Similarly to how people didn’t want to be farmers back then, many don’t want to cook today. According to a study by HBR, around 90% of Americans hate cooking. Online food subscription boxes are now taking over the latest eating habits in the US and subscription boxes of food are around the world.
“But another turn is coming: In 2020, more than half of restaurant spending is projected to be “off-premise”—not inside a restaurant. In other words, spending on deliveries, drive-throughs, and takeaway meals will soon overtake dining inside restaurants, for the first time on record. According to the investment group Cowen and Company, off-premise spending will account for as much as 80 percent of the industry’s growth in the next five years.”
Food Subscription Box Industry Experiences Sharp Increase During COVID-19
People all over the world have been asked to remain home to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. The outbreak has impacted many businesses around the world with various industries including tourism and transport reporting lower sales as a result.
Online food subscription boxes are bucking the trend, however, with a spike in sales all over the world.
Alessandro Savelli, Founder of Pasta Evangelists said:
“We are entering a renaissance in food and drink. More and more, consumers are looking for high-quality products whose provenance is clear. At the same time, though, consumers have less time than ever before to seek out high-quality products. And as our lives have changed, so has the British high street: quality, local butchers have gone out of business and we plan our lives around “the weekly shop”, conducted in sprawling supermarkets, which seem a more efficient way of conducting our eating lives. Although this need for convenience means that quality can sometimes take second place”.
“Food and drink subscription boxes restore equilibrium, giving consumers across the country the option to consistently eat and drink better products without inconveniencing them. After the rise of the ready meal, food subscription boxes have also allowed a nation that had fallen out of love with cooking to begin interacting with food more intimately again, experimenting with new and exotic ingredients and preparing meals from scratch… or, in our case, with a little bit of help from top Italian chefs.”
Many people remain wary of going to the grocery store and have chosen instead to look at alternatives. Meal subscription boxes have proven to be one of the best ways to stay at home, while still allowing consumers to enjoy restaurant-quality meals each night.
People can choose from healthy food subscription boxes, with many companies offering organic food subscription box deliveries straight to your door.
The benefits of subscription boxes of food around the world are plentiful, especially right now. These healthy food subscription boxes are excellent alternatives to fast-food restaurants.
Kristin Koskinen, a registered dietitian, and nutritionist with a private practice in Washington state says that meal kits can be a bridge to a better diet:
“They can help transition people from eating most meals out to eating more meals at home by taking the decision making out of what’s for dinner and eliminating grocery shopping. Eating at home typically translates to better diets, higher nutrient intake, and weight loss for those looking to shed a few pounds.”
Another benefit is that your meal kits will contain all the ingredients you need to prepare your meal. Additionally, you will have simple instructions to get it all together and can get a delicious meal on the table in less than thirty minutes in most cases.
“Instructions for prep are very clear, and you can use the instructions to prepare the meal again on your own with ingredients you buy, so it’s almost a cookbook of sorts, only with pictures and complete instructions,”
says registered dietitian Keith-Thomas Ayoob, associate clinical professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the New York City borough of the Bronx.
What many of us have lost sight of is portion control, especially being cooped up at home for the past few months. The ability to control portion sizes is critical in addition to ingredient quality when it comes to looking after your body.
Each meal averages around 600 to 700 calories, which helps when attempting to stay healthy during the pandemic.
“Overall, they are great for those that I trying to eat healthier,” says Dr. Scott Schreiber, a chiropractic physician who’s a certified nutrition specialist and a licensed dietitian nutritionist. “They reduce the amount of times that you eat out, which saves money and uses less unhealthy ingredients like salt and sugar. They also use fresh ingredients, which are more nutritious.”
It cannot go without saying that signing up for a weekly food box subscription will benefit your finances as well. In the long run, you will be paying more by going to the grocery store and purchasing ingredients, some of which you may not use, that will end up in a landfill.
A spokesperson from Royal Mail said:
“Food and drink boxes are very popular in the subscription box economy. In particular, boxes that cater to particular dietary requirements or simply help customers plan healthier meals offer further growth opportunities. Leading players in the market are also extending their offers to include fine dining with gourmet ingredients and other meals, such as breakfast.”
You can choose from different food subscription boxes including healthy meal plans with specialty food subscription boxes catering to those with specific dietary needs. These include low carb, keto, paleo, diabetic-friendly, and more.
The Best Food Subscription Boxes
The best food subscription boxes are just around the corner, and there are options aplenty. If you’re considering a monthly food delivery box subscription plan, you can opt for healthy lunch and dinner options or go for a junk food subscription box. There are also cheap food subscription boxes that you can order during COVID-19.
Meal subscription boxes come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re wondering what kind of options are out there for you, how much does a meal service cost, or even how can I get free meal kits, keep reading to find out more.
Urthbox
This service will deliver natural, fresh, and organic food subscription box treats to your doorstep. There are four main menus that you can choose from including gluten-free, classic, vegan, and diet.
As you might find yourself snacking more often at home, this is a great idea to keep your snacking habits all part of a balanced diet. There is a number of sizes to choose from, each of which comes with its own price point.
- Mini Box: $19.99 per month
- Small Box: $29.99 per month
- Medium Box: $39.99 per month
- The Biggest Box: $49.99 per month
- The Office Box: $199 per month (100+ full size products)
Nature Box
Founded in 2011 by Gautam Gupta, a man that once struggled with obesity himself, Nature Box helps incorporate organic snacks into every diet. Monthly subscription boxes of food will see you with deliveries of seeds, dried fruits, nuts, and granola bars.
The great thing about these snacks is that they easily cater to any diet, with many soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options available. As soon as you sign up, you are charged a $30 membership fee, with a monthly discovery box also available for non-members for $38.95 which will see you with five hand-picked snacks. Members get the same option for $23.95 per month.
This is an excellent office snack delivery service, considering that there are monthly subscription boxes of food. For $20 per employee each month, your office will receive unlimited bulk snacks with free shipping.
Foodstirs
Yet another food delivery box subscription – this time it’s all about baking. Foodstirs formulate mixes and kits using wholesome and organic baking ingredients to make baking fun with the little ones as well.
There are great seasonal themes available such as sweetheart, 4th of July, Spring, Halloween, and many more. For as little as $14.99 per month, you can have your kit delivered to your door for guilt-free baking as only the best ingredients are used.
MunchPak
This international food subscription box is a service that will deliver tasty treats from all corners of the globe. The good news is that you can customize your order so you can decide not only what kinds of treats you wish to see in your box, but also how often they arrive.
There are three international food subscription box sizes to choose from including MunchPak Mini containing five snacks, Original MunchPak which has ten snacks as well as the FamilyPak which is approximately the size of two shoeboxes containing 20 snacks.
- MunchPak Mini (5 snacks): $9.95/month Original
- MunchPak (10 snacks): $19.95/month
- FamilyPak (20 snacks): $39.95/month
You can also have your snacks delivered once a week, once every two weeks or once a month.
Bokksu
Bokksu is an excellent choice, particularly for those that love authentic Japanese snacks. The snacks are quite balanced. You have sweet and savory options, so it’s not just a junk food subscription box. You can choose from the Classic Bokksu which costs $39.99 and contains around 20-25 premium Japanese snacks as well as a tea pairing for each snack, and the Tasting Bokksu kit which will set you back $25. The latter contains around 10-14 Japanese snacks as well as a tea pairing.
If you had travel cancelations due to COVID-19, there is no better way to get an authentic taste of Japan than with Bokksu. There are always coupons to be found online, and the longer your subscription lasts, the bigger savings you will receive.
Fit Snack
For those looking to stay in shape during this pandemic, but are having trouble when it comes to snacking Fit Snack is here to save the day. This subscription box service contains snacks that have at least two of the following characteristics:
- Raw
- Organic
- Gluten-free
- Low sugar
- High protein
- GMO-free
- Vegan
- All natural
It costs $28.90 per month with free shipping around the US. This offer gets cheaper with longer subscriptions. So it’s a good way to get your hands on cheap food subscription boxes. Fit Snack also ships to Canada, Australia, South Africa, Asia, New Zealand, and some countries in Europe.
Mantry
Mantry, a modern man’s pantry in a box is a bi-monthly subscription service delivering five or six full-size premium products for every man. You can count on items such as Bison jerky from Montana, hand-harvested birch syrup from Alaska, and hotcake mix from Nebraska from this specialty food subscription box.
You will be paying $75 per month for the finest artisanal products in America, delivered in a handmade, signature wooden crate.
The Keto Box
If you are trying to stick to a keto diet, you know that you need to reduce your carb intake to less than 50 grams each day. This is truly difficult to achieve when working from home and having that pantry so close to you.
Why not stock up your pantry with keto-friendly snacks? The Keto Box contains 8-11 products, both sweet and savory. Count on fun snacks like:
- Coconut chips
- Organic pork rinds
- Sugar-free snack cakes
- Grass-fed beef sticks
- Sugar-free tomato ketchup
- Grass-fed butter instant coffee
You can choose from a month to month subscription for $40, a three-month subscription for $38 per month, or a six-month subscription for $36 per month. All subscriptions include free shipping across America and also include a 20 minute Keto Coaching call after the second month.
Atlas Coffee Club
If you’re a coffee-lover, there it is highly likely you’re missing taking a trip to your local café to enjoy a great steaming cup of coffee. Atlas Coffee Club brings single-origin and ethically sourced coffee from all corners of the globe straight to your doorstep.
The coffee is roasted and shipped within two days of your order. Try fresh flavors from Brazil, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Indonesia, and Ethiopia all from the comfort of your home.
Choose from a half bag for $9, single bag for $14 or double bag for $28, and whether you want bi-weekly food box subscription or monthly deliveries. You can even choose how you want your beans roasted, light to medium, medium to dark, or all roast types.
Farm Fresh To You
Farm Fresh to Your is a California based family-run organic farm that delivers certified organic produce straight to your door. If you miss going to the farmers market, this is the best alternative during COVID-19.
You can go for fruit-only boxes and pay $26 for a small, $33 for regular, and $46 for a large box. The prices remain the same for the mixed fruit and veg box, but you also have the monster option which is priced at $58.
Kettle and Fire
Bone broth has countless health benefits, but instead of slaving over your stove for hours on end, you can order it straight to your doorstep. Choose from bone broth, classic soups, and keto soups.
Prices start at $5.28 per carton, and with six cartons you can also enjoy free shipping. Bone broth is packed with vitamins and nutrients to support your skin, joint, and gut health. Incorporate it into your diet today while cooking at home.
Home Chef
Home Chef allows you to choose from 21 meal options each Monday from as little as $6.99 per serving. Select from various dietary needs such as carb-conscious calorie-conscious and vegetarian to please all members of your household.
You can choose from quick five minute meals to masterpieces that take over thirty minutes to prepare. Recipes include Japanese BBQ burgers, Huli Huli chicken rice bowls, and garlic-parmesan crusted filet mignon. Who’s hungry?
Winc
If you love a glass of wine with your meal every now and again, Winc is your go-to wine delivery service. To sign up just answer six simple questions and they will handpick some of the best wines around the country.
A membership order will start at three bottles per month for $39 plus a $9 shipping fee, but if you choose to go for four bottles, the shipping is included. Finding your perfect bottle of wine with Winc is simple, and if you hate it, they will replace it with one that you love.
Conclusion: The Shift Towards Online Food Subscription Boxes
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only forced many people to stay at home, but also look at the way we source our meals. Restricting grocery store trips means that an increasing amount of people have turned to different food subscription boxes, especially online food subscription boxes for an easier and safer way to attain favorite recipes and drinks.