This theme of this review was originally supposed to be how I was getting in shape and losing weight before my wedding this summer. But given the current state of the world (ahem, coronavirus), it looks like our wedding is quickly becoming less and less of a possibility in 2020 and more like a 2021 event. However, in my 29 years, I’ve learned that sometimes you have do as Ross from Friends would do and “pivot” your plans. Therefore, this review has morphed into a review of the meal and meal kit delivery services that have kept me sane while in self-quarantine.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve tried almost every meal kit delivery service available in the Los Angeles area. Most of them I’ve liked, but my favorite lately is Marley Spoon. It stands out to me because the meals typically have minimal prep time while still being super delicious. Sometimes, with other meal kit services, you feel like you’re chopping forever. There’s just a ton of prep work before you get to the actual recipe. While you still do have to chop stuff with Marley Spoon, I’ve found that it’s usually only a few items.

And since this is Martha Stewart’s company, every time we have en exceptionally tasty meal, I always say, “Go Martha!” My fiancé can confirm this is true if there are any doubts.

Now, how has this kept me sane? Even before the coronavirus outbreak, cooking and baking were always very therapeutic for me. If I have a stressful day, the kitchen is the place where I find peace. It’s been an especially important activity for me now that I’m stuck at home all day worrying about the future. I look forward to cooking. I also am happy to have food delivered since we’re trying to go to the grocery store as little as possible – all the ingredients are delivered right to our door.

Additionally, since most of the food we purchased before going into quarantine is non-perishable, having a meal kit delivery has given us some much needed fresh produce!

(Side note: meal kit delivery services have helped me eat less meat and poultry. They’ve opened my eyes to delicious plant-based recipes and have helped me realize that I don’t need meat to feel satisfied by a meal.)

While I said cooking keeps me sane, doing dishes all day long does not. Therefore, another meal delivery service I’ve turned to is Splendid Spoon. All of their meals are pre-made – their smoothies are ready to drink and their soups and bowls just require a few minutes in the microwave. All their meals are plant-based, gluten-free, and low in sugar and sodium, so it’s a great service to try if you have an event coming up that you want to slim down for (like, my likely-to-be-postponed June wedding).

What really caught my eye was the smoothies. I love to have a smoothie for breakfast, but I’m also an alarm clock snoozer. I’m not proud of it and hope to break the habit one day. Being a snoozer means that I don’t give myself enough time to get ready and make breakfast, so having a pre-blended smoothie ready to grab-and-go is super convenient. I love the smoothie flavors I’ve tried to far – my favorites are the Cacao Almond and Green Matcha.

I also like having a frozen soup or bowl for lunch to grab on my way out. The soups and bowls are very filling and easy to prepare. While the meals are tasty, I would still call them “diet food.” The meals taste exactly like they look and are described. For example, with the Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl, you can taste every ingredient in it from the sweet potatoes to the shiitake mushrooms to the lemon juice and salt.

If clean, plant-based meals are what you want, then that’s exactly what you get. Don’t expect any trickery here. These aren’t those “I can’t believe it’s healthy” kind of meals. They taste healthy and they are healthy.

Back to how this service is keeping me sane… As I mentioned above, more cooking means more dishes. And since I’m not blessed with a dishwasher, it can get a little annoying to add 15 minutes or more to washing dishes every time I cook. That’s why I like having these Splendid Spoon options around for when I don’t feel like cooking/cleaning and want a guaranteed healthy meal.

If you want to try out Splendid Spoon, click this link to get $10 off your first order.

*This story is not sponsored and the opinions are all my own.