Thread: Meal Prep/Meal Replacement Services in UK

So, since I live in a house of 3 grown bachelors I decided this may be the way to go.

I was also getting fed up of spending so much money to make a meal when most of the ingredients would be waster or forgotten about.

My housemates had also started to lean towards my cooking in favour of their own.

The landlord is basically Chitty's long lost twin brother, only eats yellow labels with a portion of chips and a can of beans thrown on top.

Housemate is on the verge of a mental breakdown, having recently been NRB'd by his 10 year younger wife, mother of their 9 yo boy. He is also the tightest Scotsman I've ever encountered, so I knew I could get him onboard with some savings.

Landlord was having none of it, housemate was running for his phone to instantly transfer me his share, and my old school pal along the road got in on the action too.

So we ordered 5 meals for 4 people just in case the portions are a little bit light.

So, tomorrow we shall receive a box with all the ingredients in exact amounts to cook the 5 chosen dishes each day. It will also come with a card for each meal with recipes and cooking instructions.

Our meals, in no particular order (to be cooked according to use by date) is as follows:







Biryani for Friday, obviously.

The total cost £33.88

£1.69 per meal

(£2.26 per meal between 3 of us)

How bad can it be...?

Originally Posted by david44

Despite so many tasty , perhaps costly. world class ingredients such as venison, kippers, Angus Beef, salmon Scotland is notorious for Stonehaven's Fried Mars Bar and Offal food for drunk timorous beasties, Bucky scag and teacakes are hardly a balanced diet

I hear ya Davie, so before I join this alien world of balanced diets n shit, I went out and got myself a Doner Calzone for a final soiree.

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

£1.69 per meal

Don't think you'll get much real lamb for that, last year in UK fresh lamb chops I bought from a fresh butcher were over 2 quid each!! , 3 with a few peas spuds probably cost a tenner and same for a basic Malbec so 20 quid home cooked , tho when alone a bottle last me 3 days, 2 scoops a day , For laz bachelor life when in London or restauarntless Hotels its cheaper at Spoons for a fill and a swill if not sp far away in the endless rains of my Mountain hideout !!
Like you I enjoy a good Lamb Kebab twice a year going in and out of Europe , the finest seem to be in Central Europe, German DOner in London and very nice Uzbek guy facing Hradcany Station in prague , dinner for 2 120 CKcs about $4 3 quid a foot long and full of delicious lamb, veg and sauces/green chill guindillas

Good luck , I imagine a healthy lad could demolish 2 portions so say 3.30 still les than a Guiness most places.
I see the ease of no shop, basic menu card.
My only advice is get some long shelf life stuff to add spice and Flavour

Jognny permanently in reach
Light and dark Soi, Oyster, Tomato, Mint sauces
Fresh sea saly black pepper, you dont actually need a mill smash with a cleaver on the chopiing board but unlike where humidty buggrd about 20 of my 30 odd mills prob but pepper grinder loaded in Aldo LIDL etc for 3 quid

Hard to sourde/sauce other than by post here

Lime Pickle good with everything except in Irish Coffee
Mustard
Your pick of a spread like Peanut Butter Mayo or Ketchup but all sugary and full of additives/preservatives

Must have tinned or better bottle anchovies/Olives?Capers
Those Oval ring pul cans of herrings in Curry etc also tast sandwhich filler
If living on thes eboxes buy some fresh cabbafe greens garlic onions spuds and carrots for pennies most other than leafy will last a long time in your climate
I saw good E European pickled stuff in teh Polski Schleps in all citoes or ALDI?LIDL if they are up your way?

As les froggys says "bum a petit mon gar"

Those Heuls are OK if you can't digest solids or have a broken jaw.
But a rip off imho when you can look healthy and nutritious meals gor under a quid if your savvy.

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

The landlord is basically Chitty's long lost twin brother, only eats yellow labels with a portion of chips and a can of beans thrown on top.

Respecto!

Send my regards

Originally Posted by david44

Don't think you'll get much real lamb for that

Originally Posted by david44

I imagine a healthy lad could demolish 2 portions so say 3.30

The YT review showed the portions were quite satisfactory, but we have an extra portion on each meal anyway.

Joe 90 apparently feasts on any sized portion.

Ahahahahahaha

ha

I know of Hello Fresh since I've seen it advertised in some YouTube vids (they sponsor the vid). I don't use any of those meal prep platforms since in my work-town, I live close to some stalls selling fresh produce & meats (chix, pork & fish). However, I can see the advantage of those platforms esp if you don't want to plan your meals, buy ingredients separately etc.

@dirk - pls take pics of a few of your meals, both the uncooked bundle & finished product. Curious minds...

They look pretty good.

There are lots of healthy/low kcal/high protein etc weekly /monthly packages available here, delivered frozen. Thaw and boil in the bag kinda things. I got a month's worth once with probably 20 different meals, each one had the same style of rubbery chicken breast in a different sauce.

Didn't like the rubbery chicken, and didn't like the non-crunchy soggy veg (in things like the sweet n sour chicken), probably ate half and dumped or gave away the rest.

Matt Armstrong is sponsored by YFood Meal in a Bottle.




Dinner tonight is Alpine Chocolate.

Interesting option.

You'll be starvin' you won't save money because an hour after you've eaten you'll be ringing deliveroo

Let’s see. At £11.30 for my week I really don’t have much to lose.

I paid £13.50 for a doner calzone last night.

@Katie, sure I’ll post up pics of my delivery and the meals along the way.

This is an experiment.

There are a few firms doing this and they have introductory offers

I get the point of complete, healthy, calorie controlled meals being delivered every day for a month.

Fiddling around with shit for an hour to end up with a meal for one - nah.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

There are a few firms doing this and they have introductory offers

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

With over 500 dishes to chose from and a first week order discount of 50%, then 40%, 40%, 30%, 30%, 30% it seems like a pretty good idea.

Originally Posted by cyrille

I get the point of complete, healthy, calorie controlled meals being delivered every day for a month.

Fiddling around with shit for an hour to end up with a meal for one - nah.

5 meals will be delivered today, not a meal daily.

There are 3 of us so the maximum amount of times I'm going to have to cook is twice.

At £11.30 for the week it's not a big deal if I miss a meal or whatever due to other appointments.

Can always save a meal for lunch next day.

https://www.lazada.co.th/leanlicious...n&pageTypeId=2

Might order a set from these lads/lassies.

I've not seen anything quite as full on as Gousto in Thailand but I've seen keto lunch programs where they deliver a keto meal to your work each day.

We don't expect much down our way to be honest.

I thought Aberdeen was full of shoplifting smack and crack heads selling dirt cheap joints of meat from supermarkets?

Is that why youve gone online Dirk?

You've been life banned from Asda and Farm Foods?

None of the above can feed me suppers for £11.30 a week.

Our Gousto package arrived today around 5pm.







We sorted out the ingredients into the 5 different dishes and bagged the other 4 up.