What’s for dinner? It’s a question that gets asked over and over again, and one that can cause anxiety, stress, and exhaustion. We must eat, but the constant need to come up with meal ideas and prepare them can be overwhelming. When you hit dinner-making decision fatigue, it can lead to poor choices and a missed opportunity to fuel your body the right way.
You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to eat well. With a personal chef or meal prep service, you can enjoy custom meals that are fresh, healthy, and make dinnertime much simpler.
Personal chefs work directly with you to plan meals and prepare them in your home. “I meet with my clients to plan the menu, providing recipes that incorporate the foods they like, and then I take it from there,” says Chef Dre, owner and head chef at Dinners by Dre. “I shop, I cook, I clean [up], and for one meal, on the day I cook at their house, I also serve them the meal.”
A personal chef can be a game changer, Chef Dre says. They can provide meals that are completely customized to your needs and preferences, ensure the meals are nutritious and balanced, and make mealtimes more enjoyable — no more struggling with cooking or the hassle of cleaning up.
“Plus, you can still feel independent since the meals are exactly what you like,” he adds.
Meal services delivered
Meal services offer the convenience of meals that are delivered to your house or that you can pick up at the beginning of the week. Services such as Hello Fresh and Hungry Root deliver ingredients and recipes that you then prepare. These services save you time on shopping and prepping, but you still do the cooking.
Alternatively, meal prep services make and pre-portion your meals so all you must do is reheat them. Clean Eatz offers this service. “Unlike some services that are subscription-based, we are à la carte: You can order just one meal or as many as you need for the week,” says Matt Hall, co-owner of Clean Eatz. In addition to their meal prep service, they also offer a retail location that has stocked fridges with grab-and-go meals that can be stored in the freezer for up to six months.
Worth the cost?
While getting a personal chef or committing to a meal service may seem like a luxury, the benefits may be worth the cost. The most obvious benefit is the time that it will save. “What is your time worth? What could you be doing if someone else is doing the work for you?” Matt asks. While the time varies by household, meal prep and cleanup can take up to 30-60 minutes per day. When you add time to plan the meals and shop, there is significant time savings each week with these services.
Eating healthier, both in terms of which foods you eat and the overall amount of food, is another big benefit. Chefs and services cook with whole foods and seasonal ingredients. “I shop each week at farmers markets to get the best ingredients,” Chef Dre says.
Portion size also matters when you are trying to eat healthy. “Portion size has gone up 138% since the 1970s,” Matt says. “We consume too much food that is not nutrient-dense. Clean Eatz meals are nutrient-dense, so they fill you up, but you are not overconsuming.”
Another key benefit is reduced grocery waste. Instead of buying ingredients with good intentions — only to let them spoil when plans change or you are just too tired to cook — these services ensure food is used and not wasted.
For some, meal prep requires special attention due to health conditions or dietary restrictions. Personal chefs can work with you to ensure you are getting well-balanced meals that meet your needs. “I have one client that has some very specific dietary needs,” says Chef Dre. “Every week, I prep veggies that are stored in Mason jars. I cook quinoa and rice, as well as soups. They have everything they need for quick and healthy meals.”
Most meal prep services also offer special diet options and allergen accommodations. “We have all allergens listed on our meals, and we can accommodate most restrictions,” Matt says. “The key is to communicate up front.”
Whether you need help getting meals on the table or want to up the health factor of your food, investing in a chef or meal service could help you achieve your goals. Do your research on pricing options and subscriptions versus à la carte options for meal services. You may find these services are in line with, if not less than, the cost of dining out.
By Tami Pyles
P.S.
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