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Blue Apron Review

Blue Apron Review Really Into THis Blog

Blue Apron Review

JESSICA: When I decided to do a Blue Apron Review, I was in a dinner rut.  I work late sometimes and I can get lazy about meal time.  There were too many times I skipped my weekend grocery run, ordered pizza or picked up takeout.  We needed real sustenance.

There seem to be a thousand meal delivery services out there right now and I am constantly bombarded with ads for them.  Last September I gave in to the 50% off of your first delivery offer from Blue Apron and I haven’t looked back.  I am Really Into Blue Apron.  They even summed up what I did in 2016.

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Should Try Blue Apron?

JESSICA: I have referred several people to Blue Apron.  My mom was the first and she continues to use it, and it is really a nice connection for us because even though I live in California and she is in Texas, we are cooking the same dinner and we always talk about how we liked the week’s delivery.

SARAH: After a year of listening to Jessica rave about Blue Apron, I finally decided to give it a go. A little preface here, but a few weeks before our first delivery arrived, my husband tells me he is no longer eating meat & eating mostly a vegan diet. Well, that’s fine, but what the hell am I going to feed this guy? I checked out a few books at the library & quickly became overwhelmed by the number of new ingredients, meal planning, etc. Also, do I really want to spend money on a bunch of Vegetarian-based meals? Stressed & already low on patience, it seemed like the perfect time to take Jessica up on her offer of a week’s worth of free Blue Apron meals.

JESSICA: For me, the best part of Blue Apron is not having to make yet another decision in my life.  So many of us are busy and constantly deciding what we need to do for work, at home, the kids, the pets, the car, WHAT’S FOR DINNER, and sometimes it is nice for it to already be done for me.  Every week I get three pre-planned meals sent to my door, and most of the time they are delicious.  This is my selection for this week:

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SARAH: I love those recipes cards! They are so incredibly helpful & not overwhelming – at all! They make the dinner so much fun.

JESSICA: Along with your produce and protein, you get little bags of “Knick Knacks” that contain a few smaller ingredients and also the nutrition information.  The only thing that Blue Apron does not include, besides the cookware, is olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Cooking With Unique Ingredients

JESSICA: I am pretty adventurous when it comes to food, so there really hasn’t been anything too out of the ordinary for me, but I am definitely cooking things at home that I would never try in the past.  Mark tends to be a little more cautious when it comes to new things so Blue Apron has been great for getting him to try out new stuff.  Every once and a while I will end up with an ingredient that I haven’t seen before – my favorite was when they sent me black garlic!  It was amazing!  And there are times where you get very simple, elegant meals.  Last night we cooked a ribeye with sauteed kale and potatoes.

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JESSICA: I don’t eat beef so Mark was the winner with this meal, but I get plenty of wins too!  What is nice is there are times where he doesn’t really want the meal, so I make it and take the leftovers to work for lunch.  We really can’t lose.

SARAH: I totally get what you mean about trying new things! For our second meal, we chowed down on Pickled Beet & Fontina Grilled cheese sandwiches. Now, I usually hate beets- they taste like dirt to me. Let me tell you, this sandwich is unreal. I freaking love it. Also, I learned a really neat trick about rubbing a garlic clove on the sandwich just after it’s been cooked. This added a ton more flavor & this trick is now part of my cooking repertoire.

Pickled Beet Fontina Grilled CHeese Blue Apron Review Really Into This Blog
Pickled Beet Fontina Grilled Cheese

So Many New Recipes

Blue Apron keeps all of their recipes online as well in case you would like to remake them.  I have remade the Warm Brussels Sprout Potato Salad from this recipe several times because I think it is fantastic.  A few of my other favorites were the Korean Pork Tacos, Spicy Cabbage Enchiladas, Thai Red Curry and Rice, and Smoked Mozzarella and Cabbage Pizza.  I also like that occasionally they send you a card with an explanation about a certain ingredient.

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SARAH: Most of these Blue Apron Recipes are so enjoyable, we can’t wait to make them again. One of our favorites so far is this Chickpea & Cauliflower Tagine. This is a dish I would never have made on my own. Just reading it, I thought there is no way will I like it. First, this dish gave us at least 4 servings, which is always great. Second, it’s really flavorful & easy to leave out the Labneh Cheese so it’s more of a Vegan dish for Derek. This Chickpea & Cauliflower Tagine is so tasty that I already made a copycat recipe for it. The recipe for it will be posted very soon!

Chickpea Cauliflower Tagine Blue Apron Review Really Into This Blog
Chickpea & Cauliflower Tagine

More About Blue Apron

JESSICA: Most meals are more than enough, but there have been times that we weren’t quite full – but that is the exception, not the rule.  There are also just two of us in our house, so it makes it very easy and affordable for us.  I can’t speak to the four-person plan or if you are sharing with children, though I imagine it can work for many people.  And if you have specific food allergies, this may not be the service for you as there are not options for gluten free, nut free, etc.

SARAH: I can say with my kids, my daughter will at least try the meals. There are a few winners for her: French Bread Pizzas, Spaghettini & Yellow Tomato Sauce, Creamy Fusilli Bucati Pasta & Saffron Risotto. It’s been nice to stick to an all Vegetarian plan as well.

THE VERDICT

SARAH: I am Really Into Blue Apron. While I thought a week’s worth of free meals would be enjoyable, I never realized how it changed the dynamic in my house. There were no stops at the store on the way home. Also missing was the stress of, “What are we eating tonight?” I actually went to exit one afternoon to go to Trader Joe’s and was able to head directly home instead because Blue Apron already did my work for me! That feeling is incredible. Time for our family is so precious. Cooking a meal at the end of a workday with Derek is a ton of fun. We eat with the kids & then we help each other with the dishes. This may seem mundane, but having Blue Apron take care of the shopping & meal planning helped us find a weeknight rhythm that is enjoyable & that is priceless!

JESSICA: I am so glad you are Really Into Blue Apron too, Sarah. Also, I would be remiss if I did not mention their exceptional customer service.  I have had two packages that came where there was a problem and I emailed Blue Apron, and within minutes there was a response.  Both were weeknights!  I was really impressed with how they handled mistakes. You know we are Really Into Top Chef & I’m excited that Joe Flamm will have a few recipes featured on Blue Apron soon!

SARAH: Next up, we are going to try Plated! Also, I’m thinking we will give Purple Carrot a try as well since Derek is on his Vegan-ish kick.

JESSICA: Nice! Let us know if you’ve tried Blue Apron! Also, what meal delivery service are you Really Into?

Baked Ditali Creamy Tomato Sauce Blue Apron Review Really Into This Blog
Baked Ditali With Creamy Tomato Sauce

 

I am a Texan living in California with my husband Mark, my best pup Ziggy, and our two cats Marilyn and Goldie. I love reading, cooking, binge-watching great tv shows and staying up too late talking to my friends.

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