Is a meal plan delivery service the answer to your nutrition problems when time is limited? If a full time ‘Ayi’ isn’t in your budget, or if your idea of cooking is tossing a potato in the microwave, consider looking up one of the several meal plan delivery services here in Shanghai.
I have always loved to cook, but, due to new work commitments, I am struggling to find the times in the evenings to prepare tomorrow’s work lunch. The area where I work has a limited number of healthy restaurants and they are relatively expensive. With the limited choice, it also easy to get jaded with the selection on offer. My solution to my lunch time eating woes was to purchase a meal plan delivery service; something I’ve said I never would do, but now I’m “eating my words.” Several companies offer this service in Shanghai, allowing you to pre-purchase a set number of lunch times meals (usually 5 minimum) that will be delivered to your home or place of work. Costs vary; expect to pay around 225 RMB per week, plus delivery charges.
Some of the service advantages are that they are simple, can be delivered to areas with few healthy food options and they can help you stick to a good diet (at least for the duration of the service!). With one WeChat transfer, it is possible to order all of your lunches for the coming week or month in a matter of moments. I won’t be so tempted to grab unhealthy foods at the bakery because I know I’ll be receiving plant based nutrient dense meals right to my office.
And the disadvantages? They are more expensive than your local Chinese food options. As with all food delivery services, overuse can lead to growing tired of them. And of course, you are handing control of the quality of your ingredients and of your portion sizes to someone else. I guess the solution is to consider adding meal plan delivery services to your ‘armoury’ of food options. Consider alternating from this service one week to home preparation and to local restaurants on other weeks. Mix and match to suit your tastes and your schedule. I’ve never heard of someone being on a delivery service their whole life. Other options include getting a best friend with cooking skills or getting a good chef on Tinder! 😉
What meal plan delivery service did I choose? I tested out the vegan salad plan from Sucici and have found them to be extremely filling, delicious and nutrient dense. They also have a wide variety of options. I have been adding the brown rice option because a salad on its own is never enough to get me through ‘til 7 pm. I’ve also been extremely impressed by Better Bentos (by Sprout Lifestyle).
Regardless of whether you are vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, a meat eater, etc., the most important thing about a healthy meal plan is that it is plant based; the star of the show should always be the vegetables, and sweet potato fries don’t count!
Until the next time, eat well, be well, live well! – Jessica W.
