3 Ways Using Meal Delivery Services Have Saved Me Money

I've been surprised at how much my grocery bill has gone down.

A few years ago, I made the decision to sign up for a meal delivery service. I've now been using various services consistently for years on end. There's a simple reason why I decided to keep getting meal kits delivered. Doing so has slashed my grocery bill.

This may seem counterintuitive because these meal delivery services can come at a premium price. But, there are three big reasons why they've saved me money over the years. Here's what they are. 

1. I've eliminated impulse buys at the grocery store

Using meal kits means I don't have to visit the grocery store as often because I get a package delivered right to my door with the ingredients I need to make dinner. Since going to the grocery store almost always leads me to add unplanned items to my cart because I see something that catches my eye, skipping some store trips has had big benefits for my budget. 

2. I've cut down on food waste

Another major benefit of using a meal delivery kit is that I receive only food that I will be using to prepare my dinners. Nothing goes to waste with this approach, since each and every ingredient is a planned part of my meal.

When I go to the grocery store, this isn't always the case. Sometimes, for example, a recipe will call for two chicken breasts but they'll be sold in packages of three. While I always freeze the spare one with plans to use it later, it sometimes ends up getting lost in the freezer and tossed out months or years later.

And that's just one of many examples -- this can happen with everything from a head of cauliflower when you only need a cup, or cheese that's sold in eight ounce bags when you need four ounces. 

Food waste is bad news for my budget, and it also makes me feel guilty since I'm throwing away food while some people don't have enough of it. Meal prep services have eliminated these problems. 

3. I'm far less likely to eat out 

Finally, meal prep services have helped me cut my budget because they make it far less likely I'll decide to eat out. When a meal prep kit is delivered to my door, I don't have to think about what I'll have for dinner. Often, when I'm forced to make that choice, getting takeout seems really tempting -- even though it costs a lot more.

Since my meal prep kits come weekly and provide me with four dinners plus leftovers, I also have fewer opportunities to buy takeout food. I'm not going to skip cooking or eating one of the meals I've ordered, so even if I'm tempted to stop for lunch at a restaurant, I'll usually talk myself out of it because I know I have food sitting at home waiting for me.

For all of these reasons, meal prep services have been a big benefit for me. I don't waste money buying items at the grocery store that I don't need, and I can devote more money to saving for other financial goals since I'm not buying food I'm throwing away.