Meez Meals for Chicagoans (discount code included at the end!)

While I usually prefer to make my own menu plans for the week and go grocery shopping, I do like using the occasional home cooking delivery service (ex. Blue Apron). It takes the stress out of having to plan and prep my meals, plus the food always tastes good since it is perfectly portioned and has already been tested. When Meez Meals, a Chicago-based home meal delivery service, asked me if I wanted to try their meals, I of course said yes. 

Meez Meals is the only certified DIY Meal Kits Green Restaurant in the country. Since all deliveries are local, the delivery bags can be reused. These insulated cooler bags are packed with reusable ice packs and keep the ingredients fresh during delivery and while they're waiting to be brought inside. People who use this service can keep these bags and ice packs until they order their next delivery service. The delivery person takes them when they drop off the new package. The bags also collapse for easy storage, and the ice packs can be kept anywhere since they don't need to be kept frozen. 

One of my favorite things about this service is that it's not a subscription service. You order when you want. Your credit card won't be charged if you forget to opt out for the week. 

To place an order, you must submit it by noon on Friday (for a Monday delivery). You can peruse the menu and customize your food based on your diet preferences or allergies when you set up your account. 

You can also customize your account to leave out ingredients that you don't like, such as onions or cilantro.  You can pick whichever entrees, salads, sides, or snacks that you want to make for the week. The more servings you order of a menu item, the less you pay per portion. 

My freezer bag full of fresh food was delivered to  me on Monday afternoon. I got an e-mail telling me that it was on my doorstep. My first meal was a Sweet Potato, Kale, and Rice Bowl with peanut sauce. All ingredients were packed with love and beautifully rolled into a brown paper bag. I only needed the food that you see below, plus olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

The instructions were clear and easy to follow. 

The meal came together in about 40 minutes (only 20 minutes of hands-on time). 

Nothing seemed too challenging. I think somebody with limited cooking experience could make this. If you have questions about cooking, though, Meez Meals has a Dinner Hotline service from 5-8 pm every day. 

The bowl was delicious (I was licking the peanut sauce with a spoon...ugh). I ordered two servings of this dish, so I used the second portion for lunch the next day. I had a pretty enviable lunch. 

For the other meal, I wanted to make something with meat. I ordered three servings of the Mexican Steak Taco Bowl. I don't think I've ever cooked steak before (unless maybe I did for Blue Apron?) and the instructions made it so simple to do. 

The salsa was pre-made; the only preparation needed was to to mix it with some olive oil. The spice rub was also already prepared and just needed some salt and pepper to go on the meat. This only took about 20 minutes to make. Cooking the rice was the longest part. 

 The steak was approved by Picky Al, so it was a winner. I also liked how the recipe card gave tips on making the meal lighter in calories, such as skipping on the tortilla chips or making the dish into a salad with romaine lettuce. For lunch the next day, I used a bunch of baby spinach and went light on the rice and tortilla chips. 

Overall, I really liked using this service. Here are my many pros:

• I like that this is a local service. The food, which is also local, doesn't have far to travel. Plus, I like being in the same time zone in case I have a customer service issue. 
• Speaking of customer service, I had a good experience with them. I (stupidly) didn't enter my discount code until after I placed the order. I sent them an e-mail and they got back to me within 24 hours and refunded me the money. 
• The pre-portioned ingredients mean that I'm not wasting any food. If a recipe calls for basil, they will give me exactly what I need for that recipe.
• The food is good, and it's easy to make. Most dishes can be made within 20-30 minutes.
• Delivery is free. 
• The no-subscription service is a huge perk. 
• Generally, this is healthier than eating out at restaurants or grabbing fast food for dinner. As an RD, I approve of this!

There are not many cons. The one big thing for me is the price. The cost of the five meals that I got would get me a lot more food at the supermarket. I would pay for Meez Meals out of convenience and knowing that my dinner will taste good. It's still cheaper than eating at most restaurants, especially in the city. Plus, the price drops per portion as you buy more food.  

I also want more information on the ingredients. For example, from where did the meat come?  I know that the food is local, but just how local? Most of the food is conventional (minus some items like tofu, which are organic), although I don't have a problem with that.

Overall, I would use this service again. It was a very good experience. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to try it!

Now, dear Chicagoans, it's your turn to try Meez Meals and save $30 on your first order! Go to the website www.meezmeals.com, pick your meals, and enter the code thelittlejogger30 at checkout to receive your discount. Meez Meals delivers to many of the Chicago suburbs (see the FAQ section for more information).


​Disclaimer: I was provided with a discount code by the company to try the product and provide feedback. My views are entirely my own.