Pre-packaged cooking services
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31633)
United States
February 8, 2017 3:00pm CST
I hear a lot of ads for Blue Apron, a service that pre-packs all the ingredients for a meal that you then unpack and cook. It's touted as a healthy way to have home-cooked meals for people with little time to shop or chop. It's definitely better than fast food, when you think about it.
However, one of the things they emphasize is that it is affordable--less than $10 per person per meal. 
WHAT?! Yep, about $9.50 per person which makes it cost $38 for a family of 4. I wonder what planet they are from if they think that is affordable? I can feed the 3 of us for a week on that. Granted, not everything we would like but we can eat well on that much per week with careful planning.
It seems that there is a big gap in my thinking versus the public at large--or at least the public as represented by the ad industry. I think that paying $4 for a cup of coffee is outrageous while advertising accepts it as normal. I don't know anyone personally that can afford to pay that for coffee--or $38 for a meal for their family--and I don't even know any poor people.
In your present circumstances do you find services like Blue Apron affordable? It is so far out of my budget that it may as well be in outer space!
WHAT?! Yep, about $9.50 per person which makes it cost $38 for a family of 4. I wonder what planet they are from if they think that is affordable? I can feed the 3 of us for a week on that. Granted, not everything we would like but we can eat well on that much per week with careful planning.
It seems that there is a big gap in my thinking versus the public at large--or at least the public as represented by the ad industry. I think that paying $4 for a cup of coffee is outrageous while advertising accepts it as normal. I don't know anyone personally that can afford to pay that for coffee--or $38 for a meal for their family--and I don't even know any poor people.
In your present circumstances do you find services like Blue Apron affordable? It is so far out of my budget that it may as well be in outer space!15 people like this
14 responses
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Feb 17
I think it's geared toward those who are busy or do not know how to cook & typically dine out. The price is for convenience, should be easy to cook for someone who does not have much experience and cheaper alternative compared to dining out.
I actually looked into these programs, but I don't like how you can choose the type of meals you get only the portion size. I want to choose the food entrees.
2 people like this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
9 Feb 17
@dragon54u I didn't mean portion size ~ i meant the menu. I must be looking at Hello Fresh or something like then. I don't remember what site exactly, but along the lines of Blue Apron then.
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Feb 17
@coffeebreakwhatever
I didn't research too much but it asked you how many people and you can't really see what foods are there... just if you need vegetarian or not.
I eat out a lot and sometimes I want food that's homemade :) And I'm not good with instructions. And I don't cook either. having the exact amount of each ingredient - I won't waste anything too!
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
8 Feb 17
@coffeebreakwhatever Here people can get a small meal at Denny's and the like for around $4.00
Not perfect, but the price is right for some.
1 person likes this
@jhechorain (1198)
• Susanville, California
9 Feb 17
That definitely isn't very affordable for having those very often. Maybe on an occasion when you have not a lot of time to cook. I wouldn't buy them very often.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
9 Feb 17
Oh heck, I think I would not buy them at all. It's actually cheaper to go out to my neighborhood mom 'n pop restaurant! We do that every few months for a treat. They always give the granddaughter a special dessert for free.
1 person likes this
@jhechorain (1198)
• Susanville, California
9 Feb 17
That is good you have a better idea than to spend so much on the pre-packages 
I rarely get to go out for dinner either 
I rarely get to go out for dinner either 
@RasmaSandra (98129)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Feb 17
Right now even for just me, hubby and our cat Sid it is a struggle to keep bellies fed. For that kind of money we could eat like kings for quite a bit. I took a closer look at them. These prices are outrages. That amount for two people like me and hubby would feed us for a month and more. WOW
Blue Apron
For two people, meals are $9.99 per meal per person. For four, meals are $8.74 per meal per person. In other words, three meals for two people per week (six meals total) would run you $59.94, which includes shipping.
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Feb 17
I can buy some pretty healthy food for those prices. I consider a meal too expensive if I have to spend more than $1.50 per person. It can be difficult to afford healthy things--I don't serve much pasta, potatoes, or rice in my house since I have a 3 year old granddaughter that I want to train to healthy eating habits. We hardly buy any processed food, and I try to buy free range meats when I can afford them. You never saw anything move so fast as my hand reaching for a package of marked down free range chicken or beef!
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
9 Feb 17
I love coffee! Well, not most coffee but the grocery store I shop at has lots of different kinds of coffee beans and a grinder. I can buy as much or as little as I like. So I can try new ones but right now I found one that is perfect for me. Do you drink tea? I love a nice strong cup of Assam tea.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Feb 17
@dragon54u I drink weak black tea and I'm also drinking more green tea than I used to.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Feb 17
@coffeebreakwhatever They sound very strange flavours for tea!
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Feb 17
You're right. Some people don't like to chop and measure, though. My granddaughter is 3 now and very anxious to help us when we are cooking. And I think that's one attraction of these pre-packed meals, that you can include the kids because there are no knives involved, just unpacking and mixing and cooking. I'm teaching her to measure and she knows what I mean if I ask for 1/2 cup of flour. Very messy, but good memories in the making.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
12 Feb 17
I agree. That is a little pricey. If they were bringing it Freshly prepared everyday, than maybe... but no not something I could afford or want to budget in either.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
9 Feb 17
I do, too. I don't like frozen or processed food. I used to until my granddaughter came along and I decided she'd eat like my mother fed me in the 50s and 60s, very little artificial anything.
I guess people who get this service just don't have the time to shop and prepare food. With this service you just mix the ingredients and cook. And pay a lot of money!
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
8 Feb 17
Like you, we think they are crazy! We make wholesome, healthy meals daily at a fraction of the cost. Imagine a large family doing that nonsense?
We spend the amount they quote for one person to feed many people. Don't get their deal and how they stay in business.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Feb 17
I think they are appealing to the "yuppy" segment of society, those with a fair amount of disposable income and very little time. You know, I've been pressed for time but I rearrange my activities and cook on the weekends for the coming week because I can't afford to waste a cent. I think those that use services like this make up a really small percentage of people.
2 people like this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
8 Feb 17
@dragon54u You are probably right. No one we know (even those with $$$) would do this.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (54739)
• United States
15 Feb 17
It's definitely not in our budget either
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91169)
• United States
11 Feb 17
I wouldn't even be able to think about a service like this for the price alone. I can feed my family on way less (like you said)
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
11 Feb 17
I think there is a mind set here that I've been thinking about lately. I try to save money and have an emergency fund and I watch my spending. So many people, though, seem to spend and spend and don't seem to care how the spend their money. They're always in debt but they accept that as a condition of life. I'm fighting that attitude and that's why I would not have a service like this but I think a lot of people are just resigned to living paycheck to paycheck even if they wouldn't have to if they'd curtail their expenses like this service.
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
8 Feb 17
I would love to be able to afford this. No dealing with the stores shopping, unpacking, putting away groceries, looking for them later. No chopping, it's all done for you, no measuring, just empty a packet! But I don't see that I could ever afford something like this. It's a great idea for a gift, though. I could totally be happy giving someone a pre-measured pre-chopped meal to put together all wrapped up in a pretty package for their birthday or something.
1 person likes this
@TheInvisibleMan (17594)
•
9 Feb 17
@coffeebreakwhatever @dragon54u Those products save us a lot of time.
@miesse2 (226)
• Canada
12 Feb 17
I think that the big price tag is about the convince of the service, so that people can be lazy. Really people pay outrageous costs every day for convince sake. For example take the coffee for example, even if you take a cup of coffee at $2 for one large cup (what I normally pay at local coffee shop) if I bought a tin of coffee on sale like it is this week for $6 for 925 grams or around that I can make tons of cups of coffee for pennies instead, but I have to make it myself and sometimes I am lazy!
