Looking to reduce food waste? Here’s how meal kits can help.
We’re certainly not breaking new ground here by telling you that wasted food is a huge problem in the United States and many other countries. Between restaurants throwing out perfectly good food at the end of the work day, households letting ingredients spoil, and other factors, it’s been estimated that up to 40% of our food is thrown out on a regular basis.
Today, we’re going to explain how meal kits reduce food waste and then give you a few other benefits of signing up for a subscription service.
4 Ways Meal Kits Reduce Food Waste
Many people are surprised to learn that meal kits are a great way to reduce food waste in their household.
Here are a few facts that make this possible:
They Use Precise Ingredient Portions
When we shop for ingredients, it’s very common for us to purchase more than we actually need for a single meal. This leads to food going to waste because we throw out extras when they don’t get used. Since meal kits provide the exact amount of each ingredient that’s needed for a specific meal, there’s less opportunity for waste.
You’ll Receive Very Fresh Ingredients
You shouldn’t wait too long before eating a meal kit to ensure the highest quality, but you definitely have some time before ingredients will start to spoil. This is because meal kits use the freshest ingredients possible, which means their expiration dates give you time to slip them into your meal plans for the week. You often don’t have this advantage with items from a grocery store that may expire in just a few days.
Packages Won’t Spoil on Your Doorstep
Certain types of food won’t last very long if they’re left on your doorstep for a few hours because you’re not home. Even though food delivery services typically include ice packs, it might not take too long before the food is in danger of spoiling. With meal kits, you don’t have to worry about this because each package has been designed to sit on a delivery truck and then your doorstep for quite a while without any harm coming to its contents.
Every Meal Kit Is Absolutely Delicious
Perhaps one of the most important ways that food waste is reduced through the use of meal kits is that the meals are absolutely delicious. Whether you’re interested in a protein-based or plant-based meal, you’ll find that the recipes have been crafted to perfection. You’ll want to finish every last bite, which means that nothing is likely to go to waste.
4 Other Benefits of Healthy Meal Kits
It’s certainly great that meal kits reduce food waste, but that’s only one of their many benefits.
Here are a few other advantages:
Sit Back, Relax, and Open Your Door
Who doesn’t absolutely love food delivery? Even before the pandemic when food deliveries became a staple of American life more than ever, getting food delivered to your door by restaurants and grocery stores was commonplace. Meal kits allow you to sit back, relax, and simply open your door once the kits have been delivered. Then, all you need to do is put everything away to keep it fresh.
Fewer Trips to the Grocery Store
Grocery shopping is a common activity, but it can also be quite stressful at times, especially if you’re forced to make multiple trips throughout the week. We also have a tendency to purchase the same types of foods each time. Pre-packaged grocery store meals don’t help because they’re typically not very healthy. With meal kits, you’ll go to the grocery store less often and always have a delicious meal waiting for you and your family.
Helps Local Farmers and Workers
If you want to support your community, then purchasing locally sourced food whenever possible is a great way to do it. Meal kits use local ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, and some types of meats, which means you’re supporting farmers in the area. You’re also helping out workers that are part of the supply chain such as packaging personnel, vehicle loaders, delivery drivers, and more.
Promotes a Healthy Environment
If you’re like many people these days, then you’re probably acutely aware of your carbon footprint. Meal kits promote a healthy environment by helping to reduce the burning of greenhouse gas emissions via less travel, in addition to the use of recycled and recyclable materials in their packaging. You can do your part by setting the packaging materials outside to be picked up each time a new meal kit is delivered.
Contact Chef Ami to Reduce Food Waste with Delicious Meals
Chef Ami provides meal kit delivery in Tampa, Gainesville, and other cities in the Bay Area. If you have any questions about how we help reduce food waste or would like to sign up for a meal kit subscription, check out our menu and give us a call at (813) 773-4719 today.
