Just 3 years ago I looked at meal kits. How times have changed! The focus then was on-line subscription delivery services. Though still around, meal kits are also now available from grocery stores and other locations. Read on…
Why meal kits are taking over supermarkets notes that meal kits in grocery stores may be cheaper than others and they provide same-day availability. Existing partnerships between meal delivery services and grocery stores are listed.
Meal kits in grocery stores notes that these meal kits have boomed in recent years after virtually no presence two years ago. Two surveys find that millennials are wanting home-cooked meals. And subscription meal delivery services have experienced problems that have forced them to re-evaluate their model.
Meal kits evolve to retail and restaurants notes the move from delivery services to new options: shelf-stable, refrigerated, frozen and various cuisines.
In-store meal kits poised for a rebound. After a rocky start, in-store meal kits saw a resurgence due to the pandemic. Yet, as consumers have reduced their grocery store visits, these options may see lower growth with fewer consumers in the aisles. Two factors going forward will be important for meal kits: freshness and shelf life. And although consumers see these in-store options as a good value, cost will continue to be a concern.
Fast/food casual meal kits…
- Chic-fil-A, Denny’s add meal kits. The latest options in the restaurant category.
- 14 family meals to buy from chain restaurants include Taco Bell, Denny’s, Cracker Barrel, Panera, Carl’s Jr., Baskin Robbins, Panda Express and more.
- How restaurants are reaching cooped-up customers include Jimmy John’s (fresh bread), Texas Roadhouse (steaks), Einstein Bros. Bagels (breakfast, lunch and dinner), Friendly’s Ice Cream (sundae kit).
Need help comparing meal kits…
- Buyer’s guide – meal delivery kit services rates/scores each service and provides the many options available in different categories (vegan, diet, diabetic, healthy, vegetarian and more).
- Compare meal kits provides a limited review of delivery meal kits but shares what to consider when choosing this option as well as pros and cons.
- Best meal kit delivery scores options and what to consider when choosing an option.
- 11 best healthy meal delivery services reviewed by RD includes price, pros and cons of each option.
Nutrition/labeling info…
- Individual sites provide nutrition info for their meal kits. Some 1-stop sites: MyFoodDiary; fatsecret; MyFitnessPal.
- The healthiest meal kits: a nutritional analysis and study (updated 2020) analyzed over 300+ meals. The analysis includes which company reports fiber and which has the lowest calories, sugar and more. The raw data is provided including number of samples per company analyzed. A top 10 of meal delivery services is shared. The team providing the analysis is a husband (professional executive chef with over 10 years of experience) and wife.
- FSIS labeling guidelines for multi-component meal kits containing meat or poultry (released July 2019).
- FDA loosens nutrition facts labeling requirements in an effort to help restaurants sell unused food. In April 2020, due to the pandemic, the FDA waived nutrition facts labeling for perishable and non-perishable packaged foods sold on-site in restaurants. Ingredients and allergens still need to be listed.
And some unique takes on meal kits…
- COVID-19 emergency 14-day emergency meal kit outlines foods that small-town grocers can assemble in a kit to market to community organizations for their members. These assembled kits can support local grocers.
- Ingredient bundles and recipe tastings in food pantries provides the results of a 3-week 2016 CT pilot test – bundles of recipe ingredients were made available to food pantry users. This option increased the selection of the foods in the ingredient bundles.