Meal Time Box Review (January)
February 06, 2016 |
| Meal Time Box Review |
Hello one and all, this week I've been getting my daily dose of vegetables, proteins and carbs thanks to the cool dudes over at MealTimeBox a meal subscription service than can be sent bi-weekly (20 meals every 2 weeks) or monthly (20 meals per mid-month). The 10 meal box costs 85 dollars and the 20 meal box costs 165 dollars so ranging 7.25 - 8.50 per meal depending on the option.
Their selection is quite varied this month, based off the four staple meats: Chicken, Beef, Pork, and Fish. Each meal consists of the protein, the starch (rice, potato or pasta) and a side of vegetables. Their menu is easily recognizable, classics like lemon chicken, blackened tilapia, apple pork chops. Even a few with their own Asian twist to it, Chinese and Filipino to be precise.
Meal Time Box currently ships on the East Coast to the following states and Washington, DC: CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI (Lower Peninsula), NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, and WV. We also ship to Atlanta, GA and Savannah, GA.
Meal Time Box currently ships on the East Coast to the following states and Washington, DC: CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI (Lower Peninsula), NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, and WV. We also ship to Atlanta, GA and Savannah, GA.
Initially I was skeptical, fearful almost, like most people the idea of meats, chickens, vegetables cooked and mailed to you is a cautionary tale in the making. For the readers who are curious about trying this experience for themselves I'm here for you today to show you what I found inside.
Check the menu out at:
http://www.mealtimebox.com/pages/menu
Check the menu out at:
http://www.mealtimebox.com/pages/menu
Unboxing
As you can see here, the shipment comes in a large box with a padded aluminum lining. Inside is a bag containing your meals with one of these cold packs. Each meal is sorted and vacuum sealed preserving the flavor and freshness of the meal. At room temperature these meals can go bad so it's best to keep frozen then thawed until ready to be prepared.
Preparation
Preparation is a breeze, like other pre-made meals all you need to do is cut an opening in the bag and toss it in the microwave for 2 minutes and voila a hot meal. I assume you can prepare these meals in other ways, such as boiling the bag in water like for the stews or taking the contents out and throwing them on the wok and reheating it that way. People who order these usually are those who are curious, who don't have time to prepare meals themselves or who want to save money instead of eating out every day. For that reason I will be trying out these meals through the recommended method of microwaving.
Lemon-Pepper Chicken
buttered vegetables and brown rice
The first meal I tried was the Lemon-Pepper Chicken, a very malleable meal that is made in some shape or form in every culture. The aroma was palatable and the microwave managed to heat everything up to a nice warm temperature. The chicken was a nice thick cut of breast and wasn't too dry. The rice was surprisingly soft, unlike the stale toughness of most frozen/packaged pre-cooked rice. I'm no fan of brown rice but it seems the vacuum process softened the rice a little which took away the grainy/nuttiness of the brown rice. The vegetables were crisp but a little bland. A little salt and pepper and the meal felt like old fashioned comfort food.
Steak & Onions (bistek tagalog)
Green beans & white rice
I'm not too familiar with Filipino inspired dishes, so I didn't know what to expect going into this, however this ended up becoming my favorite dish out of the entire box! The steak was nicely seasoned and the flavors permeated through the bag into the rice, onions and beans giving them all a nice flavorful seasoning.
Orange Chicken
Orange sauce, Chinese broccoli and White Rice
A classic Chinese dish. This orange chicken had nice big chunks and not too much breading. The flavor was sweet and tangy. I'm very familiar with Chinese broccoli, it has a bitter flavor in the stem and a chewy texture like how my mom used to cook it. I'm not a fan of Chinese broccoli but it's more of a preferential vegetable, you either like it or you don't. The rice was soft and kept some of it's freshness, I did find one clump that was stale but the majority was still of a nice quality. I added some soy sauce and sesame oil the the rice to give it some flavor and enjoyed the meal.
Pork Adobo
Bok choy and White Rice
Another Chinese inspired dish, I was quite pleased with how this was. I was expecting a Southwestern flavored dish but this had a more soy and garlic essence. The pork was nice and chunky and the bok choy (though a little deflated and soggy) still had a nice juicy and mild green flavor to it.
Lemon-Herb Flounder
Spinach and Potatoes
I was pleased to see a fish menu so of course I had to try out the flounder. The flounder was seasoned with some lemon slices, a sprig of thyme and some capers. The flavor was bright and light and the fish was a decent sized boneless filet. The potatoes weren't seasoned which is good if you're choosy about how much salt is on your food, I added some salt and they were cooked very nicely. The spinach was dark and had a bitter taste. (the menu says spinach OR bok choy) I think the bok choy would have paired better to suite the overall lightness of the dish.
Guinness Beef Stew
Carrots and Mashed Potatoes
Shipping stew in a bag is probably a delicate process and I wish I could see how they got stew into a bag because it's definitely interesting to look at. The cooking process is the same as the others, cut a slit and microwave for 2 minutes however beware of leaks! (The meal was too stew-y for me to separate each item) Light on the vegetables this time you have a hearty helping of potatoes and beef with a little bit of carrots to add some texture. The meal wasn't too heavy, the potatoes still managed to hold form despite being vacuum sealed with all the sauce. The meat was tender and the carrots added a little crunch to the meal.
Final Verdict
I spent an entire year in Massachusetts eating a single box of lean cuisine a day because I was bad at portioning and had a small kitchen so I ended up just stockpiling frozen foods and eating them whenever I was hungry. Meal Time Box was made for people just like me back then who wanted a full meal without the hassle of cooking or going out to eat. I would place this as a much better quality than any frozen meals you could find at the grocery store and worth it's value. You get an assortment of options, you choose what you like, the make it and ship it out and you have a variety of home cooked meals for 20 days.
To see their menu you can check them out at:
Have a favorite recipe you want to share? They are running a giveaway and if your recipe is chose you can win yourself a free box. Details are on their homepage now.
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