Have you ever wondered how to make mealtimes easier?

Imagine having a fridge full of delicious, fresh meals that you can eat whenever you feel like, without the hassle of the whole preparation process.

Honestly, throughout life, think about all the hundreds of meals that we’ve had to shop, prepare, cook and serve food.

We deserve a break from slaving away in the kitchen to spend time on ourselves instead – whether it be relaxing, travelling, playing with the grandkids or gardening.

When I’m hungry and tired, I just want to relax and can’t think of anything worse than getting back in the car and driving to the supermarket. Then I’d have to deal with packing the groceries, driving home, unpacking everything, and then preparing the meal (oh, my sore legs). By the time it’s cooked, I barely feel like eating. 

I’m recently retired and trying to adjust, so is hubby, but the more hours we seem to have,  the more things we’ve taken on to fill them. To make things harder, we get tired more easily these days so we don’t want to spend time on our feet preparing meals at the end of the day. 

I’m sure most of us have occasionally tried those pre-prepared meals from the supermarket, bought in haste “just to try” and each time disappointed. It seems they never quite taste right, leaving us feeling let down and ripped off, enough to not go back to that desperate idea again.

Enter Youfoodz. They promise prepared meals made fresh, and delivered to your door, eliminating the need for both preparation and grocery shopping. I was sceptical at first and I didn’t want to be disappointed.

Having a career in hospitality, I had a preconceived idea that was hard to shake about pre-prepared meals and I’m not easily impressed with what I considered to be shortcuts.

My scepticism proved to be redundant! 

From the ordering to the eating, the process was smooth and convenient.

Each meal I tried was delicious, offering a generous portion for an average appetite, and tasted homemade and fresh. 

It’s a simple process, but there are 2 things that you can’t do without 

1. A computer, phone or tablet to place your order.
2. A microwave.

How does it work?

Ordering 

This was easy. I used my computer, but there’s also a phone app. All you need to do is choose how many meals you want each week and pick them out from a menu. 

The menu changes each week so you can never get bored, although if you’re a sucker for an old favourite, there are those options too.  

You’ll receive an order summary given the option to change any meals if you want to, right up to a few days before delivery. 

When it comes to cost, you can decide how much to spend depending on your budget, and how many meals you want each week. 

Delivery 

Depending on your location, the delivery days are chosen for you. Mine was a Wednesday, and that morning I received a text message telling me the time frame for delivery (within a 2-hour window). 

I was out when my delivery arrived but I was advised it had been left at the doorstep, as per my instructions. 

The package came well-packed with ice blocks and bubble wrap and was still nice and cold by the time I unpacked and placed it all in the fridge. 

Preparation 

I was delighted to see preparation was just three easy steps:

1. peel back the cover;
2. microwave for a few minutes; and
3. eat.  

Can’t get much simpler than that!

Is Youfoodz worth it?   

Absolutely. There were a number of benefits that made these ready-made meals worth my time and money. 

For example, I was surprised at the portion sizes. Where other supermarket brands often skimped on meat, there was always plenty in these meals.

Delicious, tasty, tender, are some words I used to describe the meals to my family. In fact, I can’t even get my chicken as tender!

The vegetables kept their firmness and colour, and the mashed potato tasted home cooked. The pasta dishes were delicious with plenty of sauce and remained fresh and tasty and the curries were lightly fragranced but not overly hot.

Australian made and can be enjoyed at any point of the week, the selection of meals is impressive. 

From favourites like lasagne, chicken carbonara, roast chicken/beef, gravy and veg, to more adventurous options like peri peri chicken, thai green curry with fluffy rice, and Mexican chilli con carne to name a few. There are even vegetarian options available. 

All of the above meals would have taken me most of the day to prepare if you’re counting the shopping time too. Instead, I was able to select what I wanted in the comfort of my couch, to be delivered to my door, and ready to eat in three minutes. 

Aside from the delicious food, what I love about this experience is that I’m not locked into anything. I can change my preferences and order extra or less if necessary. All you need to do is make any changes before the cut off date (which they make very clear), and I am able to do it all online.

I’m delighted to have discovered these ready made meals, especially as my hubby and I have very different tastes in food. This system is a godsend, allowing us to order exactly what each one wants, keeping us both happy without having to “make do”. 

But the best thing about these meals surely has to be all that time we saved. We don’t have to cut our adventures short each day, spending more time doing the things we love, knowing that a delicious, fresh meal is waiting for us with minimal fuss.