Finding Meal Solutions When Life Gets in the Way
This past week, I was under the weather and just couldn’t bring myself to go grocery shopping or meal prep. Unfortunately, that led to more takeout than I had planned, blowing my budget and leaving me feeling unprepared for the week ahead. Even now that I’m feeling better, I still don’t have the motivation to meal prep, which means I’m scavenging for meals for the rest of the week.
This got me thinking—what can I do when life throws me off my routine like this?
One of the first ideas that came to mind was HelloFresh, a meal kit service that delivers fresh ingredients and step-by-step recipes right to your door. I’ve used it before and found it to be a convenient and healthy option that, in the long run, saves money by reducing food waste and unnecessary grocery purchases. A box of 10 meals (5 meals for 2 people) costs around $135.89, but they frequently offer deals—I’ve even received 20 free meals in the past! However, one thing that gave me pause was the fact that HelloFresh isn’t actually Canadian, it’s a German-based company.
As someone who loves to support local businesses, I started researching meal kit options in Regina. Here are three that stood out to me:
Mango & Mint
- Type: Ready-made meals, prepared fresh daily
- Delivery: Available
- Cuisine: Indian, Continental, and Fitness-Friendly
- Menu: Includes photos for easy selection
- Price: $75–$105 for six meals
- Mango & Mint Instagram Reels
Zesty Kits
- Type: Meal kits (ingredients + recipes, not pre-cooked)
- Delivery: Pick-up only
- Features: Uses local products, includes gluten-friendly & double-meat options
- Subscription: Weekly plans only
- Price: $195–$233 for six meals
Prairie Box
- Type: Ready-made meals, prepared weekly
- Delivery: Available
- Features: Dietitian-curated meals, one-time purchases or subscriptions, rewards points, and an app
- Menu: Includes nutritional breakdowns and photos
- Price: Varies per meal ($7–$18 per item)
Each of these options has something unique to offer, and depending on your needs, whether you prefer fully prepared meals or enjoy the process of cooking with local ingredients, there’s something worth exploring. After this week, I’m seriously considering giving one of these a try so I can be better prepared for those inevitable busy (or sick) weeks.
Have you tried any of these meal services? Let me know your thoughts!
One thought on “Finding Meal Solutions When Life Gets in the Way”
Hope you are feeling better now. It’s so difficult when life throws a wrench into our best-laid plans. That is one of the things that has always prevented me from consistently meal-prepping. Something always seems to get in my way. I have never tried any of the meal delivery systems (as my family is very fussy). It’s interesting to learn more about them. Once my kids leave home (a long time from now) I could see myself using something like HelloFresh.