Nowadays, you cannot turn on the television without seeing an advertisement for meal delivery services. This is because the popularity of these services is increasing exponentially every year with the rising demand for healthier home-cooked meals.
For people who are not a fan of the hassle of standing up and cooking food, meal delivery services are an excellent option. You can have delicious, organic ingredients or even premade meals delivered straight to your front door.
If you are wondering whether meal delivery services offering home delivery meals are the right choice for you, here are some pros and cons to consider.
Pros
Caters To Special Diet Requirements
A lot of meal delivery services will provide options to cater to all types of dietary needs. This means that whether you are gluten-free, have allergies, or have any other important dietary requirements, you won’t have to miss out on these convenient food services!
Convenience
Beyond simply ordering takeout, you cannot beat the ease of using meal delivery services. Instead, everything is cornered together in a single box. This means you won’t need to root around in the fridge, nor do you need to run to the store to pick up a missing ingredient.
You can liken the convenience of meal delivery services to being on a cooking show with everything prepared and measured for you!
They May Provide Better Nutrition
Meal delivery services are typically a lot healthier than the food you may typically pick up from the drive-thru or on one of your many late-night grocery store trips. This is because all of the ingredients are fresh and delicious, and there are usually no preservatives or additives.
It Simplifies Your Decision Making
For many people, the largest obstacle in terms of meal planning and grocery shopping is the huge range of choices available. Nowadays, you can pretty much get any food that you want whenever you want it. Although this is really convenient, it can also be a bit stressful.
Meal delivery services mean that you have a set amount of meals – that you know you’ll love – delivered directly to your front door. After all, it’s much easier to select a meal from a simplified list than to assemble a menu completely from scratch.
Creates Less Food Waste
The majority of meal delivery services contain enough ingredients or pre-packaged meals to feed a specific number of people. This means you’re only receiving the things you need to match the number of portions you must prepare.
Not only does this make the cooking process easier but it also creates less food waste by default. This means it’s a brilliant choice for your refrigerator and the environment!
Cons
You Must Plan Ahead
A lot of the meal delivery services will allow you to select your favorite meals from a much larger list. One of the best parts of using these services is that you can pause your deliveries or even skip some weeks when nothing on the menu looks good.
However, you will need to remember to regularly monitor your account or risk receiving a large box of meals that you do not want. If you don’t change an order before the deadline, you will still be charged for the food and shipping costs.
Lots Of Packaging Waste
Unfortunately, in meal delivery services, a lot of the meals and ingredients are packaged and labeled individually. You also have to factor in the box that the delivery arrives in, any padding or insulation, and the cooling source that keeps your food fresh during transit.
Yes, a lot of this can be recycled, but it is still a considerable amount of materials to deal with!
There May Be A Higher Cost
Meal delivery services typically market themselves on their affordability and compare quite favorably to similar restaurant-quality meals. However, this cost comparison will not hold up as well when it comes to buying your groceries and also doing your prep work.
You’re essentially paying for the convenience of having food measured and delivered directly to your front door which will come at a higher cost.
Conclusion
These are some of the main pros and cons of meal delivery services. You must now decide whether these services are the best option for you and your household. Many of these types of services will allow you to temporarily test out the service for a reduced price before you commit to ensuring it’s the best fit for your dietary needs.
