Would-be customers have passed on meal kits after deciding they were too expensive (upwards of $13 per serving), the portions were too small, the subscription plans were too confusing, or they were otherwise just weren't worth the trouble if you genuinely enjoy cooking.īlue Apron, probably the category's best-known brand, saw its stock price below $2.30 last week, down from $6 at the start of 2020 - and a precipitous decline from a high around $150 after its mid-2017 IPO.

Though some services built up a loyal base of customers who found them fun and convenient, meal kits have struggled to win over the masses. Until very recently, the outlook for the meal kit business was dismal. What about online meal kit delivery subscriptions like Blue Apron and Home Chef, which send members recipes and pre-chopped, pre-measured, ready-to-cook meals on a regular basis? Ordering groceries online isn't necessarily a solution, either, because the big services like Peapod, FreshDirect, and Amazon Fresh are overwhelmed and often can't fulfill orders.

Grocery stores are reducing hours, and many people worry about the health risks of going shopping when recommendations call for self-isolation and social distancing. Restaurants are closed or only open for takeout or delivery. What's for dinner? This most basic of questions has gotten increasingly complicated as the coronavirus pandemic spreads.

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