Which Meal Kit is for You?

~Blue Apron~

 

~Cheesy Tomatillo Enchiladas~

The enchiladas were by far my favorite meal from Blue Apron. Since Mexican is my favorite food, that is not surprising. However, I know you want to know more about the service and the packaging, so let's get right to it. 

Pros:  

• The meals arrive on time. 
• The ingredients are fresh and of good quality. 
• The recipes are clear and easy to follow.     

Cons:

• The ingredients for a recipe do not come packaged altogether.   
• The recipes take at least 45 minutes to prepare. 
• There is not enough variety of grains and beans for vegetarian options.

                                                                                                                                                           

 When I get home from work, I am pretty hungry. I don't want to take longer than 30 minutes to get dinner on the table. I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, so having more than just white rice and vegetables is important for making me feel full longer. The Blue Apron recipes are delicious, but I end up feeling hungry fairly soon after eating. I have not been excited about the brand of tofu they use either. I prefer a much firmer texture.             

~Tofu Katsu & Soy Mayo~

~Sheet Pan Salmon & Olive Vinaigrette~

Purple Carrot

I was hard-pressed to pick a favorite meal from the Purple Carrot. I loved them all! I really did enjoy the nachos. I know it's Mexican. The cashew cheese was wonderful. I didn't feel like I was giving up anything by eating vegan. I'm sure you will notice that the chips are black. That was not the fault of the Purple Carrot; that was mom and teenage daughter talking too much while cooking.  Haha, at least she still likes to talk to me. 

~Roasted Vegetable Nacho Bowls~

Pros:

• All the ingredients for a single recipe are packaged together. 
• A variety of different grains and beans are used. 
• Meals arrive on time and are of good quality. 
• The recipes are clear and easy to read. 
• They give recipes for breakfast and snacks in the same book.

Cons:

• The recipes take 35-45 minutes to prepare.

~Buffalo Tempeh Quinoa Bowls~

~Hazelnut Barley Pilaf~

I really enjoy the Purple Carrot's recipes. My daughter likes most of them, but she is definitely not a vegan, so she prefers the Green Chef. I reviewed them a few weeks ago. My favorites are The Green Chef and the Purple Carrot. The Green Chef comes out on top for me because their recipes can be made in 30 minutes (some of the vegetable prep is done for you). They are both terrific for taste and quality. The Blue Apron is great for meat-eaters. Their meals are of high quality and taste. Their vegetarian options leave you wanting more. It is just my personal preference to have all ingredients in one bag. It makes putting things away in the fridge easier. When you are ready to cook, you only need to read the label on one bag and pull it out to start cooking. 

I am currently alternating weeks between the Purple Carrot and the Green Chef.  All of the meal plan services I have tried make it very easy to skip a week or change recipes. As I said in my post about the Green Chef, I believe I waste less food using the services because I only buy what I need. I have splurged less on unhealthy quick snacks because I have everything I need ready to go when I get home from work. It is easy to cancel the service if you don't like it, so I say what you have to lose? Give one a try and make your life easier.