My Blue Apron Hacks

When I was single and living in NY, dinner was almost always after 8:30 pm. Which meant it was quick, usually prepared on a Sunday and enjoyed through at least Wednesday.
I was working in Manhattan and commuting back to Westchester after hitting the gym on the daily. It was exhausting and I don't miss it for a minute.

Simple Swap; Coconut sugar for white sugar.

I pre-cooked veggies and carbs, like quinoa or sweet potato, so I had them at the ready. All I had to do was add a protein. It made for an easy prep and clean up on week nights. While it was an effective way to feed myself, meals were often repeated weekly and weren't always something the lay person would enjoy.

When I decided to move to Boston and move in with my boyfriend, I started to panic. While he can cook, his repertoire was even less than mine. I hate grocery shopping as is and having to constantly come up with dinner ideas was my personal version of hell. Dramatic? Yes I am.

Enter Blue Apron. I hadn't thought of doing a meal service kit before but now seemed like good timing. I checked out a few and read some online reviews. I decided to go the Blue Apron route because they were the OG of meal delivery kits and their menu appealed to me.

I chose the 6 meal, or 3 night, plan. We get enough for two people for three separate meals. I knew from life experience that we'd end up eating out at least one night and I hate wasting food more than I hate dinner planning.

Simple Swap; Liquid aminos for soy sauce.

I've been doing this since March and have no plan to discontinue. I even added the wine delivery to our rotation. Dinner time is something I look forward to now and I've learned a few hacks that I want to share with someone teetering on the idea of a meal delivery service.

• Prep Time
  A lot of people that have tried Blue Apron are discouraged by the prep work. Blue Apron must have heard this because now when I sign in to pick my meals, I have 9 options to choose from and several of them are explicitly "30-minute meals."  Prior to this option, I have taken to washing and chopping the morning of said meal or even the night before. That's right, if I'm not at the gym in the morning I can be found at my counter cutting up perfectly portioned vegetables for that nights dinner. It's nice to come home after work or the gym and know that half of my work is already done. From there, actually cooking the meal is quick and easy.
• Less is More
  As I mentioned, I optioned for three meals a week for two adults. The sum total is less than $60. That's less than $10 a meal. Good luck going to a decent restaurant and getting dinner for two people for under $20. If you in fact can do that, I'm simultaneously jealous and concerned for your health. We almost always end up having last minute plans that leave us not needing to cook dinner at home. We haven't wasted a meal yet.
• Freeze It
  That said, on rare occasions we don't even get to all three meals. There is no reason you can't re-purpose the vegetables into another dish and freeze the protein, bread or fresh pasta they send. I've done this a few times and recommend it if you find yourself nearing the end of the week and have to do something with an unused meal.
• Skip It
  If you know you'll be away or don't like the menu options available, you can simply skip delivery. You do need to do it several days in advance so it's best to set up a reminder for yourself. I do it when I'm back in NY for the week and know my Boyfriend won't use it.
• Swap It
  The nice thing about Blue Apron is that the vegetables are locally sourced so you're getting fresh, in-season ingredients. I like that healthy aspect a lot. Sometimes though, I find an ingredient that isn't as healthy as I'd like. In those instances I've taken to making swaps.
  For example, if a recipe calls for white sugar, I replace it with coconut sugar. I've swapped liquid amino acids for soy sauce, gluten free flour for wheat flour and quinoa for pasta. I also don't use all of the butter they provide for certain meals. It's a matter of personal preference but I like to try and keep it as nutritious as possible. My meals don't suffer for it and neither does my waist line. 
• Try It
  When I like something, I want everyone to know about it. When The Defiant Ones on HBO came out, I think I called a press conference. Blue Apron hasn't sponsored this post or given me anything for my opinions. If they want to though, I'd be happy to let them. This in my genuine experience with them and it can probably be applied to other meal delivery services as well. If meal time is a drag or on repeat seriously consider trying one to the multiple options out there.
  
  Manga!