... Trying New Things

For all those that know me well, you know that "free" is one of my favourite words. I have been skeptical of the offers of free food from these ever popular food box subscriptions, but after talking to a member on my Being Neighbourly Facebook group I was convinced to give it a try.

There seemed to be some positive factors with receiving a food box that really resonated with me at this time. For one, I wouldn't have to go into a grocery store as Covid has taken the joy I once had while grocery shopping. Having the food delivered meant that I could avoid another dreaded trip. Secondly, I often struggle with meal planning and I think most adults can relate. When asked "what do you want for supper?", please don't respond with "food" or "whatever". We ask because our brain is numb and no longer capable of thinking up menu items. The box, however made up my mind for me. Last but not least, like I said before, it was free.

So I jumped in with both feet and subscribed to the 3 food boxes that I was able to get free meals from. We were able to receive enough meals for 9 days. Below are my general findings for your curiosity and enjoyment. If that sounds boring to you feel free to skip to the end.

Goodfood

• Price per serving ~$10.75-$14 but the promotion gave me 2 free meals

• What I liked: Great choice of meals for picky eaters, largest protein portions, easy to follow recipe cards, most recyclable packaging and most locally sourced. To cancel my subscription I did have to call their "Happiness team". I admit I wasn't looking forward to it. I waited on hold for 9mins but then was greeted by a superb team member. He was friendly, understanding, knowledgeable but most of all not pushy. He even offered me a $10 credit should I choose to hold my subscription for 3 months instead of cancelling; which i declined. He then waited with me over the phone to confirm I received my cancelation email. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually enjoyed the phone interaction (Covid isolation much?)

• What I didn't like: Their plastic bags for meal kits (although recyclable) are not as environmentally conscious as the paper bags the other companies provided (plus I like to use the paper bags as compost liners when my newspapers run out). I was only able to receive 2 meals from the promotion.

Chef's Plate

• Price per serving ~$10/serving but the promotion gave me 4 free meals

• What I liked: This was the most free food we received. The meal kits were provided in reusable/recyclable paper bags. Their "cooler" system was unique as instead of having coated cardboard, there was a bag made of recycled materials that kept the meats separate and cool. Our second favourite meal came from this subscription (Turkey Mediterranean Meatballs and Home Fries). Cancelling the subscription was a few simple clicks on the online profile.

• What I didn't like: This one had the most difficult recipe instructions to follow out of the three boxes.

Hello Fresh

• Price per serving ~$11.50/serving but the promotion gave me $50 off my first box (3 meals for ~$20)

• What I Liked: This company had our favourite meal which was the e Teriyaki Chicken and Broccoli. Canceling my subscription was also few simple clicks on the online profile. ( I did however receive a follow-up phone call with a promotional offer of credit but I declined it).

• What I didn't like: The promotion I received does not offer a completely free box. It was set up to disperse the credit across multiple weeks. Although I believe this subscription had the most recipe options, it was harder to find ones that my husband and baby could enjoy.

It does appear that all three subscriptions can act like any pyramid scheme where you are rewarded with free food for recruiting others. Therefore, if you are interested in trying I would highly suggest finding a friend or neighbour who is receiving boxes regularly in order to "share the wealth". (If you want to try one and had questions with my experience, I would be happy to offer you any additional thoughts).

[The End]

Overall I'm pretty happy with our little experiment. Getting those boxes was fun and added some excitement to the week. Sometimes it pays off to try something new. I often find myself convicted of staying in my "comfort zone" too long. I've noticed that when I branch out, I tend to rely on God more causing me to grow as a person as well as in my faith.

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1 Corinthians 10:31

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"