Does anyone get meal kits to combat bp?

So I rely to much on meal replacement drinks. I'll eat a real meal maybe 1x a day. Often it's something simple, fast, and not the healthiest. like cheese ravioli, mac cheese, soup, loaded potato is the fanciest I cook. Usually my husband cooks for him and my son. Unless it's chicken or breakfast I don't eat it. He's getting really bad at cooking too though. We'll order and split that for a few days usually $10 pizza lasts us 2 days or a $7 salad.

So I'm thinking asking for Christmas a meal kit box or veggie box to try to get us to be adults but I feel like that's admitting defeat. I honestly have no idea what is actually in our fridge. We're still surviving on last months groceries. We use to do walmart pick up but then I started relying on meal replacement shakes.

My T wanted me to get groceries delivered but even that leaves me with a bunch of things that go bad because I just get so overwhelmed trying to figure out what to eat and cook. I know there's two other adults in the house but ones answer is snack on nuts, have cereal and the other always wants to order dinner. I need to fix this my husband is getting sick of being the only one to cook (or even walk into the kitchen). My main concern is we have limited income meal plans boxes are expensive. Veggy boxes are still a stretch but being bi-monthly it's more manageable. Both are cheaper then grocery delivery (I think). The other option is to get a bunch of "microwave" meals but those are worse health wise then the meal replacement shakes.

My husbands worry is I'll be a shut in with no real food options if anything happens to him. My worry is finances and long term sustainability. I know I should just grow up meal plan myself and go to the store. I need to find a solution before next time I talk to T to eat 2 real meals a day and have stuff in the house. Any Ideas? what's the best cheap meal kit? Is there something better? or do I just have to grow up? It's not that I don't have food money but it can't be spent on food delivery.

This is a struggle for me too. Right now I'm keeping suppers simple, easy to prepare, not too expensive and stuff we like - but the meals are not the healthiest.

My current solution is I find something we both like, that isn't too difficult for me to make and I make it over and over again until we are sick of it. Our current rotation is, fish sticks, mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, tofurky roast (this is two meals thanks to leftovers) and I cook a simple soup, like split pea or chik'n noodle which also provide left overs. One day we either have the fish sticks and mash again or often I heat a frozen dinner for hubby, and I eat a veggie dog. On Saturday's we sometimes get take out from either the local veggie restaurant or we do chicken burgers from the drive-thru. But take out is expensive for us, so we often repeat the ready meal and veggie dog.

It's not ideal, I wish we at healthier, but honestly, we've eaten worse, and I'm doing my best with it. I haven't stepped foot in a grocery store in over a year. Before covid I started ordering my groceries online - we do have the one car, and because I cook, "shop" and wash all the dishes, hubby picks up the order at the store - I put the groceries away. I find grocery shopping in person way too exhausting.

Sorry, my seroquel has kicked in, and I'm not sure Im making any sense, but I've wondered about the meal kits too...but I'm afraid I'd find it all too hard and the food would spoil in the fridge.

I have a huge problem with the whole food and cooking thing. I make smoothies, those are easy. But after all the years of cooking for my husband and kids I'm completely overwhelmed with it anymore.

I am seriously considering purchasing a meal plan. The biggest problem for me is the cost. It looks like Freshly is a good plan.

I like the idea of meal replacement drinks and smoothies tbh. I really dislike cooking, and without a dishwasher, and my cat's special meals, I feel as though I'm spending half my life in the kitchen. For myself, I'd be curious to know what meal repalcements you buy, Miguel's Mom, and smoothies you make, Beth.

When I was single I would cook a lentil soup or vegetarian stew and it would last me the week. Most meals for myself were very simple: a bowl of oatmeal, peanut butter on toast or spaghetti with jarred sauce, or chick pea curry over rice.

I stress so much about feeding myself and another person. I alway dreamed I would end up with a man who could cook and I would happily clean up afterwards --no such luck.

Gosh, it all takes so much energy phycially and I find it such a mental load. Even when I worked full-time and hubby was home he left it all to me. Ugh, that's another story for another day.

Miguel's mom, I think the meal kit sounds like it's worth a try for your family - I certainly wouldn't call it giving up, you'd still have to cook it, and wash up afterwards....seems like a smart idea. They're usually only 3 meals a week, and the shopping and measuring is all done for you.

I think I need to stop cooking to please hubs - I end up eating much less healthier suppers and more expensively than I would on my own I now realize. Easier said than done, not because he's mean about it, but because I'm such a people pleaser.

I have a hard time cooking too. It's overwhelming to me mentally and physically. Every now and then I bake some desserts and enjoy doing that but just regular cooking feels like it takes so much effort. I also use meal replacement shakes regularly. A few reasons for that, one, I have an eating disorder, two, I have a massive fear of choking on regular food, and three, I don't feel like cooking 99% of the time.

My sister buys meal kits sometimes, and has a lot of fun cooking them. I would probably give them a try if I had the money but I don't really so I stick to the meal replacement shakes and some basic foods from the grocery store.

I order high protein instant carnation breakfasts from amazon. I also just discovered that in my area aldi's does home delivery for a % of what the total cost is of the groceries. So we paid $15+food which is manageable if we budget it. I'm so excited! we just ordered a few things to try it out and it worked! So if aldi's has pre-made meals kits I can do that. I'm sure it's not as healthy as the places that exclusively do meal kits but it's budget friendly.

I felt bad doing it but it really opens up options for me.

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Originally Posted by lightly toasted I like the idea of meal replacement drinks and smoothies tbh. I really dislike cooking, and without a dishwasher, and my cat's special meals, I feel as though I'm spending half my life in the kitchen. For myself, I'd be curious to know what meal repalcements you buy, Miguel's Mom, and smoothies you make, Beth. When I was single I would cook a lentil soup or vegetarian stew and it would last me the week. Most meals for myself were very simple: a bowl of oatmeal, peanut butter on toast or spaghetti with jarred sauce, or chick pea curry over rice. I stress so much about feeding myself and another person. I alway dreamed I would end up with a man who could cook and I would happily clean up afterwards --no such luck. Gosh, it all takes so much energy phycially and I find it such a mental load. Even when I worked full-time and hubby was home he left it all to me. Ugh, that's another story for another day. Miguel's mom, I think the meal kit sounds like it's worth a try for your family - I certainly wouldn't call it giving up, you'd still have to cook it, and wash up afterwards....seems like a smart idea. They're usually only 3 meals a week, and the shopping and measuring is all done for you. I think I need to stop cooking to please hubs - I end up eating much less healthier suppers and more expensively than I would on my own I now realize. Easier said than done, not because he's mean about it, but because I'm such a people pleaser.

I make smoothies out of cherries, blueberries, peaches, pineapple, banana, kale, beet, mango, soy milk, almond milk, hemp milk, coconut flakes, chia seeds, yogurt, tofu, unsweetened cocoa powder. Oh, and carrot and orange juice - one of my favorites.


Smoothies are terrific because you can use any combination you like. There are tons of recipes online.

Smoothies aren't cheating. You can pack so much good stuff into them and they are easy. I add spinach to almost every one since you can't taste it. Avocado is a good sub for bananas; plain Greek yogurt or a scoop of almond butter to up the protein. A dash of honey to cut the tartness of berries.

Fingers crossed Aldi has some decent meal kit options for you. So pleased the grocery delivery worked out for you - it really does make life so much easier.

have Hello Fresh and a few other options, but they're very pricey. Even when they've had sales and I've considered trying them out, they're menu options seem a bit chi-chi poo-poo for us. And they're vegetarian options were not cheaper than the meat meal- which is not cool.

We don't have Aldi but our discount grocery store launched a meal kit program, but with covid they seemed to have put that on the back-burner. It was cheaper than the place that do meal kits exclusively, but the food options seemed less healthy than what we eat now. I think it was designed for working parents with young kids who just needed anything cheaper and healthier than McDonald's and KFC.

Thanks Beth and Noodle Bean, but your smoothies would be hella expensive for a lot of folks. But go you two with your swanky smoothies - lol, they sound delicious and if you can afford it, go to town with that blender!

I've kept my smoothies cheap and simple, frozen banana, frozen berries, soy milk (more protein than other plant milks - peanut butter and cocoa powder as affordable add ins. A banana or two with vanilla soy milk and some pumpkin pie spice makes a cheap and healthy treat smoothie.

I'll stick with my weetabix and a glass of orange juice for breakfast - much cheaper and easier.

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Originally Posted by lightly toasted Thanks Beth and Noodle Bean, but your smoothies would be hella expensive for a lot of folks. But go you two with your swanky smoothies - lol, they sound delicious and if you can afford it, go to town with that blender! I've kept my smoothies cheap and simple, frozen banana, frozen berries, soy milk (more protein than other plant milks - peanut butter and cocoa powder as affordable add ins. A banana or two with vanilla soy milk and some pumpkin pie spice makes a cheap and healthy treat smoothie. I'll stick with my weetabix and a glass of orange juice for breakfast - much cheaper and easier.

I'm unsure of what you are referring to. The smoothies I make are not expensive. At least, no more than any food here is. If I purchase a smoothie from a cafe, no matter how basic, 12oz. would cost $5 (minimum). I buy the ingredients for mine in a discount grocery. The cost is about 60 cents per smoothie. I have enough going against me, between genetics and the damage that meds have done to my body. Smoothies are an excellent way to get vitamins and minerals.

I went ahead and ordered 1 week of meals from Freshly. The meals look healthy. I had a discount offer that is dirt cheap for the first 2 weeks. The unfortunate part is, once the discount is finished, no way can I afford to stay with the service.

Oh for sure, but those ingredients are much, much more expensive where I live, and it would certainly cost me way more than a dollar per smoothie. Like I said, if it's affordable for you, that's truly great

I just wanted to give some cheaper suggestions for people in the same boat as me

I'm glad I'm not the only one.

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Originally Posted by Miguel'smom I'm glad I'm not the only one.

No, you're definitely not. I thought I was! Thanks for starting this thread, Mm.

Freshly is excellent quality and you just need to microwave the meals which are fresh not frozen......I used them for a while but gained weight because their meals are too high calorie for being on an AP. Most of them could be easily cut in half.

Oh I also used th veggie box Imperfect produce....it’s great and cheap but you need to cook from scratch for it to work. Honestly these days I eat a lot of lean cuisine and similar frozen food.

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Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic Freshly is excellent quality and you just need to microwave the meals which are fresh not frozen......I used them for a while but gained weight because their meals are too high calorie for being on an AP. Most of them could be easily cut in half.

Thank you for the information!

I'm not sure if you're referring to meal kits that are already totally prepared (just zap in the microwave and eat) or ones that send you the groceries with instructions on how to cook them. I can say that I have ordered the latter type (like Blue Apron, Sun Basket). I believe in total I tried four or five different outfits, each for at least a month (3 meals per week - 6 servings). I, too, felt it would be a way to spare me some work, while still eating quality food. It was, in the beginning, but then I missed my own cooking. Some were more interesting than others. For example, Blue Apron tended to offer meals that were new to me (certain unique Middle Eastern or African inspired meals). Others were basically the same kind of cooking I usually do, so they weren't worth it. In my case, I always had to look for meals where garlic could easily be eliminated (my husband's allergic to it) and that had ingredients he would eat (he's a somewhat picky eater, to boot). I also felt the directions were often inefficient in terms of preparation time and number of dishes they wanted dirtied. I would just prepare the meals my own "quicker" way.

I only took advantage of the above as long as there was a promotion. After the promotional period ended, I'd switch to another meal kit service. My favorite was Blue Apron, and their Weight Watcher's collaboration meals. Quite tasty, healthful, and low fat/cal.

There is nothing wrong with not wanting to cook, or being unable to cook, A nutritious smoothie, simple meals, are good options. You could also make your own meals to go and freeze them. Add a good multivitamin and you're good to go. Good luck!