Exam season is closely upon us and that means less time and motivation to prepare full meals. While not all students live alone and some do have the convenience of having their loved ones take care of meal prep, some of us don’t have that luxury.
Keeping up with regular meals is important but it is especially important during exam season. We need fuel to keep going during long summary building and reading sessions. That is why I think it is important to have quick and nutritious meal options available.
During the pandemic I decided to try the three main meal kit subscription boxes available in Canada. Below, you’ll find a general review based on quality of ingredients, selection of recipes and overall value.
GoodFood
Quick Stats:
Selection of recipes 9/10
Quality of ingredients 8/10
Easy to follow steps 8/10
Cost: Approx $85/week for three meals, two servings per meal
Overall Value: 8/10
GoodFood is based out of Montreal and has been operating in Canada for around four years. The company takes pride in their use of locally sourced ingredients and the fact that they employ over 500 Canadians as part of their operations. The recipe options are quite broad and they often feature options from across the globe, so your tastebuds can explore different cuisines weekly. The portions are slightly on the smaller side so if you are used to big meals, you likely won’t have left overs for the next day based on their portions. The packaging is mostly plastic and this is cause for concern as every ingredient comes pre-packaged. GoodFood definitely has fresh ingredients and easy to follow steps, they have recipe options that see you using different kitchen appliances and pot sizes, so every recipe is uniquely different and fun to make. My personal favourite recipe from this option is the Miso-Soy Chicken and Soba Noodles. I find that it is hard to make noodles have an “authentic” taste but this recipe did not disappoint. On the whole, this option provides good value for its cost and offers a lot of variety on a weekly basis, but it is for sure one of the most expensive options. However, if you order often enough you are awarded with free boxes for your friends!
HelloFresh
Quick Stats:
Selection of recipes 5/10
Quality of ingredients 10/10
Easy to follow steps 7/10
Cost: Approx $80/week for three meals, two servings per mea
Overall Value: 7/10
HelloFresh has its origins in Germany, they came to Canada in 2016 and have quickly grown to become a leader in the meal kit box industry. They are the parent company of Chef’s Plate but at a higher price point they have better options. This option has the absolute best ingredients! Every time I ordered both the produce and the protein did not based on both freshness and appearance. The recipes are straightforward and typically take under 35 minutes to prepare. This option is also a bit more sustainable as the packaging has less plastic than other options. While the ingredients were fresh, I found that the recipes described with a distinct spicy taste were bland overall, as in they don’t actually provide you with enough seasoning to create an authentic (or close to) dish. Overall, this option provides you with decent value for its cost. The portions are slightly bigger and ingredients are definitely fresher, however the taste is not great and this is why I don’t have a favourite recipe from this option.
Chef’s Plate
Quick Stats:
Selection of recipes 6/10
Quality of ingredients 5/10
Easy to follow steps 10/10
Cost: Approx $60/week for three meals, two servings per meal
Overall Value: 7/10
Being a subsidiary of HelloFresh, this option is much cheaper. However, the portions are very small and the selection of recipes are less diverse. The quality of the ingredients were the worst in this option, there were a couple of times that I had missing ingredients or protein that smelled a little funky by the time it got to me. The recipes are very easy to follow but I found that the majority of recipes required the use of an oven, which is not entirely friendly on your electricity bill but does go a long way towards a smooth cooking experience. My favourite from this option was the Thai Turkey Stir-Fry which cooks in under 30 minutes and has fresh and authentic flavours. Overall, Chefs Plate is really cheap and easy to follow. However, given the size of the portions and the easy recipes, you might as well run to the grocery store to grab things and make simple meals.
All things considered, the non-discounted cost of these boxes are expensive for what they are. To ensure you are getting the most value, it is probably best to use a discount code and share free boxes within Fresh, as at full price it is not necessarily worth it.
The best thing about these boxes is the experience of following a recipe using pre-measured ingredients. It is very time efficient, and nice for a quick study break, as it takes away the need for going out for groceries and coming up with your own meal ideas.
While not entirely student-budget friendly at full price, I still encourage you to try the subscriptions using the first-time code for a discounted week this exam season!