Wondering if Blue Apron or HelloFresh makes sense for you? Well, it depends.
As it becomes more and more difficult to find time during the week to take a trip to the local grocery store, consumers have turned to online grocery shopping and delivery services. Although companies, such as Amazon, Walmart, and Whole Foods Market, offer online grocery services for its customers, Blue Apron and HelloFresh, go a step further by providing exact quantities of its ingredients with wholesome and healthful recipes.
Blue Apron prides itself on its collaborative effort with chefs and farmers to make food more sustainable and recipes more delicious. Blue Apron cuts out the middleman, which helps to reduce the cost of each recipe. Furthermore, it allows consumers to cook from scratch, while helping to reduce the preparation time. From a sustainability and a convenience perspective, companies similar to Blue Apron and HelloFresh are great options. However, when looking at the prices, it may not be a great option for everyone.
If you are someone who buys ingredients in bulk and uses these ingredients before its expiration, you are better off sticking to your traditional ways. However, if your time is limited, and/or you have a tendency to waste ingredients, Blue Apron or HelloFresh may be the right fit for you. For example, Blue Apron is priced at $8.74/serving, while AmazonFresh, Walmart Grocery, and Whole Foods Market are priced significantly higher at $13.80/serving, $11.10/serving, and $17.23/serving, respectively.
Furthermore, if you and your family are looking to reduce the cost of dinning out, but are looking for a healthful and convenient alternative, Blue Apron or HelloFresh may help consumers find a happy medium. However, if you are one to use ingredients in multiple recipes, throughout a given period of time, it is better to continue buying in bulk from your local grocer, saving anywhere from $4-$6/serving.
Moral of the story?
If you are willing to spend more time and energy, in order to save more money, go to the grocery store. If you are willing to spend more money, in order to save more time and energy, visit Blue Apron, HelloFresh, or a company with similar services.
Below are charts demonstrating the cost of a particular recipe from Blue Apron, and the equivalent costs if one were to order from AmazonFresh, Walmart, or Whole Foods Market. For the recipe, visit https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/roasted-pork-broccoli-with-apple-cheese-sauce-garlic-breadcrumbs.
Written by Nicole Lindel ~ Nutrition Education Master’s Student at Columbia University