HEY! WHAT’S ON THE MENU TODAY

 

By Suraj Sasi

Gone are the days when most people would sit and have proper breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cheap, low quality food surround us and busy lifestyles need faster solutions and less thinking. People leave their houses before work to grab food on the run rather than cooking. But calories from easy junk meals are not enough for the daily requirements of the body.  As a result, convenience sometimes leads to undereating or overeating, which slows and damages metabolism and creates other health-related issues.

Cooking can be quick, relaxing and fun. With those important points in mind, companies like Hello Fresh provide people with various meal options delivered at their doorstep. These food packages are fresh, and well-packaged ingredients are included with the exact measurement needed.

Angelica Haggert said she does not have time to cook because of her busy schedule and mostly prefers food from a company called ‘Miss Fresh’.

“I work a ton of hours and my partner works a ton of hours,” said Haggert. “It’s really nice to be able to come home and not have to think about what is for dinner.”

Haggert said the boxes allowed her to branch out and try different meals.

In a world of genetically-modified foods and hormone-injected meats, companies have managed to keep their products fresh and safe from anything artificial.

Nutritional expert Andrea Docherty said a lot of these companies are going to take proper precautions to make sure the ingredients provided are safe to use by regulating the temperature of the package. 

The company takes into account various food allergies and makes it easier for people to choose options.

“I have seen from Hello Fresh they list what allergens could be there and these items and the recipes in them are well-balanced,” said Docherty.

However, easy meal options come with a price. Some customers said they feel like the food items are a bit overpriced and getting it every day would mess up  their budget.

Christian Bouchard was subscribed to Hello Fresh for two months and now prefers grocery shopping.

“The subscription service is great,” said Bouchard.  “The only issue was the price got a bit too expensive and going to the grocery store would save us more money.”

Bouchard said you are paying for convenience. If you are working nine to five in a city like Toronto and do not feel like cooking or have time for grocery shopping these services cater to those individuals. Customers can get a box in 30 minutes or less estimated at around $80 a month depending on the subscription package.

For many people like Bouchard who are busy with their lives and want quick recipes, cookspiration.com can be used as a resource for healthy options and meal prepping.