Monday, June 7, 2010

How To Choose A Prepared Meal Delivery Service

By Cassandra Lee

What's for dinner? Fifteen years ago that question was much easier to answer than it is today. In fact, 69% of Americans do not know what they are having for dinner at 2:00 p.m. any given business day. No wonder, having chef prepared meals delivered to your home is becoming a popular option for today's time-starved working professionals. It is less expensive than dining out regularly, and it is normally much healthier than ordering pizza, take out, and fast food.

To get the best quality prepared meals at the best value, you have to be a smart and savvy shopper. Simply comparing prices can be misleading, and not the best way to shop around for the best values. A $12.99 salmon meal at one prepared meal website could come is a tiny 3 ounce serving of salmon. A 14.99 salmon meal at another website could be a better value with a 8 ounce piece of salmon.

You also have to know how your prepared meals reheat. Do they reheat in a microwave, an oven, on the stove top in a bath of hot water, or all three methods? The option that best suits your lifestyle isn't always going to be the best reheating method for the meal of your choice. Always read the recommended reheating instructions. Companies will usually post the preferred method first, and the options second, third, and so on.

Let's say you have a chef prepared meal service in mind. A great way to do a quality and value check on a company, is to search for any consumer reviews that may be posted on the Internet. I found a website that specializes in just the prepared meal delivery business. Imagine that! This website is a tremendous resource for anyone that buys, or is thinking about having prepared meals delivered to their door, or sent as a gift to someone else. The website is called Prepared-Meal-Delivery-Reviews.com.

Prepared-Meal-Delivery-Reviews.com provides some basic insight on all the major chef prepared meal services. They post consumer reviews, and they share discounts and coupon codes. With companies like NutriSystem, Home Bistro, DineWise, Chef's Diet, and many more, you can make your selection from a huge list of companies that deliver either nationally or in large regions. The best thing about this website is their unbiased consumer reviews.

Who doesn't love extra value? Another reason I visit this website to get all of their recent discount and coupon codes. I average a saving of $45 every time I order. On my last two orders, I didn't pay anything for shipping, which can be expensive when you are shipping frozen meals on dry ice in special packaging that replicates a mini freezer. I love free shipping! The companies that are represented on this website are invited to share any special offers they wish to offer consumers that come to the website.

The prepared meal industry is booming because there is such a demand for meal delivery services. When shopping for chefs, compare prices and portion sizes between the companies. Always read the recommended reheating instructions for any given meal. If you are buying a nutritional meal program, look for a satisfaction guarantee. Always use discounts and coupon codes. When buying prepared meals a 10% to 15% can translate to substantial savings!

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