluten-free. Both of these companies are certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group.
Also Check: Are Dove Ice Cream Bars Gluten Free
How Much Do Gluten
The cost of gluten-free meal delivery kits varies depending on the ingredients, meal types, number of meals, dietary restrictions, and other factors. Organic ingredients or compostable packaging may also increase the overall cost of the kits.
Meals are usually in the range of $5 to $14 per serving. For the most part, as you increase the number of meals you order, the cost per serving drops. Some plans include shipping, while other companies charge an additional fee.
Hellofresh Vs Blue Apron
To save time at the stove, some busy people use devices like slow cookers and pressure cookers, while others try home delivery meal services.
With so many options now available, factors like price, delivery schedules, dietary needs, and taste all come into play when deciding on a meal delivery service. To help you choose which meal kit is right for you, we compared two of the most popular options: HelloFresh and Blue Apron. Which meal service should you choose? The side-by-side breakdown below provides an in-depth explanation of each service in terms of price, diet options, food quality, shipping, and taste. Lets find out which meal service attains culinary dominance.
Note: Ongoing shelter-in-place orders may affect delivery times and menu options for both services.
Also Check: Jason’s Deli Gluten Sensitive Menu
General Health Benefits Of Meal Kits And Home Cooking
People may find that meal delivery kits support home cooking with a busy lifestyle, reducing the time needed for grocery shopping and meal planning.
If a person eats out frequently and wishes to switch to home-cooked meals, meal kits may help. Some home delivery kits also work out less expensive and contain fewer calories than restaurant or takeout foods.
According to a 2013 study, people underestimate the number of calories they consume at fast-food chains by as much as . Increasing awareness of calorie content by labeling meals clearly may help people make more informed decisions when choosing meals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommend people plan home-cooked meals in advance to help them make healthful choices.
If people cannot afford home kits and find it difficult to find the time to cook every day, they may wish to consider batch cooking their healthful meals in advance.
After cooking, a person can store these meals in the freezer. When they feel hungry, they can quickly reheat a healthful and convenient home-cooked meal.
Seared Steaks & Salsa Verde With Fingerling Potatoes Asparagus & Radishes
This one is a real delight for all the meat lovers out there who need to steer clear of gluten. It only takes around half an hour to make and the result is nothing short of perfection. The rich, tender seared steaks are combined with a wonderfully crisp sauté of radishes and asparagus, as well as melt-in-your-mouth roasted fingerling potatoes.
The flavor of the steaks is elevated with the aromatic salsa verde topping featuring garlic paste, capers, lemon, and olive oil. Beautiful to look at, a pleasure to taste, and ready in just about 35 minutes.
Also Check: Cauliflower Pizza Crust Publix
