Why I Love Blue Apron?

Let me first start this post by saying I am not getting paid or sponsored by Blue Apron meals.  This is just me, being honest about something I really love.

About a year ago, a friend asked me if I wanted to try Blue Apron for free.  I had no clue what Blue Apron even was.  She explained that it is a meal delivery service.  You get three meal kits delivered to your door.  It includes all ingredients and step by step recipes.  It normally costs around $60 a week but you can try it one week for free.

All I heard was free food.  So I signed up. I thought, one week?  I will try it for one week and then cancel my subscription and never think about it again.  Well, that was a year ago and I cannot imagine cancelling.

Here are six reasons why I love Blue Apron.  (Six is my favorite number so that is why I have six reasons.  Just in case you were wondering.  If not, just keep reading anyway.)

Reason #1:  Everything is measured for you.

You know, how you can start making a new recipe and it calls for 1/4 of a cup of something you never use. So you buy a whole box of an ingredient, use it once, and then it goes to waste in your pantry?  With Blue Apron, if you need a 1/4 cup, then send you a cute little package and it only contains that 1/4 of a cup. No extra waste. And no extra measuring.

 Reason #2:  Trying new recipes.

I love to cook but I'm also skeptical to try new things.  Blue Apron forces me to try to use new ingredients. Take these meatballs for instance. They contain yellow raisins. Yellow raisins in a meatball?  Are you crazy? Yes, crazy good.  And I have cooked plantains, and shrimp and grits, and shishito peppers, and the list goes on and on and on.

 Reason #3:  Quality ingredients

The fruits, veggies, and proteins that Blue Apron sends are always packaged in a way to preserve freshness. (Does that make sense?)  I feel like I am opening a big box to my local farmer's market.  Everything is crisp and green and colorful.  And if it's not, then they credit my account. (See Reason #4).  Look at this catfish and squash. I have never had catfish before trying Blue Apron and now I try it everywhere because it's so good. I need a catfish pond. But then I would probably think they were pets instead of deliciousness.

 Reason #4:  Amazing Customer Service

One month, I received two boxes instead of one. They were the exact same meals, just two of everything. First I panicked, thinking I had ordered two by mistake.  I contacted them immediately.  They said it was their mistake and I could keep the extra box. This was three extra meal kits.  $59.95 for free!  My sister enjoyed these extra meals.

Another time, I got an avocado in my box.  It was really small.  And when I opened it, it was pretty brown. Now avocados are tricky little beasts so it did not surprise me that this one was bad, but I emailed Blue Apron anyways.  I told them what happened.  They credited my account $20 and apologized.  $20 for my avocado?  All I wanted was to let them know to check their produce.  I did not expect any money.


Reason #5:  Less Time (And Money) at the Grocery Store

I hate grocery shopping. Seriously, I would rather do many other things than go grocery shopping.  Is it the people?  The crowds?  Having to bring groceries inside and put them all away?  I'm not sure, but with Blue Apron I go to the grocery store only once or twice a month.  I usually go to get my dairy products and my fruits and veggies - unless the Farmer's Market is open and I go there instead.

When I first heard about Blue Apron, I thought it sounded expensive.  $59.95 for three meal kits.  Each kits has two or  more servings.  There is usually a protein and one or two sides.  I am actually saving money using Blue Apron.  Since I don't go to the store very much, I don't buy all of the extra snack stuff and I am not throwing out food that I never eat.  I only buy what I need.

Each kit makes me two or three meals, depending on the size of the sides.  Sometimes I just take the sides as my lunch the next day.  The sides are my favorite parts of these kits.  So many ways to use delicious fruits and veggies.

Reason #6:  They have an app for that.

The Blue Apron app allows me to choose my meals for the week. There are eight different choices.  Eight!!!  I can choose two or three.  There are vegetarian options.  I do not get Blue Apron every week, usually I choose every other week.  I still like to cook other things too.  The app lets me look at a month at a time and I can choose what weeks I want delivery and what weeks I want to skip.  If I don't like the options, I skip the week.  (The only recipes I have not enjoyed are usually Japanese inspired or include using black garlic.  That stuff is nasty.  No, really, it is.)

If you are interested in trying Blue Apron, let me know.  I can send you a week for free. But beware, once you start Blue Apron, you might never go back!