Fancy a bit of cooking but don’t have time to start from scratch? Got hungry hordes to feed but don’t fancy ordering takeaway (again)? For those looking for a happy medium that fills the gap between eating out and getting hot meals delivered, home delivery kits could be the future.
School’s out and it’s time to think about feeding the family over the summer. How can parents and caregivers replace the valuable hot meals their little ones get at school? Home cooking feels like the obvious choice but it can be a luxury for working parents who struggle to find time to cook in the holidays, and are now facing rising supermarket prices. The easy option is to order in – or is it? With the cost-of-living crisis spiralling out of control, takeaways may be less appealing than ever. Not only are they often less healthy than the food we make at home, but they are no longer the cheap option either. And eating out is becoming less affordable than ever.
So, what’s the answer? Ever tried a home delivery dinner kit? It’s not cheap either but it can cost less per head than takeaway. Good food should never be cheap; we need to invest in quality for our health and wellbeing, as well as for production to be sustainable. Home delivery kits requires some kitchen prep, but less than starting from scratch. They work well for those who feel inclined to do a little cooking, but don’t have the time to shop for exact ingredients, or the inclination to peel, chop and measure out each element of the meal. Vegan and vegetarian options are also widely available and it’s becoming an increasingly popular compromise.
We spoke to our MD Sam about the future of eating. How does she think ever-increasing prices will impact the way we eat and the way we feed our families?
“I personally think there will be a downturn in eating out, once the summer is over and people take stock of school expenses for September, Christmas approaching and the rising cost of food, utilities and travel,” says Sam.
So, what does the future hold? What trends should the food industry be preparing for?
“The DTC (direct to consumer) market is growing and I really think this trend will continue,” added Sam. “Sales of home delivery kits, from companies such as Dell’Ugo, Hello Fresh, Gousto and ZENB, are still rising rapidly. Buying in this way aids portion control, as well as curbing spending on unnecessary shopping and it helps when people simply don’t really understand how to cook a wide variety of recipes, but are happy to follow simple steps to create a culinary meal. The choice is huge and everyone at home can choose a different dish for each day of the week, which makes it much more interesting, without the guilt that sometimes accompanies one takeaway too many!”
As always, feeding our nation means following food trends and staying ahead of the curve. Manufacturing components for home delivery kits is a lot more tricky due to the sheer number of small units in each one, but, always rising to meet any challenge, we put our clever heads together over the last few months to re-think our processes to make it work.
So, what’s your summer cooking vibe? Planning to take the time and brave the jaw-dropping supermarket price-tags to indulge in some home cooking? Or will you be tapping an app and waiting for the doorbell to ring? Or maybe neither option appeals….If you’re looking for exciting world flavours beyond the takeaway, home delivery kits could be the future of eating.