Eating food prepared at home is a growing trend in Toronto, but not everyone is spending hours in the kitchen anymore. The usual way to make dinner is to visit a grocery store, buy what you want and get back home to cook your food.
But, that’s a dated concept now as more and more Torontonians, figure out new ways to chase their careers while also eating healthy. If you want to know some solutions, see below:
Meal Kit Services
Meal kit delivery companies are popping up left, right and center, and of course Toronto is at the top of the list of cities they serve. With more than 6 million people projected to live in the Greater Toronto Area this year, there’s a huge population to target.
When these companies began to serve Canadians a few years ago, they did so to provide healthy meals to busy Canadian families. That means they weren’t here to replace local pizza restaurants.
Instead, the primary goal of meal kit companies has always been to provide healthy foods. Fortunately, many of them have retained that mantra for years, and the result has been these dishes:
- Paleo
- Gluten-Free
- Lean and clean
- Diabetes-friendly
- Carb-conscious
- Vegan and vegetarian
- Pescatarian
How Do They Work?
Meal kit companies consist of chefs, nutritionists and other experts who source ingredients throughout Canada. Some startups find their food locally in Toronto, while others get ingredients wherever they are available worldwide.
With that in mind, they also have websites where you can view their weekly menus and delivery prices. Then, you can decide whether you want your meals fully cooked or prepped so that you can do the rest.
In many cases, you have the choice to order once or subscribe to a weekly plan of 2-4 meals that can be eaten by two to five people. You can skip deliveries during the weeks you might be out of town at no extra fee.
Leading Meal Kit Companies in Toronto
Some of the biggest meal kit companies in Canada are headquartered in Toronto: Chef’s Plate, Hello Fresh and Fresh City Farms, to name a few. Of course, that doesn’t mean these are the only providers you should buy from.
The best meal delivery services operating in Toronto all differ in prices and menus. As a result, you might want to read reviews of some of the companies to discover what specific dishes they provide weekly.
Then, you can select a company that serves your favourite meals but also delivers them at affordable prices. In case you are wondering, the prices range from $7 to $14 per serving of two. Weekly, you can receive three meals at the cost of $55 to $99.
Benefits of Meal Kit Companies
For many people in Toronto, meal kit services sound almost too good to be true. Here’s why.
- Healthy Meals
As mentioned above, meal kit services distinguish themselves from other delivery services because they focus on healthy dishes. In fact, many of them include the methods they use to find ingredients to affirm that their meals are organic and healthy.
When it comes to actual meals, you get to select from a list of foods known for their nutrition. Vegan cooking, for example, consist of no animal products including meat, therefore it works for people looking for that lifestyle. There are more diets at the standard Toronto meal kit companies, including paleo, gluten-free and diabetes-friendly foods.
- Variety
Variety is the spice of life, which is why meal kit companies are continuously finding new dishes. A while ago, Mediterranean dishes were all the rage. Then, spicy foods from South America became trendy.
In some places, West African dishes are becoming popular, and meal kit companies are sourcing these dishes to make them available to Canadians. With that in mind, you can find plenty of American and Canadian cuisine, both the classics and foods love today.
- Achieving Goals
Meal kit companies can become your weight watchers, or they can help you gain weight. They do that through their dishes and nutritionists who can readily give you advice on the best meal plans for reaching specific goals.
If your goal is to lose weight, for example, meal kit companies will reduce your food portions and deliver only what’s enough. In contrast, they can eliminate meat or deliver low-carb dishes if you’re looking for ways to reduce your carb intake.
- Convenience
Perhaps the best reason to order food from a delivery kit is the convenience that comes with it. Think about it. You want to eat a gluten-free dish with a diabetes-friendly side dish. You could spend an hour finding the right ingredients and another half an hour preparing them. Or you could just order everything prepped and simply do the cooking.
What’s more, you order food in precise portions, so you don’t have to deal with leftover ingredients no one wants to eat.
- Trendy and Unique Meals
There’s more to meal kit companies that giving you a variety of dishes. They help families eat meals they would have never thought of cooking. Or they let singles eat different meals weekly without the hassle of buying so many ingredients.
Because they prepare ingredients and pre-cook meals sometimes, you don’t have to worry about messing up new recipes.
Important Considerations
Although Torontonians are embracing eat from home delivery services, there’s no denying these companies have some drawbacks. Pricing, for example, is expensive compared to what some people are willing to pay.
On the flip side, many meal kit companies serve small portions. You could argue they want their customers to eat only what’s enough. But, when you have to pay $15 for a meal (including delivery fee), you want to eat something that will satisfy you.
To Conclude
There’s a growing trend for people in Toronto to eat at home. Many people don’t want the hassle of grocery shopping anymore. They’ve adopted the mushrooming industry of meal kit services. You choose what to eat from a menu, and someone delivers pre-portioned and prepped ingredients.
