Blue Apron is a subscription that sends just about everything you need to make 3 meals for either 2 people ($59.94/wk) or 4 people (two different options that are under $9.99 per person per meal).
There are all different ways to justify spending the money for this box/service. I like to just admit I don’t know how to cook, hate cooking, and will never spend enough time to look up a recipe let alone go to the store and pick out all the ingredients.
I read comments about Blue Apron and other cooking boxes and people always comment that they can feed two people for less. Some argue back about restaurant prices. I don’t even think the argument is one. They are both right, and they are both wrong. Many bloggers have priced out how much it would cost to buy ingredients like this and it turns out to be pretty spendy. Someone like me is not going to have miso just kicking around the house. Restaurants are usually more money, but then you are not making the food yourself and you get to go outside.
My personal interest in Blue Apron is that it is like having a cooking lesson where I can drink while cooking. Also, I like to pretend I am a TV chef and that my underlings have already prepped things for me and all I have to do is a little of this and that.
This box may not make sense for you to buy for a lot of reasons but watching my shoddy efforts might be fun…
Cod and Miso Soba Noodles with Multicolored Cherry Tomatoes and Eggplant
The recipe card! Final pic of the dish and all the ingredients on one side and then how to do it on the other. Again I have to say I love these cards. Weirdly people either got purple eggplant or “delicate” white eggplant. Do you think someone will cry into their embroidered hankie if they don’t get the “delicate” white? Hmmm….
I like to get the party started with some booze!
Here is all the stuff. They really do a great job of making sure you don’t need to supply much more than salt, pepper, and oil.
During prep I was told to “roughly chop the peanuts.” I looked down at the peanut, he seemed timid. My knife hovered over him shaking… I took a drink to steady my nerves…
Then chopped them HARD! Muwhahahahahah!
After I was done laughing I took the time to get all the other ingredients chopped and what not. I told the “delicate” white eggplant I was sorry but things were gonna get real.
I burnt them AND I burned my poor “delicate” white paw!
Here are the tomatoes and what not looking super fresh and fun!
Time to cook up the noodles. Wow Blue Apron you have me cooking with pots and pans at the same time!
Ok. So here is the fish as I cook it. I overcooked the fish, I am just going to say that right now. You can’t tell in this pic because they are mid cook. Anyway, I never cooked fish until I started getting these boxes. I am usually a vegetarian but from time to time I indulge in fish. I just always feel really weird about cooking anything like it. I fear I will poison people!
Does this look like something you could eat if you were starving?
Doesn’t matter, you can’t get up from the table until you finish it!
Verdict: We ate it and no one has fallen ill… yet. The portions were large and I liked it but I did not love it. It needed some lime or lemon to brighten up the miso flavor. Something bright and acid! I did burn the eggplants, but I sort of think they had it out for me…
Love it! Encore encore!
Thanks girl!!! I just got a few boxes in. One is the Sugar Bash…yikes…lol I need to get on it but am glad I ate a home cooked dinner!
This is for our dinner tonight, Yummy. I will add Lemon zest, Thanks.
Yeah some acid will brighten it right up. Also it says to put all the stuff in with the sauce but I would wait and then apply the sauce as needed to the noodles. It felt sorta like too much
Thanks for pointers, :0)
Love it, I think these services are great, you can control the salt yourself – unlike restaurants. And you get to learn cooking skills (or practice them.) Also good for getting people to try new things, who knows you might find a new favorite.
Some day I may try this box, it sure does look fun. We are swimming in produce right now so maybe in the winter.
I thought about getting produce boxes but I know I won’t get anything together lol It is just too much pressure!
I actually joined a CSA this year. (Community Supported Agriculture) I go to the farmer’s market each Sunday and get a big bag full of stuff…. And if I want more than what I get, or different things they give you a discount on anything in their stand. Then I am growing a garden, and working full time. My husband has changed his diet quite a bit in the past year, but still a bit more stuff than I expected (especially as he still likes to go buy out of season veggies too….) So now I am up to trying out a dehydrator, first load today. We will see. It is a good experiment this year, though a bit much with all this heat, wish I could send the sun to Sub Bella and get some of her rain, both areas need that swap.
You are so busy!!! I buy stuff out of season all the time. I don’t pay attention. I swear i will get better! Awww I feel bad with her being stuck in the rain. Last weekend in portland I could not believe the rain!!!!
Now that is a riot, that was the ONLY rain we have had since about May!!! I was just hoping to cut down grocery bills a bit – my husband is (was more) on a veggie kick. But I am finding out he just loves what he loves and forget new things…. But aren’t we all like that? He has expanded some so to keep on expanding is the next idea.
Worried about my daughter, this heat is really hard and she is just sleeping most of the day and night. She had a cardiology test on Thursday so we will see what the doc says on that. Not thinking we are going to have much longer before surgery. Though who knows. When going shopping she does very well and walks very fast, but then she loves shopping and it is not usually a terribly long trip.
Really?!? It totally hurt my trip because it was so heavy. Thank goodness for my popsugar umbrella hahaha
On a serious note I can see why you are stressed at worried. I can’t even imagine what you are going through. We are here for rants or anything else you need to do to express yourself!
Shana – I hope the visit goes well on Thursday and the weather improves.
It’s been sunny for 2 weeks which is unusual for this area. Great job on the CSA and garden!
I love reading this review! I hope your hand is feeling better. I attended a couple of farm conference the winter. This type of marketing is huge. People are willing to pay a premium for a service like this. The poor peanuts.
Ah HAH! Pictures of you cooking. I may try this sub next. Just to see…. Do you have a referral code m’lady?
HAHA This is what it looks like when food actually arrives… yeah ill send you a free week code.