When growing up in a family like mine, dinner is our main priority. It's something that is constantly on our minds and usually the next question right after we finish lunch. There was a small list of things that my mom would rotate "cooking" for us — which was more like heating up food in the microwave. We would have never thought Blue Apron would help solve this problem.

My brother and I dealt with this constant pain of having sad pre-made meals, but waited a little while to finally tell our mom we were sick of them because we didn't want to make her upset.

One Sunday night dinner, when we ordered in yet again, we began to discuss other options for dinners because the food from the prepared aisle of the supermarket wasn't cutting it anymore. That night while watching TV, my brother came up with what would be the best thing to happen to our family: Blue Apron.

What Is Blue Apron?

pizza
Carlie Littman

Blue Apron was founded in August of 2012 by Matt Wadiak, Matt Salzberg and Ilia Papas. They started their company in their small apartments in New York City. Their main goal for Blue Apron was to have people truly enjoy the experience of cooking. They planned to do this by using quality produce and ingredients that are easy for everyone to get and cook no matter how crazy their lives got.

Blue apron delivers ingredients in perfectly portioned sizes so that there is no waste. They let you choose from a few options and those meals get delivered right to your doorstep, or wherever you would like the delivery man to put it.

The recipes are easy to understand for beginner cooks like myself, yet still appropriate for more experienced cooks who are looking to try something new. The recipes change weekly to what is in season to ensure you are getting the freshest ingredients.

Blue Apron Today

cheese, spinach, kale, parsley, lettuce, salad, vegetable
Carlie Littman

Four years later, Blue Apron has expanded to deliver all over the United States. They were able to start a brand that sends over eight million meals per month. They continue to make sure that the food they are sending is a high-quality product they are proud of. Blue Apron has to create an enjoyable and easy way of cooking for people who may have not thought they would enjoy it, like me.

The first time my brother and I received Blue Apron, we weren't quite sure what to expect. The idea seemed fun, but we are little hesitant to try new foods. Blue Apron has changed the way I think about week night dinner. I am no longer eating the food I dreaded, but rather enjoying what I'm eating while learning how to cook. 

I learned the truth about why we were eating prepared meals each night — it's not that my mom didn't like it cook, it's that she wasn't good at it. Therefore, my brother and I have taken on the responsibility to cook these meals while my mom was on clean up.

While it is a lot of work, the end result has been worth it. During our time with Blue Apron, we have learned a lot not only about cooking, but also about nutrition and portion control, and we were able to eat some fantastic food along the way.