Meeting your needs with meal kits

Written by Tony Gagliardi, Mayo Clinic Dietetic intern

Meal kit delivery services have catchy names with everything from home to fresh to aprons to carrots. But what does a meal kit delivery service have to offer? And is it right for you?

If you have ever struggled with deciding what to eat for dinner, a meal kit delivery service might be right for you. Meal kit delivery services can take the guess work out of your busy day. They are partially prepped, portioned, food ingredients and recipes that allow people to easily prepare home-cooked meals. The recipes tend to offer step-by-step instructions, or those who lack time to prepare food, some meal kit delivery services offer prepared meals that only require reheating.

Why use them?

• Saves you time: Precut/ portioned food items make cooking a simple and faster.
• Reduces food waste: Fresh produce often gets thrown out; prepared ingredients reduce food waste in the kitchen.
• Complies with dietary needs: Some companies provide items for those looking to avoid allergens or other items not appropriate for you.
• Simplifies meal planning: Preselected meals it takes away the guess work in the kitchen.
• Helps provide a balanced diet: Choosing meals that offer at least 3 food groups from MyPlate method help to achieve balanced diet. Select from various of food groups to obtain nutrients for good health.
• Develop culinary skills: Cooking at home will improve your culinary skills – so even the novice chef can feel confident preparing healthy options.
• Customizable: Customize your meal items as you please to develop a delicious meal that meets health goals. For example, choose ground turkey over ground beef.
• Time Saving: All that you need for each recipe/meal delivered to you- decreases time grocery shopping.

How to customize meal kits to achieve a healthy diet?

• Use MyPlate when selecting a meal: Choose at least 3 out of the 5 food groups. For more information go to https://www.myplate.gov/.
• Choose lean protein: Best choices are low fat cuts of meat, low fat dairy, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds.
• Choose a variety of colors: Colorful foods provide phytochemicals and a variety of vitamins and minerals important for good health.
• Choose whole grains: Whole grain options instead of refined grains offers increased fiber.

Stop stressing about what you are going to have for dinner and consider trying meal kit delivery services! Save time, eat healthier, and enjoy delicious customizable dinners.

What's been your experience with meal delivery kits?