We’ve seen a surge in popularity in meal kit delivery companies. Heck, we’ve even tried a few. It’s hard to not love a service that sends you just the right amount of ingredients and a recipe on how to prepare them. There are even some articles toting how the meal kit service is teaching a whole generation how to cook. It may be their version of watching Food Network for inspiration, these meal kits have a lot to offer and can make dinner a whole lot easier.
Seeing the rise in popularity in easy meal kit ideas, Kroger is the latest company to offer these kits. Pricing of the Kroger Prep + Pared kits are similar to delivery services but have a major benefit – you can pick them up right in the produce section and take them home. There are a couple other differences we noticed with the kits as well. Every Kroger Prep + Pared kit has everything pre-portioned and pre-chopped (something delivery kits can’t offer due to freshness) and each box has major allergens marked clearly on the box. You can find Kroger Prep + Pared meals that are gluten free, vegetarian, dairy free – and you can even adjust the recipes to your liking.
Kroger sent us a coupon to try out the new Prep + Pared meal kits, and first I was shocked the prices start as low as $14.99 – for dinner for two. This is cheaper than fast food, and the kits boast a 20 minute cooking time. I was a bit skeptical of the cooking time, since other kits we’ve tried in the past said dinner would be done in 30 minutes but it ended up taking much longer due to prep work. This is where the magic of the Kroger meal kits come in – they’re already chopped, so it’s really just add some oil and cook away.
At the store near me, I grabbed the Truffle Steak meal kit because it sounded absolutely delicious and popped it in the fridge for a couple days when I got home. Even though everything is pre-chopped you still have a few days to use the kit once you get it home. For the Truffle Steak Kit, I just had to add some olive oil and salt and pepper to cook any of the components. I was pleasantly surprised that the steak, sides and even toppings were all done within 20 minutes and I had only two dirty pans from cooking it all.
The only thing I wish was the kits had slightly larger portions or offered more servings inside. This is similar sizing to mail delivery kits, and if you want more or larger portions you should order (or buy) more servings. That being said, the Kroger meal kits tell you exactly how many calories are in each dish and what your meal totals out at.
Our final thoughts – The Truffle Steak meal kit was delicious and we can’t wait to try more in the Kroger Prep + Pared meal boxes. I’ll be keeping one or two stashed in the fridge for quick dinners after a long day and love that they have more than one gluten free option for our family. They’re great for a night where you feel rushed to get food on the table, but don’t want fast food and they give you new meals and cooking methods to try out each time. The pre-chopped ingredients is an absolute time saver and one I’m happy was included.
Different Meal Kits Include:
Coconut Chicken with Lemongrass Chutney + Toasted Rice + Green Beans- Hummus Baked Chicken with Feta + Vegetable Orzo
- Pan Seared Salmon with Dill Butter + Potato Smashcakes
- Fettucini + Tomato Cream Sauce with Kale + Toasted Pine Nuts
- Bacon and Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken with Broccolini Radish and Wheatberry
- Shrimp Scampi with Lemon Garlic Fettuccini
- Carne Asada with Fajita Vegetables and Refried Black Bean
- Truffle Steak + Sweet Potato Fries with Caramelized Onions + Roasted Broccoli
We’ve partnered with Kroger of Michigan to give one of our readers a Prep + Pared Meal Kit to make your dinner planning easy! Read How you can win below
How Can You Win?
Enter to win with the form below. Let us know Which of the Kroger Prep + Pared Meal Kit do you want to try most? What is your favorite part of these meal kits? If you do not do this entry – you will not win! So make sure you leave a comment and then enter using the form below!
I would try the same one that you did, the truffle steak.
I want to try the Coconut Chicken. I like that you do not have to do any meal planning since it is done for you.
It’s so convenient especially when I don’t get off work till 645pm and have to be back at 445am. Also is there a link to see if this is available near me? You can dm on Facebook if you like.
I would try the coconut chicken one.
I would like to try the fettuccine + tomato cream sauce meal.
Bacon and Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken with Broccolini Radish and Wheatberry sounds great to try first.
I would love to try the same one you tried, it sounds so delicious but not only that this wpuld be awesome in my house with all the busy schedules.
I would love to give these a try and hopefully find something my picky kids will like.
Truffle Steak + Sweet Potato Fries with Caramelized Onions + Roasted Broccoli.
They look so easy and unique.
Shrimp scampi 🙂