Now that the excitement of the Christmas holidays are over; we can sometimes feel a little bit deflated and unmotivated. Current world events make it more difficult for us to do our daily activities such as shopping or seeing friends. Even if you’re comfortable at home thanks to your stairlift, you may still find it difficult to venture outside.
We are now only a few finger taps away from friends, family and local businesses due to advancements in technology and the internet.
We have some tips below for you on how to utilise food delivery services this winter – complete with helpful links directly to the website. This can make sure you still enjoy the food you’ve always loved.
Subscription vs Supermarket vs On Demand
There are pros and cons to ordering from your local supermarket, trying out a food subscription service or ordering takeaway meals.
Subscription Services
Subscription services are when you pay monthly for a continued service (normally via direct debit or Paypal) and the money is automatically taken each month in exchange for a delivery of goods. Think Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime, except with food.
Hello Fresh
One great example of a subscription-based service is Hello Fresh.
They quite often have discount vouchers and offers available; especially for new customers. They have a variety of set boxes which change, and you can choose a multitude of customisable options, including Vegan. Simply choose how many people need to be fed, how many times a week, and what kind of food options you’re interested in. Your groceries will be delivered with enough ingredients for each meal, along with handy colour recipe cards (which are brilliant to keep and store for future use!). You can edit/cancel/hold your subscription by logging into your Hello Fresh account. Which means if you are on holiday, you can skip a week or two and you won’t be charged for those weeks.
Hello Fresh is a brilliant option for people who want healthy home-cooked food, enjoy cooking by themselves or as a family, and want to make their meals from scratch.
Pros:
- Seasonal, fresh ingredients.
- Pre-measured ingredients for less waste.
- You can choose boxes for diet needs such as Vegans, Vegetarians, Pescatarians.
- A large variety of meat and vegetable options.
- Optional extras such as desserts and sides you can add onto your order and remove/edit at any time.
- Great for those who are environmentally conscious and want to help by using recyclable or less-waste packaging.
Cons:
- Only ingredients/herbs are delivered which means you will have to cook your meals by yourself.
- No gluten-free/Dairy free dietary options.
- No box option for one person (but you can order for two people and cook two main meals a day).
- Some ingredients may be necessary to have at home already such as oil/butter/salt/pepper.
- Desserts/Sides not included and need to be added onto your account at an extra cost.
On-Demand Food Services
There are plenty of on-demand food services at the moment that can be ordered online or via a mobile app. The most popular takeaway sites are Just Eat, Deliveroo and UberEats (subject to your area) and you can help support local businesses by ordering their takeaway meals. Classic takeaways such as Chinese, Indian and Fish and Chips are available on the app for delivery. But now there are even more options such as healthy home-cooked meals, pub grub and more.
If you want an on-demand service which is a little more catered to those of us who are older, iCare Cuisine has a variety of hearty frozen and hot meals that you can simply add to your basket, have delivered and enjoy. Simply input your postcode to see if they cover your area, and then browse their selection of meals to add to your basket. You can have daily hot food delivered to your house, or stock up on frozen meals that you can heat up at home. Meals also come with a free dessert!
On-Demand food services are great for those who want to take the hassle out of cooking, or like to decide on the day what they’d like to eat.
Pros:
- No cooking required – at most a pop in the microwave!
- Easy to navigate website catered to older people.
- Pureed food available for people who struggle with solid meals.
- Next day delivery on lots of items.
- Frozen meals option so you can store at home.
- Special dietary requirements catered for.
- Free desserts
Cons:
- No fresh or seasonal ingredients.
- Carb-heavy or repeating food choices.
- Need to keep reordering food unless frozen.
- Works out more expensive than subscription or grocery-shopping.
Online Supermarket Orders
Most large supermarket chains like Asda, Tesco and Iceland now offer home delivery. Since the pandemic, need for these services has increased exponentially.
Ordering from supermarkets is a great option for those who like to stock up on brands and choices that they know and love. As well as groceries, you can pick up household essentials like tissue, cleaners, and much more. When ordering from the supermarket, you will need to make sure you can select a delivery date that suits you.
Online Supermarkets are great for those who want more control over what they eat and the comfort of knowing the place they’re ordering from.
Pros:
- Lots of choice on food, household items and toiletries.
- Choose your delivery date and time.
- Same day or next day delivery available on most items
Cons:
- Delivery slots can be hard to get.
- If an item isn’t available they may deliver something else in its place.
- Groceries will have to be put away by the buyer.
With the amount of choice available nowadays, it’s worth having a device which accesses the internet such as a computer or a mobile phone in order to make purchases. Although these devices can be daunting, they are relatively easy to learn and accessing apps and websites is something you will learn quickly and use often. If you find it difficult to go shopping or to cook at home, you can try to take advantage of food delivery services this winter.
