LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- Meal kits are a popular trend marketed as a way to make your life easier. Most of the kits even arrive at your doorstep as part of a weekly subscription. WHAS 11 Reporter Jonathan Wahl put four meal kits to the test to find out if they're really worth it for your family.
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Day 3: Kroger Prep+Pared
The third meal kit I'm making is a crispy pork chop from Kroger Prep+Pared. The great thing about the Prep+Pared meals is you don't need a subscription. If you know you're going to have a long week, you can pick one up during your grocery run. If you don't want to spend the money one week, just don't buy one. Not all Kroger stores currently carry the Prep+Pared meals, but many of the larger stores do. You can always call ahead if you're not sure. There were a wide variety of meals when I went to pick mine up. Everything thing from pasta to veggie-loaded meals.
Cost
Per serving, this Kroger Prep+Pared meal cost $8.00 (This is middle of the road for their pricing. Their meals range from $6.00 to $9.00 per serving). Prep+Pared was a clear winner in the cost category, so I gave it 5 out of 5 points.
Time
The Kroger Prep+Pared meal took me 25 minutes to complete (by far the fasted meal we've prepared). It was super easy to make, so I'm giving it 5 out of 5 points for time.
Taste
The spinach and tomatoes were creamy. They didn't have a major punch of flavor, but I still enjoyed them. The pork chop was just a tiny bit tough, but overall I thought the meal was delicious. I give the meal 4 out of 5 points for taste.
Health
It was easy to make, but is it good for my body? To find out, I enlisted the help of dietitian Chris Mohr.
“Well, this one is very, very high in fat. So it’s 35 grams of fat in this one serving," explained Chris. "Over half of that is saturated fat, which isn’t very healthy. More than you need in an entire day, really, in this one meal. 630 calories, 35 grams of fat, 18 of them are saturated. Not the best in nutrition.”
Chris gave the Kroger Prep+Pared meal 2 out of 5 points for health.
Overall
I loved the how easy it was to pick up a Kroger Prep+Pared meal at the store. If you're hesitant about a weekly subscription, this is the way to go. The only place Prep+Pared struggled was in the health category. I'd be willing to try some other options that might rate better in this area. Thankfully, just like the online subscriptions, Kroger has plenty of options to choose from. In the end, we gave Kroger Prep+Pared 16 out of 20 points.
Did you miss our ratings of HelloFresh and Blue Apron? If so, catch up here:
Watch GMK on Thursday, February 22 as Jonathan rates Home Chef.
