I don't get it, but then I don't have any trouble cooking for myself and my family. I didn't grow up learning how to cook. I spent a little bit of time figuring it out and then it became easy and didn't require a subscription to some sketchy company.
There's also no way that you're coming close to the prices at a supermarket when you're buying individual meal's worth ingredients instead of bulk, a bag of potatoes, or a bottle of seasoning instead of one potato and one pinch of whatever inside some single serving plastic wrapping.
Not to mention the impact of the packaging materials and shipping. I can't speak to Blue Apron but my daughter used Freshly for a bit and I was shocked to the point of laughter at what was showing up at our house once a week: a big cardboard box with this thick, plastic-wrapped insulating material fitted to all six faces, and inside were nestled six individual meals, also packaged in cardboard with some plastic. My daughter told me they claim some level of recyclability for the insulating material, and of course the box can probably be shredded and re-boxified, but I bet 90+ percent goes right in the can and out to the curb.
Just about everything in the grocery store comes in a big cardboard box.
blue apron's fault is trying to enter a space too easily replicated by others including the very grocery stores who have everything mostly in place except for the recipes.
it wasn't long after services like Blue Apron came about and were newsworthy before many grocery stores started having prepackaged fresh items you could mix and match for a quick meal.
Also note that the delta is a big big percentage of the base packaging, and I am willing to bet it's over 100%, if not 500%, just cause there are so many packages made from few large boxes.
Source? Or are you just speculating based on nothing?
In the same vein, Blue Apron and Hello Fresh, I'd imagine, are there to expand your horizons in terms of culinary options. If it's just me going to the grocery store, then I'll just get for any old recipe I know.
They both remind me of a Danish company, Aarstiderne, which has been around since 1999, where the sales pitch is fresh organic vegetables with curated recipes by chefs every week. Particularly in 1999, when organic vegetables were harder to come by - even in Denmark, it made a lot of sense. Now they have so many different subscription choices (that offer different kinds of culinary experiences), that it's akin to picking the channel on television, but letting the programmers pick the programmes.
That's the appealing thing to me, it's actually less the convenience.
It's 100% about convenience. They offer nothing more than you picking up your own food. Plus they ship as much packaging as food so it's probably far from being the most ecological solution.
But yes, the packaging is insanely wasteful, not to mention the ecological cost of shipping itself.
I definitely cooked more often when I had a HelloFresh subscription. And when I do cook now, the variety of things I make is much smaller.
But as someone who is reasonable acceptable at cooking, I do like the idea of something where I can get outside my comfort zone.
People are paying for convenience. Think of it like a house cleaning service. You don't NEED to hire someone to clean your house, but it makes your life a little easier and for some, that's worth it.
The utility here is very marginal, and there are alternatives that make your life even easier.
They haven't missed a day in a few years. I only realized the importance of Blue Apron in his life when he told me he does about 8-10 hours at work and 2-8 hours at home most days.
Blue Apron affords them the time to get to even be a family.
Or order take out and save even more time and share dinner together.
And yeah I dont want to do that! :)
I’m glad Blue Apron and other services are like “hey thats a valid perspective and is underserved” instead of being dismissive
You can criticise a company without being in a Dropbox<>rsync situation. Especially when that company is not doing so well.
I use an equivalent in my country and it's worth any premium I'm paying.
