My Secret Weapon for Cooking During the Week

We all know the struggle of getting home at 6 o'clock from work each night during the week to the looming question of, "So...what are we going to have for dinner?" Sometimes it feels like a never-ending battle. The choices are (a.) find a recipe online, go to the grocery store to gather ingredients, and cook the meal from home - all the while starving, mind you, or (b.) order takeout for the 4th time that week which will have you feeling defeated whether you're looking at your scale or your bank account. The struggle is real (hashtag, hashtag), as the kids say. 

Sam and I feel the constant pressure of eating healthy foods but, sometimes fall short because of our busy schedules. Although I'd rather not admit it, oftentimes during the week, we resort to greasy take-out, a frozen pizza, or nothing at all. We love cooking together and trying out new techniques in the kitchen but, it can become expensive when we're buying what feels like 100 different ingredients to make one flavorful dish. Even more frustrating is after we create a new meal and the leftover ingredients go bad before we have a chance to use them again. 

So, when Blue Apron offered me the opportunity to try out their home cooking subscription service last week, I was more than excited to say (a.k.a scream) yes without hesitation. Especially during the holiday season, between buying gifts, attending functions, and keeping up with the blog, it can become utterly exhausting to think about making yet another trip to the grocery store on top of all that. Needless to say, this product came into my life at the perfect time. Blue Apron provided Sam and I with 3 easy date nights last week to get away from all of the chaos and work as a team on mastering a new recipe and enjoying it together all without glancing at the television, work, or our smartphones. 

Included in my first box that Blue Apron sent me, we had 3 meals for dinner that could have been on the menu at any number of restaurants that Sam and I frequent in the city. We received Tamarind-Glazed Cod with Lime Rice & Cucumber Relish, Harissa Lamb & Beef Burgers with Roasted Carrot Fries, and lastly, Roasted Chicken & Potato Latkes with Savoy Cabbage & Apple-Mustard Chutney.

What I've found helpful if you're a first-time Blue Apron customer, is to take a look on their website when you find out what recipes and ingredients you'll be receiving to read some of the customer reviews and tips on how to make the best of your dish. There is an entire community of Blue Apron customers online available to consult with that have tried out the recipes themselves. 

Another pleasant outcome of cooking with Blue Apron is that it exposes you to using spices, foods, and techniques that otherwise you wouldn't even think of. It broadens your horizon on making meals from scratch at home in the long-run. For example, as someone that loves to cook and share recipes, I had never even tasted Jicama, Celeriac, or Harissa Paste, much less tried to make my own potato latkas for the last day of Hannukah. Sam and I felt like we were taking advanced cooking classes all week from the comfort of our own kitchen. It didn't hurt that we then got to devour these incredible meals that we so proudly made on our own in less than an hour. 

When you sign up for your first box, you can choose from a 2-person or a family plan with 2 to 4 recipes per week (with no commitment or fees). Blue Apron food is sourced from small family farms and artisans so, when you consider that the price per serving comes out to be about $9, it makes the choice simple. Each box comes fully refrigerated, and has perfectly portioned ingredients so that there is no need to waste time measuring or, even worse, wasting produce that goes unused.  

And, since the holidays are literally just around the corner and you're still shopping for last-minute gifts (you naughty girl, you), surprising someone special with a subscription to Blue Apron is an expert-level move. You don't have to worry about shipping before Christmas Day, which is, if we're being honest, practically impossible at this point. And, if you really think about it, you're gifting them with the most useful gift anyone could possibly give. Everyone's gotta eat, right? So, a box of fresh produce, a cooking lesson at home, and a date night with their spouse? You're basically a genius.

Now for the goodies: My first 50 readers get TWO free meals with their first Blue Apron box! Redeem now by following this (link) to their website and clicking "Redeem Offer" at the top of the page.

This post was done in proud partnership with Blue Apron. All words are my own and were not influenced throughout the creation of the post. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that allow Anna Elizabeth Events to run successfully. 

Do you use a fresh food subscription service to make cooking easier in your household during the week? Let me know what you think in the comments below. 

XO Anna Elizabeth