The weekly shop is dead.
Well, for some anyway: the wise few who have discovered the simple, streamlined joys of recipe box services.
You know the sort: big boxes delivered right to your doorstep with easy-to-follow instruction cards and precisely the right ingredients to make a satisfying supper, down to the last spinach leaf. All packaging is recyclable, ingredients are fresh and seasonal where possible, and waste is a dirty word. Better for your wallet as well as your waistline; everyone’s a winner with a recipe box dinner.
Chances are that if you’re on this page, you’re already well versed in the delights and convenience of meal kit services. Or, if you have yet to try a recipe box, your appetite is certainly whetted.
The great thing is that well-known brands such as Gousto, Hello Fresh, Mindful Chef and more are constantly offering new customer deals and fresh menu options to keep hungry diners coming back for more.
From money off your first order (or orders), dramatically bringing down the cost-per-plate, to themed menus that make a tricky-seeming cuisine beautifully easy, there’s plenty of reason to jump aboard the recipe box bandwagon.
In this monthly series, we’ll scope out the best deals, perks and promotions to help you decide.
Set the table and put on the apron; you’re just a few clicks from cooking up a storm.
Gousto
Prices: From £24.99 per person for two people.
Offers: New customers can claim a whopping 60 per cent off their first box, and then 30 per cent off the cost of each box ordered in the first month. There’s no discount code required, just head to the site to claim your discount.
What’s on the menu?: Spiralling energy costs are at the forefront of every bill-payer's mind right now. One of the casualties is the traditional Sunday dinner; understandably, many are unwilling to run the oven for hours and rack up their monthly bills. To answer this, Gousto has devised an energy-saving menu of recipes including the ovenless Sunday roast which can be made entirely on the kitchen hob.
Kathryn Huxtable, VP Food Proposition at Gousto said: “We know lots of households are looking for more energy efficient ways to enjoy their favourite foods without having to compromise on taste and quality. Thanks to our expert chefs, we hope to make this a little easier for people with recipes they know and love, like the classic Sunday Roast, but without needing to turn on the oven. And as with all Gousto meals, our precise ingredients mean there's no food waste when it comes to cooking, so no money goes in the bin.”
The ovenfree range of recipes will be available to order from October 11 and along with the roast includes ideas like One-Pot Black Pepper Chicken Dal With Naan, Lighter Basa Tikka Masala With Spinach and Sticky Teriyaki Mushroom Donburi Bowl.
Buy now, Gousto
Hello Fresh
Prices: From £28.49 for two people eating three meals.
Offers: Wipe 50 per cent off the cost of your first box if you’re a new customer, and 35 per cent off the next three boxes.
What’s on the menu?: From crowd-pleasing family favourites to calorie-measured dishes and quick-fire options that will prove useful on busy weeknights, there are 37+ recipes to cook from scratch. Hello Fresh also offers sides, lunch and brunch options, so you needn’t think a box is for suppertime only.
Buy now, Hello Fresh
Mindful Chef
Prices: Unlike its peers, Mindful Chef allows singles to order boxes for just one person. For five recipes a week, it’s £58 - but that’s before the new customer discount.
Offers: If you’re new to Mindful Chef, you can save 25 per cent on each of your first four boxes.
What’s on the menu?: Granted, it’s a bit more pricey if you’re ordering for a household of one, but there is a justification for this. Not only does Mindful Chef promise the best ingredients from British farmers and producers for the healthiest recipes, but it also donates a meal to a school child who needs it for every meal you buy. The company has given away 13 million meals to date, according to its website.
Our stomachs have been rumbled by the thought of Tikka-spiced Chicken with Carrot Salad which is also Diabetes-friendly, as the site points out. The Hot Smoked Salmon, Pomegranate & Harissa Salad would make an excellent summer’s day lunch, or there’s Miso Roast Chicken with Root Veg Salad for the nights you fancy a heartier supper.
Buy now, Mindful Chef
