WASHINGTON — With increased social distancing protocols being enforced at grocery stores across the DMV, in-store wait times and lines have increased. Combine that with the anxiety of going out among a crowd during the coronavirus outbreak, it has left some customers avoiding the grocery store unless absolutely necessary.
An alternative to that trip: Meal-kit delivery straight to your home.
Meal kit delivery providers say the demand for their services has skyrocketed during the pandemic. The founder and CEO of Gobble said the demand they have seen in the last month is more than they projected to see over the next three years.
Whether you're looking to explore meal delivery services for yourself so you don't need to leave your home, or you want to use a service to get food to an elderly loved one who shouldn't be out, here are nine of the most affordable meal kits delivering to the DMV.
Pro tip: Almost all of the companies have referral discount codes, so if you know a friend who already uses the service, ask for their referral code, and you'll both get discounted orders.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron, founded in 2012, is one of the original meal subscription boxes, providing weekly deliveries of all the ingredients you need to make simple recipes. Enjoy meals like Calabrian shrimp over fresh fettuccine with prosciutto, snow peas and ricotta salad or white bean pita flatbreads and roasted sweet potato quesadillas.
Add-ons: Kitchen gadgets and bottles of wine
Price: $7.49-$9.99 per serving ($47.95-$119.84/ week) for 2-4 meals per week, serving 2-4 people.
Order here.
Butcher Box
This meat-centric box delivers cuts of grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken and heritage breed pork available in two sizes: classic or big. For each of the five boxes (custom, mixed, beef and pork, beef and chicken or all beef) you can choose the curated box or customize your own selections for between eight to 14 pounds of meat. You can get inspiration for how to cook your meat with recipes such as rosemary and garlic roasted lamb with mint pesto or mustard-crusted pork tenderloin.
Add-ons: Extra cuts of meat
Price: $4.97-$5.38 per meal, $129-$149 per month
Order here
Freshly
Rather than a box of ingredients needed to prepare a meal, Freshly sends you fully-prepared meals that are ready to eat in three minutes. In an effort to reduce waste, the meals are also delivered in recyclable boxes, insulation, and freezer packs. You'll find meals like steak peppercorn, cauliflower-shell bolognese or Sicilian-style chicken parm. Choose from four plans: four meals, six meals, nine meals or 12 meals per week.
Price: $7.99-$11.50 per meal ($46-$95.88 per week)
Order here
From the Farmer
If you're looking to cut down on your grocery store trips, consider supplementing with deliveries of farm-fresh seasonal produce, such as rainbow carrots, gold rush apples or beefsteak tomatoes. You can choose from an all-veggie box, an all-fruit box, a mixed box, an organic box or a local box. Any week you don't want your subscription box, you can skip it, but if you still want a few items, you can shop from a la carte items.
Add-ons: Dairy, eggs, bread, pantry items and coffee
Price: $29-$45 per box ($14 for coffee subscription; $7 for bread subscription)
Order here
Gobble
Gobble is specifically designed for the busy chef, who has no time to waste with prep or clean-up. All ingredients come pre-chopped, peeled and marinated, and meals can typically be prepared in 15 minutes or less using only one pan. Expect meals like pan-seared chicken breast with Greek couscous and asparagus or three-cheese tortellini and sauteed spring vegetables with lemon gremolata.
Add-ons: Sides, soups, and desserts
Price: $11.99 - $13.99 per meal, with a two-person plan or four-person plan ($55.96-$143.88 per week)
Order here
HelloFresh
Like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh has been in the game since the beginning and is currently the largest meal-kit provider in the United States. Subscribers customize their menus weekly, and can filter based on preferences such as vegetarian, family-friendly or low-calorie meals. You'll prepare meals like spicy maple chicken with mashed sweet potatoes and roasted green beans, pork and veggie bibimbap with zucchini, carrots and jasmine rice or Monterey jack burgers with onion jam, garlic mayo and crispy breaded zucchini.
Price: $7.49-$10.99 per meal ($43.96 - $89.98 per week)
Order here
Misfits Market
Every Misfits Market box is filled with "funny-looking fruits, misshapen vegetables, and delicious but odd-sized produce," in an effort to reduce food waste. The boxes come in two sizes: the mischief or the madness, with 12-14 varieties of fruits and veggies, such as kale, swiss chard, arugula, peaches, eggplant, watermelon radishes, romanesco cauliflower and tomatillos.
Price: $22-$35 per box
Sun Basket
The mission of Sun Basket is to allow you to define your own healthy. Choose from 10 different meal preferences, such as no-prep, carb-conscious, Mediterranean or diabetes-friendly menus. Weekly menu items include pappardelle with wilted spinach, sweet peas and fresh ricotta, pork carnitas tacos with pickled onions and salsa Verde or Korean glass noodle japchae with cabbage and carrots.
Add-ons: Breakfast and lunch options, healthy snacks, specialty meats.
Price: $10.99 - $12.00 per serving
Order here
Territory
Territory offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options, made from local ingredients and prepared by local chefs. Choose meals that fit a wide variety of diets, including Whole30, paleo, vegetarian and vegan. All meals are gluten and dairy-free. Currently, you can choose to order a meal plan delivering 10 or 18 meals per week, or you can custom order 3-18 meals for the week. A family plan is also available with 8-18 family-style dishes per week. All meals come with a caloric, fat, carb and protein breakdown. Meal examples include marinated, roasted chicken in a persimmon aioli served with garlic roasted Brussels sprouts or sustainably sourced tuna cakes coated in a toasted pistachio crust, with pesto sauce and cabbage carrot coleslaw.
Under normal circumstances, you can pick-up your meals at local gyms for free, but during coronavirus home delivery for $7.95 is the only option.
Add-ons: 15-pound produce box, $60
Price: $9.95-$12.95 per meal, 3-18 meals per week
Order here