Chow Time MEAL DELIVERY

Written by Alicia Roselli

There are so many options for food and meal delivery services these days, how do you know which one is right for you? The answer depends on your priorities, why you're interested in the first place. Are you short on time for planning, shopping and prep? Are you wanting to incorporate healthy, clean foods into your diet? Are you bored and looking for new and easy ways to try new recipes with minimal effort and without investing in ingredients you may never use again? If you're a selfproclaimed foodie like me, you may be skeptical that any of the options could satisfy your discerning palate.

In my search for information on the options, I found several articles and reviews that proved quite helpful. Many were comparisons of the most popular services where various options were evaluated for nutrition, convenience, cost and innovation, among other criteria. The services that consistently stood out were Blue Apron, Hello Fresh and Plated. Hello Fresh was highlighted for convenience, eco-friendly packaging and meal variety. Plated received kudos for being straight forward, a good choice for those less experienced in the kitchen. Blue Apron was recognized for its unique and high-quality recipes.

Having a clan of fairly adventurous eaters and being quite confident in my cooking skills, I wanted an option that would introduce us to new foods and flavors. With this objective in mind, I chose to give Blue Apron a try. After several months of consistent and reliable deliveries, my family and I have been pleased with almost every aspect of the service. On the rare occasion that a shipment arrives damaged or missing an ingredient, an email to their customer service department results in a prompt and fair refund. The quantity of food is plentiful, and we often have an extra serving which is great for lunch later in the week.

Our favorite aspect of the service is the international emphasis in their recipes. Despite our already diverse culinary experiences having been raised on Cuban, Italian and American cuisine, we discovered a whole new world was waiting for us. We are now regularly exposed to Asian, Middle-Eastern, and Moroccan recipes, to name a few. Who knew that kumquats were so delicious? Or that spice blends like Za'atar and Ras el Hanout even existed? I am pleased to say that my spice cabinet has taken on a more eclectic profile.

When it comes to meal delivery services, it seems no matter your motivations, options exist for every one of them. You may need to try several, or rotate among them, before you find your groove. You may even find that after a while, you are so inspired by what you've learned and added to your repertoire that you don’t need them at all. 1 Visit

CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME)

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Publisher: Dr. Marlene J. Wust-Smith, MD Editor in Chief: Alicia Roselli VP of Advertising: Pamela Ferman Director of Art and Production: Ricardo Castillo Contributing Authors Dr. Rebekah Bernard, MD, Dr. SherryAnn Brown, MD, PhD; Tina Georgopoulos; Grace Huang; Peter Leone; Dr. Jean Robey, MD; Dr. Dina Strachan, MD; Dr. Craig Wax, DO; Estine Wells; Alli Wittbold.

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