prepared meal services (e.g. Freshly, Tovala, etc.)

Anyone subscribe? Ever since I had to WFH due to COVID-19, I did start and am on/off with Freshly. Their meals are kinda pricey (over $10 each if you get 6 meals) and some are good while some are not good/not worth it.

There is https://www.tovala.com/ which requires you buy their special smart oven that bakes and steams. Supposedly, their oven is $299 but they're running a Black Friday deal where their oven is $99 if you commit to ordering 6 weeks of meals within the next 6 months.

Any others people have tried like/dislike? I'm not real interested in meal kit services where there's significant prep time (e.g. Blue Apron). I've seen some people complain on TiVocommunity (for example) that the prep time is WAY longer than Blue Apron claims. I don't have time for that.

I suspect I will be still working from home until at least mid-2021. When I was working in the office, we had free lunch and we eventually got some pretty good choices and variety.

We’ve subscribed to meal kits for about 3 years now with mixed results. Unlike you, we do enjoy prep and cooking in general so the kits were pretty great in that menus were easy to put together, all ingredients were provided, instructions were complete, and the food reasonably good for the cost. We did BlueApron for 2 of those years and enjoyed it but found the quality of ingredients going very much downhill in our last year so cancelled. Then we switched to HomeChef for awhile and still use them. We suspended HomeChef deliveries for a few weeks to try out HelloFresh. We found that to be both more expensive (costs the same but food provided was significantly less than HomeChef), and the meals were heavy on kale, quinoa, and other food items we don’t especially care for. So we cancelled HelloFresh and revived our HomeChef subscription.

May I be so bold as to suggest the Tovala might be a great option for you. I went through the website and if most of that is true, it sounds like a good fit for someone who does not wish to go through the bother of prep and cook. The oven, even at $300, seems not too expensive for what it purports to do (steam as well as heat, plus multiple timing controls and QR code reader). At $100, it’s a steal. Can’t speak to the quality of the oven without seeing and testing it and it could be awful or terrific. I didn’t pursue the warranty info on it or Torvala’s customer service reputation but probably worth looking into for this critical component of their service. For us, we don’t want another countertop appliance and as I mentioned we do enjoy cooking together.

We’re trying another approach as well. The meal kits tend to cost about $65/week for 6 meals: 3 different meals for 2 persons each. And that’s with ordering the meals priced at $10 per serving. There are many options that increase the per serving cost such as doubling the protein, higher cost proteins (think steaks, scallops, etc.), and you still have to eat the rest of the week. For us the difficulty was always the meal planning, shopping, and always having a missing ingredient or two for the dishes we wanted to make. Our solution was the meal kit but now we’re thinking a better (for us) solution is a meal planning app called Mealime (sic). For $50/year you get very good recipes thoroughly explained, a full shopping list for the week’s selected meals, a calendar to schedule those meals, close watch on extra and waste food, and a superb interface to Kroger, InstaCart, and a few others to actually place a food order from within the app. Mealime is one of many of such meal planning apps but the most well thought out and functional of the several we tested. So far it is working well for us, so well that we may by cancelling the HomeChef subscription, now on hold. We have seen a reduction in weekly, and therefor overall, food costs and what we eat is higher quality and better in all regards.

Good luck with your choice and of course bon appetit.

SalisburySam said:

May I be so bold as to suggest the Tovala might be a great option for you. I went through the website and if most of that is true, it sounds like a good fit for someone who does not wish to go through the bother of prep and cook. The oven, even at $300, seems not too expensive for what it purports to do (steam as well as heat, plus multiple timing controls and QR code reader). At $100, it’s a steal. Can’t speak to the quality of the oven without seeing and testing it and it could be awful or terrific. I didn’t pursue the warranty info on it or Torvala’s customer service reputation but probably worth looking into for this critical component of their service. For us, we don’t want another countertop appliance and as I mentioned we do enjoy cooking together.

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Re: warranty, per https://support.tovala.com/hc/en-us/articles/360012244093-Warranty-Gen-2-, the oven's warranty is only a year.

I've seen at least 1 person on https://www.tivocommunity.com/community/index.php?threads/the-official-tovala-smart-steam-oven-w-automatic-multi-mode-cooking-thread.569928/ (very long thread, you will need a free account to see it) who had their oven fail. Not sure which generation of oven they had as gen 1 apparently had a 2 year warranty: https://support.tovala.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009389827-What-s-the-Tovala-warranty-return-information-Gen-1-Tovala-Oven-. I think they got it covered by their credit card's extended warranty.

If I go w/them, I will definitely buy it via a CC that has an extended warranty.

Fords all natural, free range venison delivery service for me.
Heard a noise out side my house, guy hit a mule deer right next to my drive way. It was a nice buck but the impact also wrecked the antlers.
I gutted it hung it in my front yard for all to see, luckily it was pretty cool and wet for mid November. About 140lb of meat, I would have expected at least 160lb from one that size but the 2020 ford F-150 at nearly 100 feet per second packs an incredible amount of kinetic energy and damaged some of the meat.
Saved me a $ for a bullet, cost the guys insurance about 5 figures I would bet.
That's my meal delivery service.

I am taking a different tact; for one thing, CV has not changed my work schedule at all so no WFH issues but I eat out a lot...too much probably. I had a LOT of issues with most fast food joints including

Same chains with different restrictions making it hard to deal with them. Some have walk up service where you simply scan a QR code and you are treated as a delivery service except they deliver your food to the front door. I plug in a lot so drive up service only helps me occasionally. But others in the same chain don't allow pick up unless you are in a car (walking thru the drive thru is against policy for most places)

Either way, I got tired of trying to figure out how each one handles the restrictions so I went to all locally owned restaurants and my new location has a TON of them within 2 miles. Since most don't have a drive thru, they provide walk in service which can mean simply calling them to order and they bring it out to you or simply ordering it online or whatever.

Now, I get that many of you may be on a primary WFH schedule forever... many businesses have noticed the savings but getting an appliance to specifically cook meals is...weird. TBH; I enjoy getting away from home as much as possible even if its something mundane as picking up food to bring right back home to eat.

DaveinOlyWA: "...but getting an appliance to specifically cook meals is...weird..."

Uhh...most residential spaces have these "appliance": they're called STOVES!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am taking a different tact

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Millennial Speak Correction Service says: It's "Taking a different tack." The term is from sailing.

I think that Dave means that it's odd to buy an appliance that is designed to cook a specific brand of packaged food, rather than to just cook food in general. I agree, although $100 isn't much to spend on that. Can it be used as a regular or warming oven?

Oilpan, please don't post things for the sole purpose of offending people. Do you want to be filtered by everyone here...?

LeftieBiker said:

I am taking a different tact

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Millennial Speak Correction Service says: It's "Taking a different tack." The term is from sailing.

I think that Dave means that it's odd to buy an appliance that is designed to cook a specific brand of packaged food, rather than to just cook food in general. I agree, although $100 isn't much to spend on that. Can it be used as a regular or warming oven?

Oilpan, please don't post things for the sole purpose of offending people. Do you want to be filtered by everyone here...?

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:lol: damn... this voice to text thing is usually a lot more funnier than this... I try to proofread but my screen text is sized to where I can only see a handful of words at a time so a lot of scrolling is involved... but at least I can tell what those words are...for the most part. :roll:

As far as the appliance thing; after mulling it over a bit, I figure it will work on any leftovers with some trial and error and its a welcome change from the microwave but I already have a toaster over, a Instanta Pot and and an air fryer. I feel like I am well on my way to having a separate thing for everything I eat!

My gadget-oriented son wants me to buy a dry/air fryer...to set on the kitchen counter.

I pointed out that the 35-year-old hi-end oven that was installed when the house was built has a CONVECTION OVEN setting, which...does...the...exact...same...thing...very efficientaly.

Marketing...sheesh.

LeftieBiker said:

I am taking a different tact

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Oilpan, please don't post things for the sole purpose of offending people. Do you want to be filtered by everyone here...?

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Leftie: You should know better than to feed the troll. His latest post wasn't funny, was insulting and demeaning. He probably already knows that, which is why he posted.

gncndad said:

My gadget-oriented son wants me to buy a dry/air fryer...to set on the kitchen counter.

I pointed out that the 35-year-old hi-end oven that was installed when the house was built has a CONVECTION OVEN setting, which...does...the...exact...same...thing...very efficientaly.

Marketing...sheesh.

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Well, I like mine because it requires nearly no warm up time, smaller which means it uses less power and its ideal for 1-2 people servings and...well, it was on sale :lol:

DaveinOlyWA said:

Now, I get that many of you may be on a primary WFH schedule forever... many businesses have noticed the savings but getting an appliance to specifically cook meals is...weird. TBH; I enjoy getting away from home as much as possible even if its something mundane as picking up food to bring right back home to eat.

Click to expand...

I agree it's goofy and unfortunate that one needs a special oven but supposedly the scanning of the QR codes tell it how long and when to steam, bake, broil, etc. I just skimmed https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/tovala-steam-oven-2nd-gen.

Due to meetings and being busy with WFH, on many work days, it takes way too much time to pop up of the house just to pick up some take out. And, there are only so many of those somewhat near home. It also gets pricey. I took advantage during an Amex Small Business promo where you would get $5 credit for every $10+ purchase at qualifying small businesses up to 5x (I think) which cut down on the cost. The closest Thai places for example are about 10 minute drives from home. So, I need to at least get ready to go, drive there and back then eat. There's another about 15 minutes from home.

I ended up ordering the Tovala oven last night and the earliest meal shipment for me will be 12/9. We'll see.

LeftieBiker said:

Oilpan, please don't post things for the sole purpose of offending people.

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Well, I thought it was hilarious. Perhaps my humor is odd.

coulomb said:

LeftieBiker said:

Oilpan, please don't post things for the sole purpose of offending people.

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Well, I thought it was hilarious. Perhaps my humor is odd.

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I too thought this was quite humorous and well-stated. Took no offense whatsoever and offense to others didn’t cross my mind. I felt bad for the deer but at least it was eaten and not just harmed.

cwerdna said:

DaveinOlyWA said:

Now, I get that many of you may be on a primary WFH schedule forever... many businesses have noticed the savings but getting an appliance to specifically cook meals is...weird. TBH; I enjoy getting away from home as much as possible even if its something mundane as picking up food to bring right back home to eat.

Click to expand...

I agree it's goofy and unfortunate that one needs a special oven but supposedly the scanning of the QR codes tell it how long and when to steam, bake, broil, etc. I just skimmed https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/tovala-steam-oven-2nd-gen.

Due to meetings and being busy with WFH, on many work days, it takes way too much time to pop up of the house just to pick up some take out. And, there are only so many of those somewhat near home. It also gets pricey. I took advantage during an Amex Small Business promo where you would get $5 credit for every $10+ purchase at qualifying small businesses up to 5x (I think) which cut down on the cost. The closest Thai places for example are about 10 minute drives from home. So, I need to at least get ready to go, drive there and back then eat. There's another about 15 minutes from home.

I ended up ordering the Tovala oven last night and the earliest meal shipment for me will be 12/9. We'll see.

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Well, I guess if the oven can be used to cook other things, it wouldn't be much more than adding another appliance. Interested in hearing your thoughts after you have done this for a month or so? I admit to not having investigated meal delivery services due to "perceived" cost but maybe I do need to do some comparisons. As far as takeout; I am a bargain hunter kind of guy and there are a lot of variety in the $13 and under category with many providing VERY large portions. It was always my impression that many of the prepackaged meals were on the small size for portions?

Protein portions for HomeChef tend to run about 12 oz for two meals, plenty for us. BlueApron started out about the same then reduced over time. HelloFresh averaged about 10oz for two, a little skimpy for the money for me. In all cases, veggie portions were more than sufficient, and starches as well. During the initial stages of COVID-19 inactivity, we’d even get a third meal out of the meal for two and it made a decent lunch for one of us the next day.

YMMV, depending upon appetite, activity level, metabolism, etc.

SalisburySam said:

Protein portions for HomeChef tend to run about 12 oz for two meals, plenty for us. BlueApron started out about the same then reduced over time. HelloFresh averaged about 10oz for two, a little skimpy for the money for me. In all cases, veggie portions were more than sufficient, and starches as well. During the initial stages of COVID-19 inactivity, we’d even get a third meal out of the meal for two and it made a decent lunch for one of us the next day.

YMMV, depending upon appetite, activity level, metabolism, etc.

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Ok, that is what I "should" be doing but.... There is a teriyaki place a few miles away (was only 1.5 miles away before move) that has a lunch special that is AT LEAST 3 lbs and its $12 but that is a "higher" end place. Have another closer that is $7.95 lunch special with very good portions as well. I think I will investigate these options while Black Friday discounts abound and try one for a bit. I do need to reduce my portion size eventually. As I understand it, I am now too old to continue eating like I did in my 20's...

Thanks to cwerdna's original post and link, I just took advantage of the "Black Friday/Cyber Monday" special to order the Tovala oven and a couple weeks of meals. I have been doing drive-through and take-out meals for lunch since WFH started in March. Living alone, I find that I waste a lot of food if I stock up the refrigerator with fresh food so this system should let me enjoy fresh meals easily without waste. I was concerned, but decided I could always freeze the meals if I need to go out of town on business with short notice. I set the meal delivery day for Friday each week in case I do leave town (because I almost always get home for weekends).

DaveinOlyWA said:

Ok, that is what I "should" be doing but.... There is a teriyaki place a few miles away (was only 1.5 miles away before move) that has a lunch special that is AT LEAST 3 lbs and its $12 but that is a "higher" end place. Have another closer that is $7.95 lunch special with very good portions as well.

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I wish decent lunch specials were that cheap around me. Cost of doing business and living in Silicon Valley is high, so prices are high. (When I was last in NYC a few years ago, that place felt much more expensive than the Bay Area in terms of even fast food.)

One Thai place that I liked and is somewhat nearby is $13.99 for their lunch special for tofu, chicken or pork. For beef, prawns or fish, it's $14.99.

Another one that is slightly further doesn't even have any, so I could order a single entree which is a $12.95 to $15.95 but it wouldn't come w/rice, soup or and egg roll.

Another one that's much further lists their lunch special at $12.50 or $13.50 depending on the meat/protein. But, they told me their web site's menu is out of date w/old prices so they charge a higher one. I'm pretty sure their site's still not fixed.

cwerdna said:

DaveinOlyWA said:

Ok, that is what I "should" be doing but.... There is a teriyaki place a few miles away (was only 1.5 miles away before move) that has a lunch special that is AT LEAST 3 lbs and its $12 but that is a "higher" end place. Have another closer that is $7.95 lunch special with very good portions as well.

Click to expand...

I wish decent lunch specials were that cheap around me. Cost of doing business and living in Silicon Valley is high, so prices are high. (When I was last in NYC a few years ago, that place felt much more expensive than the Bay Area in terms of even fast food.)

One Thai place that I liked and is somewhat nearby is $13.99 for their lunch special for tofu, chicken or pork. For beef, prawns or fish, it's $14.99.

Another one that is slightly further doesn't even have any, so I could order a single entree which is a $12.95 to $15.95 but it wouldn't come w/rice, soup or and egg roll.

Another one that's much further lists their lunch special at $12.50 or $13.50 depending on the meat/protein. But, they told me their web site's menu is out of date w/old prices so they charge a higher one. I'm pretty sure their site's still not fixed.

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Actually the price mentioned is from Wok Teriyaki in Hawks Prairie. Their servings are insane. I usually get a combo plate which is all day price option and was expecting half servings of each and probably got ¾ servings of each. I could easily separate them into two meals so I normally will eat a late breakfast and then go there for mid afternoon meal and be good for the rest of the day. There are also a lot of places with ~$10 menus including a few at $8.95 limited lunch options as well.