======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ==== ======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ====
Subscription services are, for the most part, a pretty stellar idea. If you’re even the slightest bit active on social media platforms like Instagram or Twitter, I’m sure you’ve seen a copious amount of ads from “influencers” promoting the different ones that are available. If you’re not active on the internet (well, I guess you aren’t reading this), it’s likely you’ve seen some sort of tangible coupon enticing you to test out some kind of meal delivery service at a discounted rate. With SO many different companies to choose from, it seems like there’s currently a big demand for this service.
A few of my married friends absolutely love the concept since it’s so convenient, and serves as a great bonding experience. It makes sense to utilize services like HelloFresh or Blue Apron or whatever to have an easy at-home “date night.” With all of the great things about these companies, I have a specific bone to pick with those who use them.
I’m not here to shit on meal delivery services. I think the business model is pretty awesome (except for how wasteful their packaging is, but that’s another rant for another day). What I’m here to complain about are all the assholes who think they’re renowned chefs since they put together a pre-portioned recipe that they didn’t even shop for. Please.
I can’t help but cringe any time I have some version of the following conversation with someone:
Friend: “John has become such a great cook. Last night he made an amazing chicken tikka masala.”
Me: “Wow! Did he use both ginger and turmeric? I always go overboard with the ginger but it ends up fine.”
Friend: “Oh — I don’t know, actually. It was from Blue Apron!”
Let’s dissect. Some might say if you have to grill, bake, sauté, boil, mix, or roast any kind of basic ingredient and have it taste decently it can be labeled “good cooking”… No. NO. You’re all wrong. If that’s the case, then hell, every college student out there is a master chef because they can whip up some Maruchan Ramen in their microwave. Just because you’re taking it upon yourself to elicit a chemical change in a raw vegetable (that was MAILED to you) to make it a slightly mushy vegetable, that doesn’t make you a “great cook.” Meal delivery kits are awesome, but they in no way should serve to put someone on a cooking pedestal when ALL of the heavy lifting was already done by the company.
Frankly, if someone makes something as simple and easy as a salad but puts the time and energy in to going to the store, hand-selecting complimentary ingredients, and makes it from scratch, they deserve more praise than Mr. Chicken Tikka Masala who did nothing more than open a box of EXACT portioned ingredients for two and, gee, not fuck up steps that were pre-written for him.
Why would anyone want to avoid the grocery store anyway? Do you really want some Gen Z first job kid picking out your cut of meat and wrapping it up in 100 layers of saran wrap? When I go to the grocery store, I can’t help but have a sense of pride when I pick out the exact bunch of leafy greens that I want. Also, going to the grocery immediately reserves you the right to impulsively buy that Dr. Pepper you don’t need in the check out line. Can HelloFresh do that? I think NOT.
I definitely get how convenient meal delivery kits can be. The fight against having anything delivered and practically prepared for you is damn near futile this day and age. Again, I’m not here to bash anyone for utilizing a meal kit subscription for the sake of being convenient. I get it! These services are a magnet for repeat business because they’re so terribly effortless. I also think there’s a lot of education that can be obtained from these services. Maybe after using them over & over you can start to see what flavors, spices, and amounts of ingredients are all complimentary to one another.
But for now? All I’m saying is that you don’t deserve to be a self-proclaimed mayor of Flavortown after completing a 3D edible puzzle that was mailed to you. .
Respond
KatieCallaway
Katie is 27 and is from Nashville, TN but lives in Los Angeles, CA as an actress, comedian, writer, and marketing manager. Although some might disagree, she likely peaked when she had dinner with Randy Jackson and he called her “dude” a lot. You can see her active on the Twitterverse at @KECallaway or you can also follow her new Insta at @KatieCallaway even though she hates Instagram.
@kecallaway
@katiecallaway
…Yeah…I totally agree….*takes off “World’s Greatest Chef” hat and matching apron*
You can look up those recipes and go buy the ingredients yourself for half the price. It doesn’t make someone a good cook, just fiscally dumb.
Hell, you can look up the recipe and have the grocery store deliver the ingredients to you for less.
Yup. I’m paying like 30 extra bucks per month on unnecessary Amazon Fresh delivery charges/tips, but it’s still way cheaper than the meal kits.
Pro tip: Costco sometimes has Blue Apron gift cards on sale. I’ve bought $100 worth of gift cards for $65 before. Make those mediocre overpriced meals slightly less overpriced.
I mean Gordon Ramsay had a series that someone put on youtube that goes over most of his recipes. Ill be honest though, I only wanted to follow them so I can berate the schmuck who helped me in the kitchen. Yelling “It’s RAW” followed by the guttural belly laugh caused by the realization that I’m being stupid AF was worth it.
Need a girl’s take on this, but which is more impressive for a date in which the guy cooks for you:
a) He cooks something from Blue Apron
b) He takes time to find a recipe, buys all the ingredients himself, and cooks it for you. If he screws it up, at least he made a valiant effort to go above and beyond
also the entire time I read this, it reminded me of the scene in Breaking Bad where Walter White is trying to defend his job: “He’s just a short-order cook!” (which is basically what Blue Apron is – a short-order cook)
100% option B. As someone who constantly expresses love for friends/ family by cooking, I would much rather eat an imperfect meal prepped by a guy than have him put no thought into warning up a millenial’s answer to TV Dinners (the blue apron box).
Option B is definitely more impressive, but I would still be happy with Option A over going out to a restaurant. Still takes time and effort to make the meal and is a more realistic representation of what dinners in the future could be like together
AMEN!!!
After reading this article, I am officially forced to recognize the fact that “Gen Z first job kid[s]” younger than me are providing me services in this economy.
Does it really make you that mad that people are proud they cooked something that wasn’t awful?
Mad? No. Baffled someone is bragging about coloring and staying in the lines? Yes. I find it insanely comical – not anger inducing.
While I agree with you, your argument is a little off base due to the fact you fail to provide examples of what a good cook is, which I assume is someone who is creative and possesses the culinary ability to either create their own recipes, or at the very least improve recipes so the end result is catered to their specific taste.
And if anyone named Dave were to ask me, “What’s for dinner?” tonight, the answer is baked chicken with asparagus and a salad.
Crock pot chicken noodle soup
I agree with the take, but don’t attack the quality of the meat. I had BlueApron for a while and the meat was way better than the typical grocery store selection.
I dunno, I’ve only used these kits on about two occasions and the meat was a little wonky.
Good use of wonky
You know, I find the Ramen Noodles activated with questionably safe, fluoridated tap water meal kit to be economically fair in price and may also reduce costs later in life by, you know, ending it dude to the excessive sodium intake lol
Basically if you use these services, you think this is a trash take because you’re hooked. If you don’t use these services, then you think this is a great argument because you don’t like the bar being lowered to make a good meal or you haven’t gotten hooked on them yet.
I do however agree that someone shouldn’t be claiming the result as their own work. It’s like putting together Ikea furniture and calling yourself a carpenter.
Use the noodles, trash the flavoring packet.