Meal Kits: Are They Healthy?

Are Meal Kits Healthy?

They certainly can be! With so many options out there you can find a meal kit that meets your dietary needs and with some of my tips and tricks you can even make them healthier, and go farther! Read below for more details.

What are meal kits?

Meal kits are offered by a variety of different companies that generally deliver a box of food items to your door to prepare recipes that you have pre-selected.

There are so many meal kit companies available now that it is easy to find healthy options that fit a wide variety of dietary considerations and health options.

Meal Kit Options

Meal kit companies offer a variety of options for the amount of prep work and cooking you want to do as well.

You can purchase meal kits that require you to wash, chop and peel everything for cooking. Others have done the prep work for you and simply require you to mix and cook. Lastly, you can purchase meal kits that are ready to heat and eat, perfect for a busy weeknight!

Create your own meal kits!

Are meal kit options not in the budget? You can create your own meal kits by meal prepping! If you know you have a busy week ahead, try using the weekend to prep all of your food (chop, cook, etc) so all you have to do during the week is dump into a pan and cook.

Another one of my favorite DIY meal kits are freezer bag meals. Crockpot freezer bag meals are some of the easiest. You can put all of your ingredients in a gallon freezer bag and then when you are ready just dump the ingredients into the crockpot in the morning and dinner is ready in the evening!

Be sure when you are using freezer bag meals that you always have a veggie, fresh or frozen work best for the crockpot, included.

Meal Kits or Meal Planning?

Meal kits can be a great way to take the guess work out of meal planning. If you know you have a busy week or you are out of fresh ideas for family dinner, these can be great options to help you out of a rut.

You can even keep recipes and meal ideas from your meal kits for later use in your meal planning.

Beefing Up Your Meal Kit

How can you make your meal kits healthier and last longer? Add vegetables! You can add whatever you have on hand or purchase extra veggies specifically for your meal kit.

Have an Italian sausage and risotto meal? Add some bell peppers while you are cooking the sausage to beef up your meal.

Have a meal kit with meatballs and rice but no veggies? Steam some broccoli on the side!

Need more ideas to make your meal kits healthy? Ask Dr. Maria!