Whether you work from home or make the trip to the office every day, there’s one thing that most people don’t look forward to; making dinner. Even having to think about what to make for dinner can send you into a tailspin. And constant takeaways are never a good idea. The solution? A meal subscription service.
There are a few meal box subscriptions available in SA, and you’d be surprised how easy (and delicious) these options are. In some cases, you can even save some money and eat healthier!
Let’s unpack our options.
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The different meal subscription options
If you follow any sort of influencer, you’re probably familiar with meal kit services like Hello Fresh in North America. While we don’t have that brand here, several meal kit services in SA can help you out.
But that’s not your only option though. Here are all the options:
Pre-prepared frozen meals
Similar to a Woolies and Dr Oetker frozen meal, but without the preservatives and bad things that make you feel guilty for opting out of cooking. These frozen meals are often freshly prepared, using local products (brand dependent) and frozen. All you need to do is pop it into your microwave.
It’s perfect for nights when pizza sounds like the perfect idea.
Meal kits
Like overseas, there are a few meal kit options in SA. It’s a box that comes pre-packed with all the fresh ingredients you need for your desired meal. You still need to cook everything up, but this at least takes away the stress of needing to think of something to cook and the schlep of chopping up onions.
Diet specific meals
Going vegan or keto? There are several options out there that either offer frozen meals or meal kits for specific dietary requirements. That way you can try something out before overhauling your entire budget and meal plan for a diet that might not work for you.
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Pros and cons: weighing the boxes
The pros
- It’s super convenient
- It can be healthier
- You can control your portion sizes
- You can try new things
The cons:
- It can be pricey, but depending on your budget and if you cut out takeaways and slim down your groceries it might work out
- Limited Flexibility: might miss the ability to adjust ingredients or spice levels to your liking.
The different options
South Africa has a growing selection of meal subscription services to choose from. Here are a few to get you started:
- UCOOK
- Dinnerbox
- FitChef
- Plated Convenience
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Should you ditch the takeout for a meal subscription service?
Depending on your time and budget, a meal subscription service might make your life a whole lot easier. I’ve been using a frozen meal subscription box for a month now, it’s well worth it. Not a single take away and I’ve consumed more veggies than before – which is always good.
I’ve also found that I need to make far fewer top-up shops, leaving me with a touch extra cash every week.
If you’re still not sure, some services offer a trial service or smaller boxes to try it out to see if it works for you.
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Featured Image: Unsplash
