In 2018, over 37 million Americans were struggling with food insecurity. And that was over 2 years before the coronavirus pandemic struck. Now, food banks are being stretched to the breaking point across the United States. Those that can afford to buy food are now concerned with their safety when visiting supermarkets during a pandemic. A solution may be found with food subscription boxes.
If you mitigate your risks, shopping at the local supermarket shouldn’t be a hazard.
The CDC recommends that when shopping at the supermarket that you practice social distancing, wear masks and gloves, and use disinfecting wipes on shopping carts.
It is also recommended that you patronize supermarkets during low-traffic hours.
In fact, one prime CDC recommendation is to order food online and take advantage of food subscription boxes.
So, unless your financial options are extremely limited, it may serve your pandemic safety and financial interests to order food subscription boxes.
Still, first thing first – what are food subscription boxes?
What are the best food subscription box services?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of using food subscription boxes?
And is it financially worth it in the long run to subscribe to such services?
Food Subscription Boxes 101
Food subscription boxes are boxes of food and ingredients for specific meals that are delivered to your doorstep on prearranged schedules.
A food subscription box is also known as a meal kit service.
Instead of going to the supermarket and traversing the store picking up every ingredient you need, the ingredients for meals are delivered to you in a box.
So, for example, if you ordered a chicken meal, you would receive raw chicken cutlets, breadcrumbs, spices, cooking oil, and so on.
These meals are delivered in cooler-like boxes to keep ingredients as fresh as possible before meal preparation.
After registering for the service, you decide what meals are delivered and how often they are delivered. You can choose between protein, fish, and vegetarian-themed menus as well.
It is also important to keep in mind that the meals delivered in food subscription boxes are not pre-prepared.
You must make each box-meal from scratch. Each box comes with detailed instructions.
How often you use such services depends on your budget. It could be pretty pricey using food subscription services just 3 times a week or more.
Also, the more people in a family, the more expensive food subscription boxes become.
Here are some of the better food subscription box services.
Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon is an ecologically friendly line of food subscription boxes that are also officially endorsed by Martha Stewart.
In fact, when you log onto the website, it is titled, “Martha and Marley Spoon,” and features numerous photos of Martha Stewart.
Marley Spoon offers sophisticated, kid-friendly, and easy-to-prepare meals that are promoted as fitting anyone’s lifestyle. Most meals can be prepared in as little as 30-minutes.
Marley Spoon subscription boxes are made from mostly environmentally friendly biodegradable materials.
Additionally, Marley Spoon’s mission statement and marketing hook is continued cooperative work with sustainable farm businesses.
Sample meals from the Marley Spoon menu include chicken fried chicken & gravy, sirloin steak and caramelized onions, and pan roasted pesto chicken and risotto.
Marley Spoon charges a $8.99 shipping fee per order. So, a family of 2 would pay $77 per week for 4 meals. A family of 4 would pay $120 for 4 meals every week.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron is one of the more better-known services for food subscription boxes. The company markets and advertises heavily in large metropolitan markets.
One advantage that Blue Apron has over the other food subscription services is the comparative price. All Blue Apron food subscription boxes feature free shipping.
The 4-serving, “Signature for 4,” subscription box costs about $30 per week. Blue Apron is definitely one of the cheaper food subscription services.
Blue Apron packaging and ice packs are all recyclable.
Za’tar spiced tilapia, chipotle chicken tostadas, and pork chorizo meatballs and pepper rice are examples of the company’s frequently changing menu.
Sun Basket
Sun Basket is a premium, upscale food subscription service. All meals and menus are approved by dietitians and feature fully organic ingredients.
Sun Basket meals and menus are professionally developed by chef Justine Kelly.
Online reviewers have professed that Sun Basket meals feature more generous protein portions than competitors.
Sun Basket also offers more meal genres than other competitors, like Paleo, Pescatarian, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, and more.
Cheesy chicken sloppy joes with crispy lettuce salad and Italian sausages with stone fruit mostarda are examples from the Sun Basket menu.
A 4-person meal plan, which features 16 servings, costs $175. With a $9.99 shipping fee, patronizing Sun Basket can become an expensive endeavor over time.
Drawbacks
Are food subscription boxes worth it? That ultimately depends on your budget.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spent $8,169 annually on food.
That breaks down to $680.75 a month, or a about $170 every week.
With food subscription boxes, you will pay anywhere from $7.50 to $12 per meal. The average home-cooked meal in an American household costs less than $4 per meal.
With a food subscription service, you will probably pay $300 per person for one daily meal.
If you live in a single or two-person household, your expenses might match the BLS estimates on food expenditures.
However, you would end up spending well over a thousand dollars, or much more, every month in a large household.
Keep in mind, you won’t get every ingredient you need in a meal kit.
If you want side dishes, snacks, or other meals, you may have to buy $100 to $200 in additional groceries on top of the food subscription boxes.
Are Food Subscription Boxes Worth It?
In the era of COVID-19, food subscription boxes could be a safer alternative to physically visiting a supermarket.
However, food subscription services can be prohibitively expensive for households with more than 2 people.
It may be cheaper for you to take all COVID-19 precautions and visit your local supermarket during low-traffic hours.
Alternatively, you may want to utilize food subscription boxes once or twice a week depending on your family size.
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Allen Francis was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years with no money, no financial literacy, and no responsibility when he had money. To him, the phrase “personal finance,” contains the power that anyone has to grow their own wealth. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including focusing on your needs instead of your wants, asking for help when you need it, saving and investing in your own small business.