Bored In The Kitchen? Try These Meal Kit Delivery Services
Times are hectic so making the best of the time we have is essential. Who would have ever thought we would have to teach our kids from home while also working a full-time job? On top of that, we are now preparing more meals than ever before. Some of us have become better chefs, forcing ourselves to cook more and some of us have opted for UberEats. No judgement either way but we have a solution to spice up your chef life. We believe meal kit delivery services will make your life easier. Best of all, you can skip or cancel at any time as you learn some new, fun recipes.
*This list is specially curated by the xoNecole team and some links are affiliate links. If you purchase an item from an affiliate link, xoNecole might earn a small commission.
Freshly
Convenient, delicious and nutritious – this is what you can expect from Freshly. The website states, "Our easy meals are made with only thoughtful ingredients like lean proteins, seasonal veggies, and whole-grain starches. Plus, we're certified gluten free." Freshly also strives to be sustainable with its recyclable boxes and low food waste with the perfect portions.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh customers love the simplicity and flexibility of this service. Whether you have a picky appetite or dietary restrictions, HelloFresh has step-by-step recipes dedicated to making your life easier and your tummy full. The ingredients are locally sourced to ensure fresh and delicious servings. I've heard nothing but rave reviews about the Mahi Mahi Piccata and the Garlic Butter Shrimp. HelloFresh has also started selling the meal kits in grocery stores so you can do a taste test before committing to weekly meals.
Home Chef
Are you a planner? Home Chef is perfect for you because you can view the menu five weeks before you place your order and curate your very own meal prep plan. Word on the street is that it is #1 in customer satisfaction. First, you pick meals that are most appetizing to you. Then, customize your plate. And finally, cook your effortless meal and enjoy. Even these Chinese Pork Lettuce Wraps look fire! I want to eat them at this very moment.
Blue Apron
Blue Apron was the first meal kit delivery service so now that there's more competition they have added a cutting edge pairing: wine. They pair the perfect wine with your meals so it's almost as if you have your own personal sommelier. We also love how Blue Apron's vision includes better standards for higher quality ingredients. They recognize that it can be hard to tell whether food is high quality and sustainably grown so they are partnering with the foremost sustainability experts to create better standards for growing food and raising animals. From veggie pad thai to hot honey crispy chicken, your palette will thank you for choosing Blue Apron.
Gobble
Gobble may just be your new best friend. This service preps the food for you so you don't have to be bothered. You won't need to peel or chop anything because the goal is to go from one pan to your plate in 15 minutes or less. Sample meals include Black Pepper Beef with Stir-Fry Vegetables and Jasmine Rice, Fettuccine Pasta Primavera with Basil Pesto Cream Sauce and Soft Poached Egg and Mexican Squash Flatbread With Cotija Cheese.
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Joce Blake is a womanist who loves fashion, Beyonce and Hot Cheetos. The sophistiratchet enthusiast is based in Brooklyn, NY but has southern belle roots as she was born and raised in Memphis, TN. Keep up with her on Instagram @joce_blake and on Twitter @SaraJessicaBee.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
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I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
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That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
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So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
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