5 Reasons To Cancel HelloFresh (and Other Meal Kit Delivery Subscriptions)
In recent years, you can’t start a podcast, navigate a website or even turn on a TV show without a meal kit delivery service being advertised to you. Services like HelloFresh have gained immense popularity, promising convenience and culinary adventure for time-strapped individuals. These subscription-based services deliver preportioned ingredients and step-by-step recipes right to your doorstep.
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While the concept appears, pardon the pun, delicious, it’s important to critically evaluate the value these services truly offer. Let’s dive into the reasons why you might consider canceling your HelloFresh subscription, as well as other meal kit delivery services. From cost concerns to limited menu options and environmental considerations, we’ll explore the factors that could prompt you to bid farewell to the meal kit trend and embrace alternative dining solutions.
Cost Considerations
Meal kit delivery subscriptions like HelloFresh often come with a hefty price tag, and there are several reasons behind their expensive nature. One factor is the convenience they provide, as all the ingredients are carefully portioned and delivered directly to your doorstep. Additionally, the inclusion of high-quality ingredients and prepared components adds to the overall cost. However, one cost-saving strategy is to opt for vegetarian meals and replace meat with alternatives such as cashews.
Blanca Garcia, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition specialist at MIDSS, suggests that by making this simple switch, the cost significantly reduces. Despite cashews being one of the pricier nuts, costing around $10 per 16 ounces, this quantity can be utilized to make snacks or added to other dishes. The advantage of using plant-based protein sources like cashews is that they can be incorporated into multiple meals, offering both variety and cost efficiency.
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There’s Plenty of Waste — Food and Otherwise
Meal kit delivery services, despite their convenience, have come under scrutiny for their contribution to both food waste and plastic waste. One of the main concerns regarding food waste stems from the preportioned nature of these services. While it aims to reduce waste by providing exact quantities of ingredients, it often leads to excess packaging and unused portions. Unused or forgotten ingredients can quickly spoil, resulting in unnecessary disposal. Moreover, the extensive packaging materials, such as plastic bags and containers, used to keep ingredients fresh during transportation, significantly contribute to plastic waste. These single-use plastics are not always recyclable or compostable, further adding to environmental concerns. As consumers become more conscious of their ecological footprint, the excessive waste generated by meal kit delivery services has become a very real reason to cancel subscriptions and seek out more eco-friendly eats.
Not to Your Exact Tastes
One of the limitations of meal kit delivery services is that the food options may not always align with your personal preferences. “As a Latina, spicy and Mexican foods are my favorite,” said Garcia, adding that she may find the offerings of services like HelloFresh to be outside her culinary preferences. While trying new things can be exciting and broaden one’s palate, the lack of options that resonate with your cultural background can be a valid reason for individuals to cancel their meal kit delivery subscriptions and seek alternative ways to satisfy their specific food preferences.
Not a Ton of Flexibility
The lack of flexibility in meal kit services like HelloFresh has emerged as a pretty big issue for many subscribers. While these services offer the convenience of preportioned ingredients and recipes, they often come with limited customization options. This lack of flexibility can be problematic for individuals with dietary restrictions, allergies or specific food preferences. Whether you follow a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or other specialized diet, meal kit services may not always accommodate these needs adequately. Moreover, if you have a busy schedule or unexpected changes in plans, the rigid delivery schedules and inability to easily modify or skip deliveries can lead to unused ingredients and wasted meals.
Kids Might Reject the Meals
Meal kit delivery services can pose challenges for families with children, as they often present a mismatch between the culinary preferences of kids and the recipe choices provided. While it’s important for children to expand their palates and try new foods, a school night dinner might not be the ideal time to introduce an entirely new cuisine to your child. Garcia points out that most children tend to gravitate toward familiar flavors and foods they are accustomed to. The recipe choices offered by meal kit services may be too adventurous or out of their comfort zone, making it more likely for children to reject the food altogether. This can lead to additional costs as you may need to toss the original meal in the trash and then make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for your kid.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Reasons To Cancel HelloFresh (and Other Meal Kit Delivery Subscriptions)
