In my previous reviews of Blue Apron, Caviar, and Dream Dinners, I mentioned that we need help making nutritious family meals on week nights. Yes, I've become one of those busy working moms who tries to do everything but can't. The latest in this home delivery market I'm reviewing is Munchery. Thanks to Munchery for providing me with $50 credit which I used for four meals total on two different days. Munchery has food prepared by their chefs and also home cooking kits. I chose the already made food.
That's the first advantage, you can schedule your deliveries in advance.
Day 1:
($11.95) Chicken Pad Thai - The top picture was how it was delivered and the bottom was the final appearance after I followed the heating instructions. The taste was very good. No issues with the flavor, texture, and it reheats well. I like the convenience of eating out of these microwaveable and recyclable containers. The noodle portion was slightly less than you would get at a restaurant but usually restaurants serve it with more greens on the side which I really miss in this dish. Although $11.95 sounds steep, my favorite place, Krung Thai, sells their pad thai for the same now too.
($11.95) French Dip Sandwich - This took just a hair more work to heat but still no trouble at all. I felt this was more filling for the price. Everything was tasty, especially the combination of horseradish spread with the beef and au jus dip.
Day 2:
($12.95) Burmese Spiced Chicken Kebat with coconut rice - This was super tasty and very easy to assemble. In fact I could've eaten it cold if I was really lazy like that. Fantastic flavor but small portion of meat. The rice was a normal amount. I can't tell if portions look smaller when they're packaged up or if it actually is smaller. I was full nonetheless but a male might need more food to supplement.
($13.95) Big Munch Burger with potato salad - This was the most expensive item and as you can tell by the picture, the patties were small. We felt a bit mislead by the photo of this burger vs reality. It was tasty, however still just a burger and it doesn't reheat as well as the other items. Maybe burgers are something that should be eaten fresh from the grill. My husband really enjoyed the potato salad.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Ease of Use (of website): I liked the ability to schedule ahead of time. Inventory was always updated. It was easy to check out my cart and pay. No issues.
Menu Selections: For the prepared food, there was a good variety. It changed every few days. Enough to keep me interested. Again, with the ability to schedule ahead, I can skip the days where the food wasn't interesting and order on the days I liked the offerings. The cooking kits only had some of the same items each day which sometimes ran out quickly.
Price: Expensive for the portion size. Blue Apron is $10 per meal and you get the same amount or more although you'd have to cook it yourself. With a delivery service, you're paying the restaurant's prices so it does help set expectations for price vs value.
Delivery: Punctual and even early. No issues.
Heating Directions: Everything was easy and clearly spelled out. No issues.
Taste: Unlike a delivery service where you order a restaurant meal, these are cooked by Munchery's chefs, some of which are from well known restaurants. Everything tasted great.
It all comes down to price and perceived value. While the per plate price of Munchery may seem high, they don't require a commitment. Blue Apron requires you to order a minimum of 6 meals and they will ship and charge every week unless you log in and skip the delivery. Dream Dinners also required a commitment of one month.
Munchery has a la carte options so you can order side dishes only, or entrees only if that's all you need that day. With the ability to choose ahead for that week, it allows me to plan just far enough in advance to help me that week but not so much that I am committed for future weeks. To me, this is Munchery's biggest selling point. I do not want to commit. I still cook 2-3 times a week in big enough portions for future meals. But some days are unpredictably busier than others and I need an option to take care of dinner while at work on the same day.
If you are interested in trying Munchery for yourself, you can use this referral link and get $10 off your order.
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