Meal Kits Find a New Home
In the past several years, you may have heard the names “HelloFresh”, “Blue Apron” and “Plated” being discussed among friends, family and in the media. These business are a product of a trend that has presented itself as an alternative to traditional grocery shopping and meal prepping. Because of their convenience and simplicity, meal delivery kits have greatly risen in popularity. Many factors have contributed to this, some of them being the increasingly busy lives of young adults who work in fast-paced industries in big cities and don’t have time to cook, the rising price of groceries and a lack of knowledge as to how to prepare meals. Like anything, meal delivery kits have their pros and cons. However, an undisputed “pro” is that, unlike homemade dishes, the consumer knows exactly what they are eating and how much of it, which is very comforting for those who are health conscious or adhering to specific diets.
Read more: The Truth about Diabetes
The Benefits of a Nutrition Facts Label Software
As stated, something incredibly appealing about meal delivery kits is that each meal offered by these participating companies has an index of nutrition information online. This means, that yours should as well. Go even one step further and add a nutrition label shipped with the meal kit. Nutrition facts label software simply allows foodservice professionals to provide healthy meals for their consumers. Furthermore, they will be able to keep track of the exact amount of calories, fats, carbohydrates and other ingredients that they are putting into every recipe and dish.
Instead of creating a meal and “winging it” (or not accurately measuring the ingredients that go into it) each meal prepared by meal delivery companies is appropriately portioned to align with consumers’ desire for a healthy, well-balanced meal.
Read more: Bringing Nutritional Analysis Home
Experiment with Your Recipes to Address Various Dietary Needs
Something valuable about meal delivery services is that it gives consumers the ability to see what ingredients and how much of them go into their favorite meal. In doing so, they are empowering their customers to replicate these meals in their own kitchens and become more educated and aware of meal prepping practices.
Consumers need the option to experiment with their meals in order to address various dietary needs that may be personal and/or medical. Their favorite dish might include an ingredient they cannot have or are sensitive to, so they need to be well-versed in preparing the meal to understand appropriate substitution options. The ability to see all of the ingredients accounted for in a specific meal on a comprehensive nutrition label gives them this knowledge and ability.
Read more: Food Labeling Modernization Act: Why it Matters for Food Manufacturers
Allergen Statements
An important component of nutrition labels that isn’t as commonly discussed as ingredients and daily percentages are allergen statements.
The FDA requires that all food labels must identify the food source names of ingredients that contain one of the major, identified food allergens. Additionally, they must list these ingredients in the event that they contain any protein derived from one of these allergens. The official name of this rule is the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.
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Create Healthy Meal Plan Options
Many people want to “eat healthy” but simply do not know how and/or do not have the financial means to buy organic products at the grocery store to make these meals. Meal delivery kits take some of this stress away by creating healthy meal plan options that are cost-effective, efficient and conducive to busy lifestyles that may result in consumers selecting unhealthy things to eat. Through meal delivery services, consumers can plan out everything that they are going to eat for a designated period of time and have it delivered right to their door. These meals are balanced, varied, healthy and, if the companies stick to their word, fresh. Using these services is a great first step in learning how to meal prep and being able to stick to a healthy diet.
Read more: Healthy Eating Challenges for Newcomers
How Nutrition Analysis Software Helps
Meal delivery kits are a great example of how nutrition analysis software can be used to prepare delicious, balanced and healthy meals and help health-conscious consumers keep track of their intake. However, this software can be used directly by consumers which gives them the ability to create their own meals and understand and control exactly what ingredients are going into them.
MenuSano nutritional analysis software details the total amount of calories in the serving and the serving size as well as the fat and carbohydrate breakdown in terms of fiber and sugar. MenuSano also shows protein, sodium, and vitamins A & C as well as calcium and iron. In using the software, customers can make informed decisions on what they want to make and eat, thus eventually eliminating the need for meal delivery kits at all and empowering them to take ownership of their cooking.
Give it a try and sign up for a free trial with MenuSano today!
