Nutrition Without Thought- Meal Delivery Services

By: Elizabeth Elam MS, RD, LDN

Meal delivery services are the latest cook-from-home trend. If you haven’t tried them, just imagine a box of fresh ingredients conveniently delivered to your doorstep with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a chef-inspired meal. The only downside, you still must find time to cook and clean up. Maybe you’re a working mom or dad without a second to spare, or maybe you live alone and you hate the thought of eating leftovers all week. Rest assured someone has your back. The following fully-cooked, home-delivered meal services and personal chefs are committed to preparing wholesome meals each week with their own spin. For the same price as eating out, you could have thoughtfully prepared and nutritious meals in the fridge ready to heat when you get home.

Supper Meals
Think of a “healthy foodie” Pinterest page come to life and delivered to your door – that’s Supper Meals. Creator and former army officer, Roxanne, was looking for a place where she could order wholesome, balanced meals, cooked the way she would at home if she had time. Supper Meals is committed to supporting local chefs, quality ingredients, and transparency in nutrition information. The menu changes each week and includes over 20 meal, snack and dessert options ranging in price from $8 to $13 per serving. A complete list of ingredients, nutrition information, special dietary information, heating instructions, and delivery day are listed on the order page. If you’re not planning to be home at delivery time, simply place a cooler packed with ice on the doorstep. Supper Meals currently delivers to Central Raleigh, North Raleigh, and the Sandhill’s, but plans to expand to Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Just think… Quinoa and Butternut Squash Bowl or Cider Braised Beef with Maple Sweep Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables could be delivered to your doorstep for a satisfying, nutritious, and FAST dinner!

https://www.suppermeals.com/

Just One More Bite
Owner and Executive Chef of Just One More Bite, Michael Saunders, is dedicated to serving healthy, fresh, and local ingredients to consumers. He marries his 17 years of culinary experience with a passion for cross fit and nutrition to deliver well-balanced meals that work with your schedule. Menus are created weekly to cater to a variety of nutrition preferences. The Weekly Meal Plan features 6 nutritionally balanced entrées as well as a soup, casserole, and salad of the week. This plan feeds 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 children for $50 per meal. The Zone Diet Plan features meals with 28-30g Protein, 34-36g Carbohydrate, and 10-12g Fat per serving. Prices range from $9.25 to $13.50 and are based on the quantity ordered. The Gluten and Diary Free Plan caters to those with sensitivities and allergies. It includes 4 dinners and 4 lunches to serve 2 adults for $255 or 4 dinner and 4 lunches to serve 1 person for $140. While exact nutrition information isn’t available, Chef Mike sources all of his produce from local organic farmers, chicken from Virginia, and pork and beef from North Carolina. All meals are made on Sunday and delivered on Monday to Raleigh and surrounding areas. Why eat out when you can have Panko Crusted Atlantic Red Snapper with a Basil Brown Butter, Kale Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette and Rice Pilaf waiting for you at home!

http://www.justonemorebitenc.com/welcome/

Busy Bee Personal Chef
If you think a personal chef is only for A-list celebrities – think again! Head chef of Busy Bee Personal Chef, Nancy Whiteley, has over 25 years of culinary experience and caters to all dietary needs – diabetic, paleo, vegan and vegetarian, gluten-free, low-sodium, and dairy free just to name a few. The main menu changes weekly with options like Horseradish Crusted Wild-Caught Tilapia or Chicken or Vegetarian Burrito Bowl with Cilantro Rice and Chopped Burrito Salad. There is also a static American Classics menu featuring classic favorites such as Roasted Herb Chicken or Spaghetti and Meatballs. The client contact form will ask about specific dietary needs and the kitchen will make the necessary recipe adjustments. Meals are prepared and delivered same day depending on when the order is placed. Choose from “full week meals” (5 entrees, 5 sides, 2 desserts) or “half week meals” (3 entrees, 3 sides, and 1 dessert) for 2 or 4 people per meal ranging from $255 to $375. If that seems steep, try adding up your grocery and restaurant receipts and see what your family spends per week. You’ll be surprised at how reasonable this service is – not to mention how much time can be saved! Busy Bee Personal Chef currently delivers outside the Chapel Hill, Durham, Carrboro and Cary area for a $15.00 delivery fee.

http://www.busybeechef.com/

Food Fairy
Food Fairy is a company that specializes in home-cooked meals… literally cooked in your home! In registering with Food Fairy, you will be assigned your own, personal food fairy with whom you will consult to create menus based on your preferences, schedule, and dietary needs. The food fairy will then do the meal planning, shopping, cooking, storage and clean-up – leaving you a fridge full of customized meals and snacks. Meals are prepared in your home, with your kitchen tools, and best of all – no set menus! You decide exactly what you would like. Food fairies become very connected with their clients, thinking of them as family members, cooking with compassion and care. Schedule for the food fairy to visit as often as you would like. Most clients choose weekly, twice monthly, or every six-week services. Pricing varies depending on frequency, food choices, number of servings, and special dietary concerns. Weekly client costs average about $300 per week, $350 for bi-weekly, $425 for monthly. Food fairies cater to all dietary restrictions and food allergies, and nutrition information can be included with your meals, if desired. Food Fairy travels regularly to Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Pittsboro, and Raleigh. Bottom line, if you struggle to feed a dairy and/or gluten-free child or someone in your family has heart disease or needs a special renal diet, consider called a food fairy to bring nutrition right to your very own kitchen!

http://foodfairy.com

Visit any of the websites to learn more about the companies above.