Meal services: What to know if you’re thinking of giving it a try.

Picture this: You're coming home after a long, tiring day at work, and the thought of cooking dinner seems overwhelming. What you really want is a delicious and nutritious meal without the hassle of shopping, prepping, and cooking. That's where meal delivery services come in. But before you dive in, let's explore what exactly a meal delivery service is.

What is a meal delivery service?

Meal delivery services are companies that prepare and deliver ready-to-eat meals directly to your doorstep. These services aim to provide convenience, variety, and quality without compromising on taste. You simply choose your meals from a menu, and they are prepared by professional chefs, packed with care, and shipped right to you.

Why use a meal service?

One of the primary reasons people opt for meal services is the convenience they offer. Time is a precious commodity, and meal delivery services save you the hassle of meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. With a few clicks, you can have a week's worth of meals ready to go, allowing you to reclaim valuable time for other activities or simply relax.

Meal services also cater to individuals with specific dietary needs or restrictions. Whether you're following a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or low-carb diet, these services often offer specialized meal plans to accommodate your preferences. This makes it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle or adhere to a particular eating plan.

Are there different types of meal service?

Absolutely! Meal delivery services come in various forms to suit different lifestyles and preferences. Here are a few popular types you might come across:

Pre-prepared Meals: These services provide fully cooked and ready-to-eat meals. All you have to do is heat them up in the microwave or oven, and voila! You have a hot, delicious meal without any effort.

Meal Kits: If you enjoy cooking but dislike the hassle of meal planning and shopping, meal kits might be a perfect fit. These services deliver pre-portioned ingredients along with detailed recipes, allowing you to prepare a home-cooked meal without the need for extensive preparation.

Specialty Diets: Many meal services cater to specific dietary needs, such as vegetarian, vegan, paleo, keto, or gluten-free. If you have dietary restrictions, these specialized services can help you stick to your chosen lifestyle with ease. From high protein meal delivery to weight loss meal delivery there are a lot of options to choose from.

Here are some examples of the different options of meal delivery in Switzerland: Powermeals offer pre-prepared meals, Hello Fresh offer meal kits and Every Foods specialise in vegan dishes.

Do meal services save you money?

Whether you can save money on a meal service depends on what you are currently doing to get your daily meals.

Meal services tend to be much cheaper than takeaway or restaurant meals so if you’re currently relying on those there’s the opportunity for big savings. They can also help to reduce food waste by providing pre-portioned ingredients, preventing you from buying too much at the supermarket that might ultimately go unused.

However, the cost of meal services does vary and will generally be more expensive than cooking for yourself at home. The big question is whether the convenience and time-saving service is worth paying a little extra for.

What should I check when choosing a meal delivery service?

When choosing a meal delivery service, there are several factors you should consider to make sure that it meets your needs:

Menu Variety: Look for a meal service that offers a diverse menu with a wide range of options. Check if they rotate their dishes regularly to keep things interesting. This ensures that you won't get bored with repetitive meals and gives you the flexibility to choose meals that align with your tastes.

Quality and Sourcing of Ingredients: It's important to know where the meal service sources its ingredients. Look for services that prioritize high-quality, fresh, and locally sourced ingredients. Consider if they use free-range eggs, and seafood from responsible sources. It’s also worth making sure that the meals aren’t heavily processed and instead focus on real ingredients.

Dietary Preferences: If you have specific dietary needs, such as wanting vegetarian meals or low-carb meal delivery, make sure the meal service offers options that cater to your requirements.

Customer Reviews: Read customer reviews and ratings to get insights into the overall experience of using the meal service. Pay attention to feedback regarding taste, portion sizes, delivery reliability, and customer service. This can help you gauge the service's reputation and reliability.

Flexible ordering: There’s nothing worse than being tied into a weekly meal subscription box that you don’t want. Check if they have a flexible cancellation policy and whether it’s easy to skip weeks if you’re going away, plus if you can vary your order sizes depending on your weekly needs.

What Meal Services Can I Get in Switzerland?

If you're based in Switzerland and considering meal delivery services, you're in luck! Powermeals offer healthy meal delivery direct to any address in Switzerland. We change our menu every week with a focus on fresh and local ingredients with no additives. Our meal subscription is fully flexible, you can edit or cancel your orders up to 6 days before the delivery date.