Don’t Feel Like Cooking This Christmas? These Online Meal Delivery Services Have You Covered
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With Thanksgiving officially behind us, it’s already time to start thinking up more festive meal ideas for Christmas and New Years. But if you’re already wiped out from all the cooking that family get-togethers entail during this time of year (or have never liked spending too much time in the kitchen) there are countless delivery and meal prep services that promise delicious home-cooked meals without the work.
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Delivery services such as Omaha Steaks and Harry and David offer traditional meat-heavy feasts while Sunbasket and Purple Carrot are great options for vegetarian and organic alternatives. Below are the best meal delivery services to stay stress-free during Christmas dinner this year.
Harry and David
Harry and David promises the most traditional holiday meal, with dozens of options for both meat-lovers and vegetarians. Pre-cooked meals include their spiced sugar spiral-spliced whole ham ($179.99), a gourmet prime rib feast ($229.99), chicken wellington entrees ($59.99) and sliders such as stuffed bell peppers, quiches and crab cakes. Aside from the savory, though, Harry and David are perhaps best known for their on-site bakery, with offerings of everything from a salted caramel apple pie and signature baklava, to festive Christmas cookie collections and a Christmas Tree Cheesecake.
Omaha Steaks
Meat lovers will have their Christmas feast covered this year through Omaha Steaks, whose holiday dinners include a Surf and Turf Meal with filet mignons and lobster tail skewers ($138.97), a Holiday Spiral Sliced Ham Dinner ($139.95), a Prime Rib Feast for 8 ($220.45) and Chateaubriand Surf and Turf for 4 ($167.21). For starters and slides, you can choose from holiday-sized mashed potatoes and brussels sprout, broccoli and cauliflower gratin and seafood appetizers. Omaha also has you set with desserts, with classic pumpkin and pecan pies in addition to a double-chocolate cream pie and caramel apple tartlets.
Goldbelly
You can order pre-made meals and food kits from restaurants nationwide on Goldbelly, which features holiday-specific food prep such as Christmas ham, festive desserts, hearty sides, brunch and self-proclaimed “feasts.” You can choose from favorites such as Logan Farms, Wolfgang Puck and Gramercy Tavern, with delicious dessert options from bakeries such as PieCaken Bakeshop and Sugargoat. While they have countless delivery options from places across the country, Duff Goldman’s Gingerbread Cake ($79.95) and The Grey’s Sweet Potato Chess Pie ($75) and Emporium Pies’ Father Christmas Pie ($99) are three stand-out desserts that have an extra pizazz for the holidays.
Sunbasket
Sunbasket, known for fresh and organic ingredients, is the best choice for those looking for a healthier option for the holidays, or need to cater to strict dietary restrictions. Their holiday meal prep includes pre-cooked meats such as prime rib, angus tenderloin, turkey breast and salmon fillets, with delicious seasonal sides such as spiced sweet potato mash, green beans and creamy potato-cauliflower dishes.
Blue Apron
Considering the feast Blue Apron put together for Thanksgiving, it’s no surprise that they pulled out all the stops for their holiday prep, which includes both vegetarian and meat-based options that serve two to eight people. Unlike other delivery services, Blue Apron’s holiday meals are bundled into their regular subscription, which includes two to four recipes per week. It’s a great time to sign up, not only ahead of big family get-togethers for the holidays, but because of their limited-time promo which brings cuts $110 off your first order.
Purple Carrot
Purple Carrot is one of the only places that you’ll be able to find a wide range of plant-based meals that are abundant enough for a holiday feast. The service works much like Blue Apron, with meal kit and pre-made kits that serve two to four people, with meals leveling out at around $11-13 each. Dishes include thai peanut noodles, creamy mac n’ cheese and tofu tikki masala, and although they haven’t released their Christmas menu quite yet you can expect similar delicious meat alternatives that they utilized for Thanksgiving.
Salt & Straw Holiday Collection
Top off your pie with this fun collaboration between The Rock and Salt & Straw, a limited-edition holiday pack that includes pints of some of the Los Angeles-based ice cream shop’s most innovative flavors. Flavors include PB&J Coconut Banana Pancakes, Naught Nutty, Tipsy Toasty Teremana Pecan Pie, Dwanta’s Teremana Spiked Eggnog, Chocolate Gooey Brownie and Double Fold Vanilla.
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