One of our friends recommended that we try Blue Apron’s “DIY” home prep meals. The idea of enjoying a few minutes preparing dinner together seemed almost romantic, and the fact that you didn’t need to go find this or that was especially appealing, so we tried it.
The meals were great, and we learned how to prepare dishes that otherwise might be intimidating or tedious given how unusual some of the ingredients are and hard to find in your local grocery. But, I was appalled by the amount of trash these meals produced, especially the enormous cooled and insulated box they come in. I just hauled the huge assembly to the curb and hope it will be hauled off.
I believe this is going to come back to haunt this industry … and probably pretty quickly. Yes, it is good that we don’t throw away as much food in the preparation steps because there is only the amount of each ingredient we need to prepare the meal … so food is less likely to rot in the fridge. But, the amount of plastic, paper, and who knows what is in those giant gel ice bags …
So, I went online to see if I am the only one thinking this way, and of course, I am not. Here is just one rather well written article on the subject: BuzzFeed Article
I wonder whether the rest of the world has it right. We just need to slow down…stop at the local butcher, baker, and candlestick-maker and just get what you need for that day’s meals. After all, your fridge will simply not hold much.
P.S. Some of you who know will also spot the trick here. By recommending friends to Blue Apron, you get more free food. My mind quickly went to the potential Ponzi scheme available here. Join all the food delivery clubs get your reduced cost trials and then free food by recommending your friends.