Thanks to the promotional Blue Apron offer through Spoon University, I finally bit the bullet and ordered my first week of meals from the gourmet food delivery service. As an avid dorm room cook, I had been dying to try Blue Apron for its high-quality ingredients and the variety of meals. I chose the 2-person/3-meal option, which is a pretty sweet six meals for me, myself, and I, or a really nice dinner with a friend if I’m feeling generous.
My first meal was seared cod with udon noodles, cabbage, and shiitake mushrooms. Not only was it simple to prepare, but it was on par with a restaurant quality right out of my sketchy dorm kitchen. Based on this meal, I’ve scored Blue Apron on all aspects of the process, ranging from 1 to 10 (1 being #no and 10 being hell yes do it). Find out if Blue Apron is right for you.
Price – 7
Photo by Max Bartick
I’m poor. You’re poor. We’re all poor little college students who can make a pizza last four days against all odds. Given that, Blue Apron can seem daunting because of the price. However, each individual meal (per person) costs right around 10 dollars.
While that is steep for a jobless 20-year-old, the ingredients provided by Blue Apron are incredibly high quality, and would cost just as much, if not more, were you to purchase all the ingredients at the grocery store. The price includes convenient delivery and pre-portioned ingredients.
Delivery – 10
Photo by Charlotte Said
The Wake Forest Postal Service is notorious for hoarding packages for days after arriving. I was thoroughly distressed that my box of food would be slowly rotting away in the back room after its delivery, but my order arrived promptly and was processed within a matter of hours. The packaging kept everything well-refrigerated, organized, and safe from being crushed to death.
Recipes – 9
Photo by Charlotte Said
Each box contains three beautifully printed cards for each recipe. The card includes the list of ingredients needed, instructions, and handy photos for every step. All ingredients are pre-portioned, so there’s no need to worry about measuring or running out of any of the ingredients. It really couldn’t be easier.
Prep – 8
Photo by Charlotte Said
If you’re living in a closet-sized dorm room with only a microwave and mini-fridge to your name, Blue Apron is not gonna work for you. While not complicated, prepping and cooking the ingredients does require some equipment. A semi-decent knife, a cutting board, and a saucepan or pot of some sort are the bare minimum you need.
Essentially, the meal prep is completed for you, besides chopping a few vegetables here and there and some minor flipping and stirring. The only downside is that it does not include detailed instructions for chopping certain ingredients, so knife newbies may need to read this article.
Cooking – 9
Photo by Charlotte Said
Cooking times for recipes vary from between 15-45 minutes but seem to center right around the 25-30 minute mark. Again, a saucepan and a pot are generally needed, but absolutely no part of the cooking process was complicated.
Taste – 10
Photo by Charlotte Said
I thought the food I made every day was tasty, but damn Blue Apron was delicious. The cod was perfectly flaky and tender while the udon noodles were chewy and filled with the umami flavors of soy sauce and sesame oil. Hands down, one of the best meals I’ve had in weeks. I was absolutely shocked that my ratchet stovetop in my suspiciously ’90s-esque kitchen managed to produce a meal of restaurant quality.
Overall – 8.8
Blue Apron is a great resource for those short on time, transportation, or knowledge who want to enjoy great food in the comfort of their own home or dorm. While definitely not feasible for every student for every meal, if you’re willing to drop the cash (or if you’ve managed to memorize your parents’ credit card number), it’s a delicious and worthy feast. Blue Apron is a definite must-try for those college kids that are #blessed with a kitchen.
Blue Apron is extending a special discount to Spoon readers so you can try your own box. Click here to try Blue Apron and get your first two meals free. #winning