Meal Kits

[ttaskmaster]

I get what you are saying but that is more like Huel/meal replacement territory. These are boxes of fresh veg, meat and herbs/condiments with recipe cards. I get half a lettuce if I only need half a lettuce, for example...

I know what they are. I have used them previously.
It's basically a box of a few 'not-quite-ready' meals.

Edit: Crikey, those A&C boxes are dear.

Yes...
Yes they most certainly are...!!

It's still cooking, it's just that everything is portioned. Not everyone likes cooking and they seem like a decent way for people to learn, although they are overpriced.

Only because things like ready meals created such a gap in the market to begin with. This is essentially the same thing, which is why it's so expensive.

 

[dlockers]

I know what they are. I have used them previously.
It's basically a box of a few 'not-quite-ready' meals.
<snip>

It is no different than a trolley full of veg, meat, herbs and "portion" sizes of things like tomato paste, soy sauce, etc. Not quite sure if you are thinking about the same box as I am...

 

[ttaskmaster]

It is no different than a trolley full of veg, meat, herbs and "portion" sizes of things like tomato paste, soy sauce, etc. Not quite sure if you are thinking about the same box as I am...

I am.
Like I said, I have used them before. I still think they're a silly idea, especially at the ******** rip-off prices.
The only thing they teach you is that you can get three or four of the same meals for half the price if you get the trolley-full.

 

[dlockers]

I am.
Like I said, I have used them before. I still think they're a silly idea, especially at the ******** rip-off prices.
The only thing they teach you is that you can get three or four of the same meals for half the price if you get the trolley-full.

Can you describe what the difference is between a trolley full of stuff touched by loads of randomers squeezing and handling them, versus a box being delivered with the same contents then?

They are a great idea if you aren't as price sensitive/ value the convenience. Which millions do as it is a hugely growing market. As an alternative to food waste, eating out or getting delivery, it is significantly cheaper.

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/meal-kit-delivery-services-market

Edit: I really am not 'triggered' by your opinion, it is just your retort is a bit odd - feels like they have offended you or something

 

[Raikiri]

Only because things like ready meals created such a gap in the market to begin with. This is essentially the same thing, which is why it's so expensive.

How are they ready meals... if they're not you know, ready?

 

[Shadowness]

Meal kits are not ready meals

 

[dlockers]

How are they ready meals... if they're not you know, ready?

He qualified it with "not-so-ready, ready-meals".

You know, like raw ingredients that need cooking.

I assume he goes shopping for these not-so-ready, ready-meals too. Raw ingredients must mean him out in the allotment with a hoe I suppose.

 

[TheVoice]

It's still cooking, it's just that everything is portioned. Not everyone likes cooking and they seem like a decent way for people to learn, although they are overpriced.

One of the few reasonable and rational takes in this entire thread.

The fact the packages sit there waiting to be used is another incentive to not divert.

This is one of the benefits of Hello Fresh I find too. After a day at work or ahead of a late shift I probably don't entirely fancy cooking, but everything I need is in the fridge, the recipe card is there, and if I don't use it its a waste of food and money. The added benefit comes from the fact I can get at least two portions from each meal so the rest goes in the freezer for an evening when I don't want to cook or to take in to work instead of the ready meals I'd usually get.

Fewer supermarket visits is definitely a bonus with the way things are right now too.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Can you describe what the difference is between a trolley full of stuff touched by loads of randomers squeezing and handling them, versus a box being delivered with the same contents then?

About half the price for 2-4 times the number of meals. Both will have been handled by randomers, so you're not saving anything on that front.

They are a great idea if you aren't as price sensitive/ value the convenience.

If you aren't price-sensitive, then surely Gordon Ramsay comes round to conveniently cook you something, which saves you even more hassle?

As an alternative to food waste, eating out or getting delivery, it is significantly cheaper.

Who the **** wastes so much food, that they need to pay a company to supply exact portions and ingredients for exactly measured meals??!!

Edit: I really am not 'triggered' by your opinion, it is just your retort is a bit odd - feels like they have offended you or something

Glad to hear it. I wasn't looking to 'trigger' anyone, just slating something I've tried a fair few times and always found to be a pointless rip-off.

How are they ready meals... if they're not you know, ready?

I didn't say they were. I said they fill a gap which was created by ready meals.
They teach you nothing about actual cooking, in terms of how ingredients work in different ways, why things go well with this and not with that, or any of the science and craft involved. It's just following assembly instructions. At least online usually recipes give you some insight into why you're doing things a certain way.

I'm not a purist cookery snob and will happily grab a can of soup or All Day Breakfast... But kits have always seemed like the worst of all worlds, sold for double the price.

but everything I need is in the fridge, the recipe card is there, and if I don't use it its a waste of food and money.

But what if you don't fancy that particular recipe?
You can't use it for something else - It's all been measured and portioned exactly, for just those specific recipes. Is that still not a waste of food and money?

 

[dlockers]

About half the price for 2-4 times the number of meals. Both will have been handled by randomers, so you're not saving anything on that front.

If you aren't price-sensitive, then surely Gordon Ramsay comes round to conveniently cook you something, which saves you even more hassle?
<snip>

I'm not a purist cookery snob and will happily grab a can of soup or All Day Breakfast... But kits have always seemed like the worst of all worlds, sold for double the price.

The chap who eats All Day Breakfast from a tin preaching

Price sensitivity is a term that describes the individuals indifference to money leaving the bank account versus the perceived value. For example, I wouldn't pay a cent for a tin of processed entrails ('all day breakfast'). This is how every transaction you make on a day-to-day basis is psychologically processed.

People buy flowers for £19 quid that disappear the next week, same thing.

What is a rip off to you is valuable to others.

They teach you nothing about actual cooking, in terms of how ingredients work in different ways, why things go well with this and not with that, or any of the science and craft involved. It's just following assembly instructions. At least online usually recipes give you some insight into why you're doing things a certain way.



But what if you don't fancy that particular recipe?
You can't use it for something else - It's all been measured and portioned exactly, for just those specific recipes. Is that still not a waste of food and money?

To your last point, they have certainly helped me discover new recipes. I've transcended the stir fry to a cod thai green curry without using a jar of thai paste - so you are also wrong there.

Why wouldn't you fancy the particular recipe? You select it a couple of days before from a huge list of options. Are you sure you have used one of these websites before?

The point of the thread was to see what viable alternatives sat inbetween the grossly overpriced boxes for what raw materials it contains, and going to Aldi to buy all-day-breakfast and a recipe list of a handful of things you can remember.

 

[ttaskmaster]

The chap who eats All Day Breakfast from a tin preaching

I sometimes also dine at Michelin starred restaurants. What's your point?

What is a rip off to you is valuable to others.

I know... and I see this as a rip-off.
However, I would wonder where the line is between what people actually see as value, and what they think is value just because that's how it's sold to them... Case in point, the numerous AIOs sold as "The ultimate cooling device", when it can't even match a basic air cooler.

To your last point, they have certainly helped me discover new recipes. I've transcended the stir fry to a cod thai green curry without using a jar of thai paste - so you are also wrong there.

Was this with the exact ingredients in the exact portions they give you, or did you come up with this using your own brain?
Were you given a fish, or were you taught to fish?

Why wouldn't you fancy the particular recipe? You select it a couple of days before from a huge list of options.

People do sometimes change their minds. They don't all plan every meal a week in advance and then stick rigidly to it, come hell or high water.

Are you sure you have used one of these websites before?

Very.

The point of the thread was to see what viable alternatives sat inbetween the grossly overpriced boxes for what raw materials it contains, and going to Aldi to buy all-day-breakfast and a recipe list of a handful of things you can remember.

As you have phrased it right there, I would say a list of ingredients and quantities which can make several possible recipes. Multiply that up to give you enough for a week, and there you go.
You save money by buying in bulk, you're not tied to exact recipes, you get to broaden your exposure to different cuisine and possibly even learn a few things along the way, or experiment with variations.

 

[dlockers]

I sometimes also dine at Michelin starred restaurants. What's your point?


I know... and I see this as a rip-off.
However, I would wonder where the line is between what people actually see as value, and what they think is value just because that's how it's sold to them... Case in point, the numerous AIOs sold as "The ultimate cooling device", when it can't even match a basic air cooler.


Was this with the exact ingredients in the exact portions they give you, or did you come up with this using your own brain?
Were you given a fish, or were you taught to fish?


People do sometimes change their minds. They don't all plan every meal a week in advance and then stick rigidly to it, come hell or high water.


Very.


As you have phrased it right there, I would say a list of ingredients and quantities which can make several possible recipes. Multiply that up to give you enough for a week, and there you go.
You save money by buying in bulk, you're not tied to exact recipes, you get to broaden your exposure to different cuisine and possibly even learn a few things along the way, or experiment with variations.

Okay Victor Meldrew, enjoy living like a cave man /s

Edit: Out of interest, which meal kit provider did you use that didn't give you much broader cuisine options, and enlighten you on the art of the possible with regard to cooking?

And which recipes have you invented "out of your own brain" that you would recommend I try?

 

[TheVoice]

But what if you don't fancy that particular recipe?
You can't use it for something else - It's all been measured and portioned exactly, for just those specific recipes. Is that still not a waste of food and money?

I wouldn't choose something I don't want.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Okay Victor Meldrew, enjoy living like a cave man /s

You're essentially just paying someone a good amount of money to go to a warehouse and pick off the shelf exact quantities for recipes.
If not wanting to be a slave to someone else's limited menu options and being fine with doing my own shopping makes me a caveman, then fine...

Edit: Out of interest, which meal kit provider did you use that didn't give you much broader cuisine options, and enlighten you on the art of the possible with regard to cooking?

We've used Gusto, Hello Fresh, Abel & Cole, something else with Fresh in the name, and a few others (names escape me) that had all the "healthy free range organic fair trade" type marketing plastered all over it.

And which recipes have you invented "out of your own brain" that you would recommend I try?

Pick any five recipes that you like, then swap out some ingredients for others that you think you'd like.
Try some variants... like make a bobotie, but instead of a beef curry basis, give it an Italian style... or in my case, cook for a gues who cannpt do garlic or onion, but is also lactose and gluten intolerant.
Or just come up with a couple of recipes using whatever you have available. I've done a pretty good sweet & sour chicken approximation, but without any of the typically required ingredients.

What I was asking is whether you came up with the "cod thai green curry without using a jar of thai paste" yourself, or was it just something they gave you in the box kit and told you how to assemble?

I wouldn't choose something I don't want.

But what if you don't want it now?
Yes, you like pizza, but what if you don't want that pizza tonight... or tomorrow... or any of the other days before it goes off?
What if you've got in the ingredients for five wonderful gourmet meals with fancy names, but what you really want that night is a burger or a big plate of spag bol?
What if you fancy one thing, for which you have the precise ingredients, but it would then mean you don't have enough to make something else that also uses some of those precisely measured ingredients?

 

[TheVoice]

But what if you don't want it now?
Yes, you like pizza, but what if you don't want that pizza tonight... or tomorrow... or any of the other days before it goes off?
What if you've got in the ingredients for five wonderful gourmet meals with fancy names, but what you really want that night is a burger or a big plate of spag bol?
What if you fancy one thing, for which you have the precise ingredients, but it would then mean you don't have enough to make something else that also uses some of those precisely measured ingredients?

Then I'll make one of the other things. Or pull something else out the freezer, or order a burger. Or go out and get the ingredients or the thing I do want.

 

[ttaskmaster]

Then I'll make one of the other things. Or pull something else out the freezer, or order a burger. Or go out and get the ingredients or the thing I do want.

But... you already chose what to eat and got in exact quantities... why would you then do something different?
Does that not defeat the point of getting in exactly what you need to make exactly what you already chose?
Is that not a waste of food and money?

 

[TheVoice]

But... you already chose what to eat and got in exact quantities... why would you then do something different?
Does that not defeat the point of getting in exactly what you need to make exactly what you already chose?
Is that not a waste of food and money?

Not sure what you mean, I can't survive solely off what comes in the Hello Fresh box so obviously I buy other things as well. I'm not wasting anything.

 

[Raikiri]

I actually signed up for a week of Hello Fresh just so I could give an opinion on it with some actual experience, as I hadn't tried one. Will update when I've tried everything that came.

 

[dlockers]

I actually signed up for a week of Hello Fresh just so I could give an opinion on it with some actual experience, as I hadn't tried one. Will update when I've tried everything that came.

Hello Fresh isn't the best one as it comes with non-recyclable (or ship-back-to-them) cold sacks. At least Mindful Chef let you ship it back to them to be re-used.

I also found their own stock powder to be very salty.

On the other hand if you like HelloFresh, you'll love Gousto. And if you love Gousto, you'll be blown away by Mindful Chef. It is a shame it so damn expensive!

 

[Raikiri]

I don't intend to continue or try any others, although with the introductory offers they actually work out pretty cheap.

It was purely so I could actually try them if I'm going to give an opinion on something, it's only fair