Someone (apparently, not Teddy Roosevelt) once said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
It’s kinda funny to me that this quote predates the advent of social media (by a long time!) but feels more applicable than ever. We’re just starting to emerge from our pandemic hibernation, and comparing yourself to that person who got ripped or wrote a novel in their past year only sets ourselves up for disappointment and feeling bad about ourselves!
Likewise, Instagram, TikTok, etc. can be really good at making us feel like we don’t have the skills or know-how to achieve certain things…like cooking. That’s why those subscription boxes (I won’t name names, but a popular one rhymes with “Shmoo Shapron”) exist! I did some research among my friends who have used these subscriptions before (both those who like to cook and those who don’t), and I’ve come to a few conclusions. But since fact-dropping and hot takes don’t exist if they’re not on social media, I also made an Instagram Reel to briefly explain what bugs me so much about these kits!
It’s expensive! Part of my research included comparison shopping, and Blue Apron and its competitors average $9.99 per meal for a household of 2 adults, providing 3 meals per week. Sure, if you increase your plan to 4 people/household or more meals per week, the price per meal decreases…but then you just end up with more of the same, which is what would also happen if you – wait for it! – cook for yourself! And to that point, groceries for a household of 2 adults in LA (assuming you’re cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner at home, plus snacks) is MUCH cheaper. I was spending about $200 every 10 days, so that averages out to $3.33 per meal!)
It’s wasteful! Sure, you can recycle the cardboard box, but not the insulated bubble wrap or ice packs that keep the perishable items fresh. And, then, you get individually-wrapped packets of seasonings and cute, tiny bottles of sauce…that’s a lot of single-use plastic. I’d much rather go to the store and buy a glass bottle of a spice blend I like (or a few!) or some soy sauce, etc. Then, I also have it on hand already for whenever the craving strikes to cook that dish again!
You don’t get a lot of options, especially if your subscription is tailored towards a specific dietary choice, like vegetarian or gluten-free, meaning you get repeats! Who wants to spend that kind of money on repeats, when you could cook from scratch just as quickly and much more cheaply - and freeze leftovers for another night when you don’t want to cook.
The recipe cards that come in each box don’t really teach you how to cook. They’re instructions for assembly. It’s like driving around and remaining completely dependent on your turn-by-turn directions…you won’t really ever learn about your surroundings if you don’t allow yourself to go off course and get lost once in awhile! Good cooking comes not just from following the instructions, but understanding the concepts and techniques so that you can rely on your intuition and even improvise a bit. Often, the dish can turn out better than you expected because you took a bit of creative license! You can’t do that if you only have one packet of pre-mixed seasoning per meal.
Lastly, In the time it takes you to open up all those tiny packages and prep your ingredients, you could do the same with the pantry staples you have on hand and groceries you bought at the store, and have dinner on the table just as quickly! There’s no magic trick to chopping vegetables faster, whether they came in an overpriced kit or you bought them because they were on sale this week; the only way to improve your skills is to practice!
In case you hadn’t heard yet, I’m relaunching my 4-week cooking course (originally called Cooking 101)!!
Calm + Confident Cooking Bootcamp is a holistic approach to learning how to really cook - not just following instructions and copy-catting. The groups are intentionally kept small (4 people max per cohort!) so you get the most 1-on-1 time possible, and each week’s lessons build upon the previous week’s!
You’ll learn the fundamental skills, techniques, and terminology to feel more confident, build an understanding of flavor, texture, and nuance to feel more empowered in enhancing your food, and practice mindset shifts to get through your fears so you feel more calm and present in the kitchen…you might even find that you will like cooking!
My waitlist is currently open, so sign up now to be the first to hear when registration opens later this month. There will only be 12 spots available this quarter!
