Gardencup

[ShoppGirl 3,419]

Has anyone tried the gardencup meal delivery service? Everything is in a cup to take to go they have Soups, salads, power cups, produce cups, and dip cups as well as snack cups. They are $10-12 each so kinda pricey but I’m justifying it for myself since my husband doesn’t eat what I eat and produce tends to go bad on me before I can use it all as do all the different cheeses and stuff to make a variety of salads. That plus the convenience factor are making them enticing.

I am looking at the Protein and the mini cup salads have less than the regular sized ones which is unfortunate since post surgery the mini one will probably be the better portion size. The minis are around 15-20g protein. I’m Just curious if anyone has tried these or has any thoughts on them. I’m thinking I may have to switch out the dressing for a lower fat option or have no dressing but that’s with premade salad from anywhere.

I usually get the southwest or market salad at chick fila with an extra chicken filet on the side. I take it home pull off the toppings and a little of the lettuce and that’s plenty for one day then the next I can make a chicken ceaser salad with the extra chicken, the leftover lettuce and my own yogurt dressing but that’s only when I’m in town anyways. I don’t like to make a special trip just for salad plus those aren’t prepared to grab And go like these cups are. They would fit perfect in a cooler to take with me when I’m out for the day

[Spinoza 1,202]

They sounds great. I live in Ireland so I haven't seen them. I prepare 90% of my meals from scratch - I love cooking and I have children so it's so much cheaper that way! It didn't take much tweaking for them to get what they liked and me to get what I needed in the months after surgery.

I could see this sort of thing being super handy when you're out and about or just to have a healthier option when your partner is eating differently. I am like you - hate waste!

[ms.sss 14,774]

i'm of the mind that if anything can make it easier to make better choices, then go for it (if you have the means and inclination of course).

i'm also of the mind to try stuff out and see if it works for you. if it does, AWESOME, if it doesn't just drop it and find something else.

@ShoppGirl...i (and many others im sure) have noticed your efforts and knowledge-gathering to prepare for your upcoming revision...you go girl, you sound like you are in a great mindset to tackle this head on.

Good luck! (i'm rooting for you ❤️)

[ShoppGirl 3,419]

6 hours ago, ms.sss said:

i'm of the mind that if anything can make it easier to make better choices, then go for it (if you have the means and inclination of course).

i'm also of the mind to try stuff out and see if it works for you. if it does, AWESOME, if it doesn't just drop it and find something else.

@ShoppGirl...i (and many others im sure) have noticed your efforts and knowledge-gathering to prepare for your upcoming revision...you go girl, you sound like you are in a great mindset to tackle this head on.

Good luck! (i'm rooting for you ❤️)

Thanks 😊

[NickelChip 792]

Okay, so I've done other meal prep services before but hadn't heard of this one. The salads look lovely, but holy moly, the price tag is a shock! Not to say I wouldn't do it if I had the means, but have you considered just ordering reusable cups of this size from Amazon and meal prepping once a week? Given how simple their ingredients are, you could probably recreate these easily, and for a fraction of the cost. Plus less waste, which is my big complaint with all the meal service companies. So much trash. In fact, since each of their items tells you exactly what's in it, I may have to try this approach out myself in a few months when I can more easily tolerate raw veg. I love the idea of salads on the go.

[ShoppGirl 3,419]

7 hours ago, NickelChip said:

Okay, so I've done other meal prep services before but hadn't heard of this one. The salads look lovely, but holy moly, the price tag is a shock! Not to say I wouldn't do it if I had the means, but have you considered just ordering reusable cups of this size from Amazon and meal prepping once a week? Given how simple their ingredients are, you could probably recreate these easily, and for a fraction of the cost. Plus less waste, which is my big complaint with all the meal service companies. So much trash. In fact, since each of their items tells you exactly what's in it, I may have to try this approach out myself in a few months when I can more easily tolerate raw veg. I love the idea of salads on the go.

They definitely are pricey, I agree. If i was going to make one of these for salads for a family of four or going to eat the same exact thing four days in a row I could make it considerably cheaper. But to buy all the differnt ingredients for the differnt salads for just me (he won’t eat salad) I waste…a lot of food (produce, cheese, dressings, Beans, corn, etc. My price to make them for one is a little closer to theirs to begin with so I am paying less than some for the convenience factor. I mean I go to Chick-fil-A now and pay $15 for a salad and an extra chicken filet that makes two servings which I would just buy that and put into smaller containers but it’s 30 minutes from me so not exactly convenient.

In terms of waste, Their cups are actually reusable. They give examples of how to reuse them to organize your pantry and fridge on their website. I would probably donate the containers to my local thrift store. I always have a bag or box going. If you plan to make your own you may be cheaper to order them once and reuse their containers? That way you can see how they layer them to keep them freshest too. Just a thought I was considering as well.

[NickelChip 792]

1 hour ago, ShoppGirl said:

If you plan to make your own you may be cheaper to order them once and reuse their containers? That way you can see how they layer them to keep them freshest too. Just a thought I was considering as well.

That's a good strategy! The reusable containers can get very expensive, several dollars a piece. So why not get them and the food, too? I miss salad. At nearly 3 months post-bypass, I just don't have the capacity for a salad, and I worry about the raw veg as I'm still having issues if I don't chew my food down to a paste and take very small bites. But someday, I hope I can eat salad again! Right now, 2-3 oz of meat and a little bit of cooked veg is all I can manage.

[ShoppGirl 3,419]

1 hour ago, NickelChip said:

That's a good strategy! The reusable containers can get very expensive, several dollars a piece. So why not get them and the food, too? I miss salad. At nearly 3 months post-bypass, I just don't have the capacity for a salad, and I worry about the raw veg as I'm still having issues if I don't chew my food down to a paste and take very small bites. But someday, I hope I can eat salad again! Right now, 2-3 oz of meat and a little bit of cooked veg is all I can manage.

Another tip. On their site you have to order a minimum of 6 AND subscribe to their service but they have a variety pack of 4 on Amazon which was sold out so I am not sure if it will be available again but worth checking there first. I am thinking of ordering them there in case I don’t like them. I hate subscribing to stuff. I am one of the people they are hoping for that forgets to cancel.

i just messaged the seller on Amazon and asked them to bring back the sample pack. Fingers crossed they do.

Edited May 4 by ShoppGirl