Ding Dong! Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Are Here!
Aside from the lack of sleep, the biggest challenge of being a new parent is finding time to take care of yourself. Babies are demanding little buggers, and exercise, cooking and even showering sometimes have to take a backseat. (OK, often have to take a backseat.)
I’ll admit that I’ve given sleep the priority during these early months, while letting perfect nutrition and exercise fall by the wayside. My adorable little daughter starts getting a little fussy in the evenings, right around dinner time. Which means that I’m trying to cook while running back and forth to soothe her or trying to make something that won’t splatter on her if I have to end up wearing her in her carrier. Even making something simple like pasta with Italian turkey sausage may take as long as a gourmet meal. And I’ve often just given up on rough days, and made the husband pick up something—anything—on his way home from work.
For busy moms like me, a service like Healthy Chef Creations can certainly save the day. And your sanity. The company delivers healthy, fresh meals to your doorstep. Whether you’re trying to lose weight and want a portion-controlled option or you’re just too darn busy to get to the grocery store and cook healthy meals or you just don’t want to have to think about dinner, Healthy Chef Creations can step in. (They’ll even customize the food to meet any dietary restrictions you may have.)
The company sent lucky me a shipment of food so I could sample what a day’s menu was like. What a good day! Knowing that all of my meals were ready for me to eat was a load off. And made me wish I had a personal chef. Portions were just right, the food was tasty, and the variety was great.
My day started with Cherry Almond Oatmeal, two pieces of maple turkey sausage and fresh apple slices. The turkey was a bit tough, but the oatmeal was generous and filling. My Chicken Souvlaki Salad lunch was my least favorite meal of the day—the dressing was a bit bland and I’m picky about my lettuce—but my afternoon snack of gazpacho and pita bread was awesome. The Blackened Wild Salmon with Mango Salsawas a perfect-sized dinner portion and delicious. I was split on the sides: The Jamaican Red Beanswere a bit bland, but the ratatouille was tasty. And I’ll just say that I wish my mini lavender almond cookie hadn’t been so mini. Yum!
My thoughts overall? While the food wasn’t perfect, it was, overall, quite tasty and I didn’t feel deprived at all. It’s super convenient, so no thinking is required—great for the super busy folks out there. It’s also delivered nationwide AND they have a fun Momilicious option for new moms and moms-to-be. The negatives? While the packaging is recyclable, it is a LOT of packaging. And the price may be prohibitive if you’re on a budget, as meals start at about $11 a meal. So would it be feasible to cut out the grocery store altogether? Probably not. But as a gift or during a super-stressful time in your life? Oh yes. —Erin