Page 12 - aruba-today-20230105

A12 BUSINESS
Thursday 5 January 2023
Millennial Money: Is meal kit delivery

still worth the cost?

By DALIA RAMIREZ of Nerd-
Wallet
Meal kit subscriptions
boomed in popularity in
2020, when more people
were staying home and
cooking than going out to
eat during the beginning of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Companies like HelloFresh,
Blue Apron and EveryPlate
catered to customers look-
ing for healthy meals with
more variety, made with
pre-portioned ingredients
shipped to their door.
But now that restaurants Blue Apron launches a Fireside Feast Box featuring French-
and supermarkets are inspired recipes designed for cozy winter nights spent indoors.
back to business as usual, Associated Press
some meal kit users are
wondering if their subscrip- deciding whether to use a kit could be a cheaper
tion is still worth the cost meal kit is the price. A sub- option. It could also be a
especially after the pro- scription may cost more or more appealing option for
motional offers are gone. less than you would typi- a larger household: Most
Meal kit companies are cally spend on ingredients, services offer a discount for
known to offer dramatic depending on your bud- a higher number of serv-
discounts on their plans for get for groceries and din- ings.
new customers, including ing out, and household “It was definitely cheaper
dozens of free meals, or size. than buying groceries at
over 50% off the full price “The intro offer pricing the grocery store every
for first-time subscribers. was equivalent to my week,” she says, noting
Excluding promotions, usual weekly grocery bud- that she didn’t cancel for
meals generally run be- get, but a full-price box cost-related reasons.
tween $6 to $12 per serving wasn’t,” says Nadia Russell, HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILL-
, putting the cost on par a health care analyst. She ING TO PAY FOR CONVE-
with some takeout options. enjoyed the convenience NIENCE?
And with most meal kit sub- and variety her subscrip- Meal kits can be cost-
scriptions covering just four tion offered, but she can- effective in less concrete
to six meals a week, cus- celed after the promotion- ways.
tomers still need to grocery al period due to the cost They reduce the time and
shop for their other two increase. energy needed to plan
daily meals. “I could spend the same meals and shop for gro-
Whether the meal kits are amount at the grocery ceries, which can hold you
worth the cost depends store for a week’s worth back from getting creative
on what’s important to of groceries,” says Emily in the kitchen.
you and what you would Bird, an administrator for “I like to cook and try new
be spending otherwise a music distribution com- recipes,” says Christina Mc-
on food. Here are some pany, about the cost of a Nichol, a full-time nanny.
factors to consider when weekly meal kit package. “It’s way more expensive
you’re deciding whether She, too, took advantage to try to make elaborate
to start or continue a meal of a popular meal kit’s pro- recipes when you have
kit subscription. motional offer but chose to to buy all the ingredients
HOW MUCH WOULD YOU cancel the subscription af- separately; with a meal
OTHERWISE SPEND ON ter the first few weeks. kit, I could pick my meals
FOOD? But if you’d otherwise be ahead of time and get the
For some customers, the purchasing takeout or go- exact amount I needed.”q
most important factor in ing to a restaurant, a meal

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