Have you ever tried any meal kits? There are a growing number of them on the scene, and for some, I can see why. If you don’t like to grocery shop, work long hours in a small household, or lack kitchen skills, these boxes break down meals into simple steps and ensure you have all the ingredients on hand when you start.
The smallest box you can order is 3 two-person meals. My best friend shared a free box code with me, and she lives alone. She usually just eats her leftovers for lunch the next day, but there are some meat-based boxes that allow a lunch and dinner meal.
To receive a goodfood box, you must place your order by Wednesday to receive it by Sunday. The boxes come well insulated, with icepacks that can be taken apart and disposed of easily. I would say our overall goodfood review for our first box was a solid 4/5.
The Meals
Each week, it looks like there are 4 to 5 vegetarian options. Some of them are very creative, but the price per serving is generally just under $10. A full box of 6 meals ships for $65.11, including delivery in Toronto.
Roasted Pepper and Tomato Orzo – Easy Prep
This meal only took as long as the Orzo took to cook and mix into the sauce. Seriously simple and pretty delicious. The pepper came pre-roasted, and the tzatziki came pre-mixed.
Some cooking choices I questioned and modified for time and dishes sake. The beans could be roasted on 3/4 of the pan and in the last 2 minutes I added the sunflower seeds on the empty part to toast.
We also added cheese. I went with feta as the tomatoes and the roasted peppers were pretty sweet. It could have used just a touch more spice.
Tomato, Mozzarella, & Leafy Green Calzones
I was really concerned about the small amount of cheese I pulled out for this meal. 60g of mozzarella between the two calzones. We ended up adding about 60g more.
The pizza dough was a wonderful, very traditional dough that kept well in the fridge. The pasta sauce again was sweeter than my Italian side would have liked, but the meal was easy and delicious.
My girlfriend didn’t want to save any marinara for dipping, so she overstuffed her calzone a tad bit. She states that it was still delicious and that I should let her live her life.
Lemony Cauliflower Grenobloise & Kale Bulgur Salad
Taking a traditional french sauce (read butter) and putting it on roasted veggies is always a delicious meal. This would be an easy recipe for a novice chef to learn and rely on over and over again.
To take the salad a level up, we seared some halloumi in olive oil and lime juice. We didn’t think about prepping the Kale early, as we generally like to leave it soaking in water overnight to soften it more before eating it raw.
Are goodfood boxes worth it?
The prices are slightly higher than what you can make from the grocery store. I will be trying to recreate recipes soon and show the actual grocery bill for some of these meals. But, if you want the convenience of your meal planning and grocery shopping done for you, this is not a bad option at all.
The main thing preventing me from ordering again is the sheer amount of plastic. I compost food waste both on my balcony and under my sink with a vermiculture bin. I usually only have to change my garbage so they don’t stink, not because they are full. During my goodfood box, I emptied my garbage 3 times.
Make sure to have extra spices on hand, especially if you like any degree of heat to your foods. Hot sauce and more cayenne will be necessary additions.
Have you tried a meal kit yet? Let us know about your goodfood review in the comments below.
