Last Spring I started a meal delivery subscription, so they'd send me two complete, vegetarian meals each week. That left me with just two-three meals a week I had to plan and shop for, and a lot more brain space for other things. I couldn't believe how much weekly stress it took off me. I looked forward to those boxes and quickly preparing the simple meals. 
Well, we ended that last week when the subscription prices got hiked up and I just couldn't justify the expense. And I had to contemplate my first week back to cooking all the meals. On my own. Every night. SIGH.
I LIKE cooking and preparing a nice meal for my family. And we're lucky that we don't have a lot of after-school activities that make it more complicated to sit together. And I work from home, so you'd think I have a leg-up on the commuters, but it's still a lot to think about, especially on days when I'm thinking about a lot of other things.
Anyway, I decided on a sure-fire strategy. This week, I'd lean on my well-used repertoire of meals I've made many times before. They includes:
- Simple Tortilla Soup
- Veggie burgers and fries
- One-Pot Linguine
- Sweet Leek Pasta
There's something to be said about well-loved recipes that leave no surprises. I knew how to grocery shop for them and had them ready to roll. I even assembled ingredient items on Sunday, so it was similar to the "just open the box" feeling of the subscription service.
Next week, I'll pick a few more standards, too, and I'll be eased back into the weekly meal plan process. And I won't whine about not having a meal service anymore.
Meal Services Pros and Cons
There was a lot about the meal service I liked. They had changing, weekly menus but if I didn't like anything, I could switch out. There were a lot of vegetarian options and the portions were just right. I liked added some Asian and Indian dishes that I wouldn't have had the guts to attempt on my own. We also got a little cookie dough for a special dessert one night each week.
On the cons, the directions for the service we used were poorly written. I was often a little confused about the steps and timing. The delivery was unreliable, so if I knew the box was coming on Tuesday, I'd make the first meal on Wednesday. Just in case. There was also A LOT of plastic packaging that had to be tossed, which is understandable. It's impossible to avoid plastic no matter where your food comes from, but still not great.
It will be a long while before I sign up for another one. And if I do, it will be done by a local small company, rather than a national chain.
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