Top Ate on Your Plate Blue Apron Review

January 15, 2014

Let me just start by saying that I love going to the grocery store.  If I don't go once a day, it's only because I went twice.  For me to have food delivered and skip going to the grocery store, it has to be something earth shattering.  Blue Apron shattered my earth. After learning of Blue Apron from my aunt and uncle this past Thanksgiving, I knew I had to try it. They are amateur gourmet chefs by night with full time day jobs so their recommendation came with heavy weight. They raved about the unique recipes, fresh ingredients and convenience of a door-to-door service.   After contacting Blue Apron and connecting with Cara, a warm and helpful content manager, my box was on its way.

For readers who haven't heard of Blue Apron, let's take two steps back for just a minute.  Named after an age old French tradition of novice chefs wearing blue aprons while mastering the art of cooking, Blue Apron is a meal kit home delivery service that provides ice packed boxes of ingredients to make 3 unique gourmet meals.

The Detailed Scoop:

• Cost: $9.99/meal/person available for two, four or six people in boxes of three meals per week
• Available in these Delivery Zones
• Vegetarian or meat/fish plans available
• All meals are portion controlled at 500-700 calories
• All ingredients included except salt, pepper and olive oil
• No commitment, can cancel at anytime, but be sure to do so by the weekly deadline
• Ice-packed boxes designed to stay fresh outside, in the box, for several hours after delivery
• Meals should be cooked within a week of delivery.  The ingredients can be kept in the refrigerator.

My Bottom Line:

Reasons I Loved It: I can't say enough great things but here are some true highlights.

• Fantastically fresh ingredients
• Perfectly portioned meals that left us satisfied, but not stuffed
• Easy to follow, clear, concise directions that keep even the kitchen-phobic on track
• Unique recipes and ingredients that I would have otherwise never tried
• Easy to contact and very helpful customer service
• Blue Apron maintains a free searchable online cookbook chronicling all recipe cards

One Thing I Wish I Could Change But Realize I Can't: Cook and prep time were longer than expected.  The FAQ section of Blue Apron’s website advertises that meals are designed to take 35 minutes or less to prepare.  There is a lot of chopping, dicing and slicing which is really unavoidable when preparing meals with such fresh ingredients.  I love being in the kitchen, so this was not such a problem for me, but beware to those who have limited time in the kitchen.  See below for actual prep time of the meals I prepared.

The Menu

While the menus change weekly, the three meals we were provided show great variety and creativity.

Top Round Steak Fajitas with Guacamole & Whole Wheat Tortillas: In case you weren't already aware, I have a small love affair with Mexican Recipes that include fresh ingredients.  Cilantro is one of my most favorite herbs.  Lime juice runs through my veins!  I don't normally eat a lot of beef, but I was adventurous for the sake of the blog.  I didn't just try this recipe; I enjoyed it and ate more than my husband.  Although, I suppose that's not such a rare occurrence. 45 minute box to plate time 

Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup with Lemongrass & Red Curry: When on God's green earth will I ever go to the store to buy lemongrass, palm sugar and red curry paste?  I'm not!  This is one of the most fantastic things about Blue Apron!  My family was able to enjoy authentic Thai cuisine (that we LOVED) without having to seek out and purchase unique packages of ingredients that I would likely never finish. 45 minute box to plate time, but probably would have been less if I didn't have to Google lemongrass preparation.

Turkey Meatloaf with Roasted Potatoes and Spinach: I was force fed meatloaf as a child.  I hated it.  When the box came and I saw meatloaf as one of the meals, I did a silent groan and a visible eye roll.  I wasn't too excited, but nevertheless, I carried on and made the meal to the exact recipe card instructions.  Low and behold, I am now a meatloaf believer!  I would even make it again!  I think there are two things that really make this meatloaf shine.  First, it's slathered in ketchup and cooked without a loaf pan, allowing the ketchup to caramelize and form a thick sweet coating.  Second, there are LOTS of chopped onions.  At first, I was actually concerned with the amount of onions in this recipe.  My concerns were unwarranted as they gave the loaf SO much flavor!  1 hour box to plate time

Is this right up your alley?

Well, when I was single, if a new guy had invited me over for a Blue Apron meal, he would have had me at hello.  So if you are out to impress someone, maybe even a spouse (keep the spark alive), try it for a cozy at home date night!  I also think this is perfect for couples who want to experience different recipes and cook more, but don't have enough hours in the day to research and shop.  Just be ready to dice, slice and chop your way through the evening.  In addition, I love that I could introduce my son to foods that he wouldn't normally eat.  He tasted part of each meal!

To learn more about Blue Apron or to order your first box, check out their website and social media feeds.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron Facebook Page
Blue Apron Twitter
Blue Apron Instagram

{In case you were wondering: Photos by Jen Dickman for Top Ate on Your Plate.  Blue Apron supplied one box of food to me free of charge.  I was not required to write this post, nor did I receive compensation for it.  All opinions are my own.  I mostly wanted to share my experience, with the thought that this service is something my readers might enjoying trying!}