Home Chef Meal Prep Service Review + $30 First Order Discount!

If you live in an urban area, you probably have access to brick and mortar meal preparation services. Apparently the fixed costs, labor intensity and razor thin margins make these businesses hard to sustain because they tend to shut their doors rather abruptly. It is not surprising that the concept has moved on line. With no research, I can think of at least seven on-line meal delivery services and I'm sure there are a lot more than that.

Having been a long time customer of a local meal prep place, I was intrigued by all the meal service discount offers flooding my in box.  In checking the details, I found that many of the menus are too specialized, too gourmet or just too adventurous for me.  Some just cost too much. The one that seemed to offer the most normal meal options at a reasonable price was Home Chef.

The cost of a meal prep service is usually stated in terms of price per serving and includes everything you need (except very basic ingredients and utensils) to make the dinner.  These prices generally run from about $9 to $15 per meal.  At $9.95 per serving, Home Chef offers one of the lower priced services.

They have five diet plans available:  Omnivore, Meat & Seafood only, Meat only, Pescatarian and Vegetarian.  You can switch between these as much as you want but I chose Omnivore for my first order.  You can also choose the number of servings you want per meal (2, 4, 6 or 8) and the number of meals you want per week (2 through 8). You also have the opportunity to indicate personal preferences, such as low calorie, low carb, ingredients to avoid and whether or not you want a breakfast, a smoothie and some fruit added to your weekly box. If you complete your account profile, there is very little risk of getting something you really dislike.

For my first order, I received ingredients for five meals, two servings each. In hindsight, that was probably too much for one order but I was curious and wanted enough variety to give them a fair evaluation.  Everything arrived in a huge box that was very well insulated.

A thick layer of custom insulation surrounded everything in the box.

All items were packed in a logical order with meats on the bottom, fruits and vegetables in the center and fresh herbs and condiments on the top.  There were several ice packs to keep everything at an optimal temperature.

Home Chef provides cooking instructions via pre-punched card stock pages. Each recipe lets you know at a glance the approximate prep time, the level of difficulty and number of days you have to cook the meal.  The card also gives nutrition information, drink pairings and step by step instructions with color photos. They even include plating instructions which ensure a restaurant quality appearance.

Since the photography for a review like this is time consuming, I will focus on just three of the five meals I received.  First was the Blackened Chicken Salad with Cracked Pepper Buttermilk Dressing.  All of the ingredients, except the chicken breasts, were packed and labeled in a separate bag with seasonings and non-produce ingredients individually labeled.

Here are the smaller items, all pre-portioned and ready to go.

   
The quality of the meat and produce is exceptional; some of it is better than I can buy at a regular grocery store. They clearly go out of their way to provide the very best ingredients. 

The card said this would take about 40 minutes to prepare and as I remember, that was about right.  The plating instructions made this a spectacular meal.  Absolutely delicious salad!

The second meal on the menu was a Chicago-Style Deep Dish Pizza.  I have to confess...I didn't really know what that meant, just that I like pizza.  Here are the ingredients and the card said it would take 50 minutes to prepare; again, just about right.

This pizza is much more basic in construction than what I usually make.  The main ingredients are just tomatoes, mozzarella, Italian sausage and red onion.  The ingredients are added in a reverse order from traditional pizza with the cheese on the bottom and the sauce on the top.  This was easy to prepare but I discovered I don't really like Chicago style pizza.  This was not the fault of Home Chef, just my lack of familiarity with this particular dish when ordering.

As with all the Home Chef meals I've tried, the portions are very generous.  Even though I purchased "two serving" meals, I often ended up with enough for three or four meals.  Most of the meals are complete in the sense that you have a main dish and two sides but the pizza was heavy enough that nothing else was really needed.

Along with my order, I requested one breakfast dish.  This is Harvest Pork Sausage & Eggs.  I loved the appearance of the ingredients before even getting started!  And yes, those are liquid eggs in the tall bottle.

I can tell you...breakfasts of this substance and quality are rarely seen around my house. This was absolutely delicious!

I've made about ten Home Chef dinners now.  The above three meals are representative of the quality and effort required overall.  What I love about this service is the restaurant caliber ingredients, the explicit instructions and the generous portions.  The downside is mainly the prep time.  This is not fast food and if you're accustomed to whipping something out of the freezer, nuking it and having it on the table in ten minutes, meals like this are going to seem like a lot of work.  There is a LOT of chopping, dicing and slicing of produce and herbs involved. After my first two or three meals, I realized that having a Home Chef meal for dinner meant a serious time commitment...one that I didn't always have. If you have the time, this can be an enjoyable process but I can't imagine it being a practical option for working adults who need to get dinner on the table quickly. 

One other thought...some of the flavors and seasonings in these meals are probably more sophisticated than many people generally prepare at home.  Because these meals are expensive, I'm not sure they are a good option for children or adults who are accustomed to very basic diets.  I'm sure Home Chef would disagree but if your family is used to mac 'n cheese or hot dogs, they may not appreciate the quality and effort that goes into these meals.  On the other hand, it's a great opportunity to broaden their palates!

If you might be interested in trying Home Chef, click here for $30 off your first order.  I have found it a great way to learn new cooking techniques and polish some old ones. Having amazing recipes and ingredients delivered directly to your door is wonderful motivation for putting better quality meals on your table!  

Thank you for reading,

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

The Match Up from eSalon Hair Products Review, December 2015 + $10 Discount!

It's surprising that so few sub boxes have concentrated on hair products exclusively. They all contain small hair samples occasionally but I'm not aware of any that specifically focus on hair products.  One that does is The Match Up by eSalon.  I wasn't familiar with eSalon until recently but their primary business is at home individualized hair color.

With The Match Up, customers can get three eSalon branded hair products tailored to their specific needs.  For $30 a month, you can mix and match three full size hair products, either choosing them yourself ("Manual" mode) or letting their experts choose for you ("Discover" mode). You can also add up to two bonus items for a discount of 25% each.  They offer a range of hair products for color care, color enhancing, volume, repair, smoothing, styling plus a few tools and a couple of brow products. You can choose a delivery frequency of 4, 5 or 6 weeks and you can skip a shipment any time you want.

Since the available product range is pretty narrow and a few of the categories didn't meet my needs at all, there wasn't a lot to choose from.  But I was able to find three styling products that seemed appropriate for my hair.  My first box arrived just five days after ordering in a medium sized pink and white box.

Inside, the products were contained in a big white drawstring bag.

A personalized card showed the three products I chose plus the amount of money I saved, which they said was $28.00.  After comparing the discounted initial price I paid ($19.95) against the combined retail prices ($43.00), I see that I actually saved $23.05.  Using the full monthly price of $30.00 would have resulted in a savings of just $13.00...not very impressive. And while I'm on a rant here, it is annoying to have to click through the product on the main page to get the retail price!

On to happier comments!  The big white bag contained these three products, all in full sizes:

First is eSalon's Get Heated Thermal Protect Hair Mist.  This protects hair during heat styling, leaves it silky and shiny and delivers moisture to dry hair....all highly desirable results from my hair's point of view!

Next is their Sleek Dreams Smoothing Balm which smooths hair during styling, eliminates frizz and "increases style memory"...an interesting claim! This can be used on wet or dry hair.

The third item is Perfect Ending Leave-In Conditioner, the item I expect to like and use the most.  It is hydrating and lightweight and shields hair from the elements.

These look like nice products and regardless of the shady savings calculation, I certainly got a good buy. For now, I have temporarily suspended shipments until I have time to thoroughly test these three products. It is nice to have the option of keeping your account intact while having current shipments on hold (plus, it's just good business).

I should mention that The Match Up subscription service may be of particular interest to those with color treated hair as that is eSalon's main product focus.  But even if that's not your primary hair concern, there are still some good products to check out.  For a $10 discount on your first order, click here.  That should make your first order about $20 and for full size versions of salon quality hair products, that's a great deal!

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

Pet Gift Box Review, December 2015 + 50% Discount on First Box!

The holidays have come and gone but December's Pet Gift Box was a good one and I thought it deserved a review, however late!  So did my pups, who do not care a bit if their toys and treats are seasonally appropriate.  Pet Gift Box has monthly subscriptions for dogs and cats.  The dog boxes are available in three sizes...Petite Pup, Mid-Sized Pup and Hefty Hound and the kitty boxes are one size fits all. For either, you can select the gender and/or whether you have a multiple pet household.

Pet Gift Box subscriptions are available by the month or in three, six or twelve month terms for progressive discounts.  You can also purchase gift subscriptions for the same term lengths.  When signing up, you are asked for your pet's name.  From then on, your Pet Gift Boxes are hand addressed to your special pup or kitty.

Of all the pet boxes, I think Pet Gift Box does the best job of curating their boxes around a theme.  They did a particularly nice job of that with the December box which, of course, was ALL about the holidays! 

The enclosed card introduces the theme and gives a little information about each item and its retail price. 

This adorable plush moose from FouFouDog is made of brown corduroy and the body has a very enticing crackle sound plus a squeaker inside.  What's not to love?

Next is a cute paw print cellophane package full of "Holiday Blend" that looks like it was packaged especially for Pet Gift Box.  It contains a blend of "roasted beef tips and krunchie tubes".  These 100% all natural treats look disgusting...and my pups absolutely love them!  (I prefer to think of this as a festive package of red and green M&M's for dogs.)

My boys had a slight difference of opinion about this striped knit scarf from Zippy Paws. So...who wore it best?  

Caught in the act (notice guilty expression)! Young Dakota thought the scarf was just a convenient way to hold a pompom within reach for him to destroy.  I pulled it out of his mouth just before it got annihilated.

Joe Cool (aka Tucker) knows how to rock a bespoke wardrobe...recline on a pile of pillows, show class and above all, don't eat the clothing!

With all the candles in my house, you'd think there would be one to combat pet odors.  But this is actually the first one I've seen expressly for that purpose.  It's called "Holidays Fur All" and comes from Pet House Candle.  It has a fresh evergreen, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg scent.

And finally, there is a package of little gingerbread men shaped treats from Cloud Star. They are soft and chewy and the pups love them!  I don't remember ever running across gingerbread flavored dog treats before.

The boys are thoroughly enjoying this box and I loved the mix of items it contained. Pet Gift Box always comes through with a fun themed assortment that is sure to please both pets and people.

If you'd like to do something nice for your best friend, click here to get a 50% discount on your first box.  This is a great deal on a great box; check them out and set some tails wagging!

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

GlobeIn Artisan Crafts Review, December 2015 + Discount Codes!

It has been a LONG time since I reviewed a GlobeIn box; fourteen months to be exact! GlobeIn sources products that are handmade by artisans in remote areas and connects them to a worldwide market. The hope is that native craft techniques can be saved with sustainable businesses developed in the process. 

Although the cause was certainly noble, my experience was that the products I received were not practical or applicable in any way to my life. The problem was a common one for sub companies (or any company, for that matter) with altruistic ambitions. To appreciate this company, you pretty much had to consider your monthly fee a donation to support third world artisans.

In spite of the above, I thought they had an interesting concept and one that might improve as they worked out the kinks.  Over the past six months or so, there have been some great reviews so I thought it was time to give GlobeIn another try. The cost of a GlobeIn box is $35 or $99 if you pay for three months in advance.  The best deal is a six month term for an advance payment of $180. 

December's GlobeIn box arrived in a medium size cube shaped box with words to inspire on one side.

Everything in the box was packed inside this cute palm leaf basket which was hand woven in Oaxaca, Mexico.  The one I received has a cute purple chevron pattern. This is such a useful item and at 6" tall, it's just the right size for all sorts of storage needs.  This one will hold some beauty supplies in my bathroom for the time being.   

Here's a look at how everything was packed inside the basket:

GlobeIn sends a little booklet with a page telling about each item on one side and a picture of the artist who made it on the other side.  There is quite a bit of information about how sales of the product have affected the lives of the artisans.

The page above tells about these upcycled greeting cards made by people with disabilities who live in a refugee camp in Malawi.  These amazing cards are created from handmade paper and recycled African textiles. (The white parts are the handmade paper and the colored parts are fabric attached to the paper.)  Their wonderful texture makes them quite unique and I'm sure note recipients would love to get one of these!

This gold beaded necklace with tiny fabric tassels spaced at intervals comes from an ethical fashion company in the Honduras known as Tribe Alive.  This is a simple piece that I think will layer well with many other necklaces.  The necklace arrived in a handmade hand stamped muslin bag from Haiti.

From the Dominican Republic comes an organic dark chocolate caramel crunch bar from Equal Exchange Chocolates.  The booklet gives some information about the local cacao farmers who provide the beans for this chocolate.

This is a hand dyed batik table runner from a seamstress in Ghana. When opened out, it measures about 4 feet by 13 inches.  It is fully lined so has a nice substantial feel.  This is a beautifully made piece that will upgrade the look of a dining or console table!

I am so pleased with everything in December's GlobeIn box!  The curation is spot on and the craftsmanship of each piece is exquisite.  Of course, the cultural aspect significantly enhances the uniqueness and desirability of each piece.  

For orders of three months or more, use code ARTISAN25, WELCOME or CELEBRATE for an $8.75 discount or code REFRESH for a $7.50 discount. All of the items shown above plus many others are available individually in GlobeIn's shop.  If you purchase three or more items ($30 or more), you get a free palm leaf basket with your order.

Based on this box, I think GlobeIn has made huge improvements in the types of items they send, particularly in terms of aesthetic appeal and usefulness.  And it just feels good to support these talented artisans while getting really nice items that you can gift or enjoy yourself!

Cheryl

P. S.  One less expensive purchase option is GlobeIn's Benefit Basket which is only $19.99. This includes a palm leaf basket with one handcrafted good inside.

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post does not contain referral or affiliate links.

Ecocentric Mom December 2015 Review + $10 Discount Code!

Ecocentric Mom is the only subscription service I know about where you can pick a box based on stage of motherhood.  All of the boxes contain beauty, bath and body and snack items for Moms. The "Pregnancy" box also contains pregnancy care and baby prep items. The "Mom & Baby" box includes baby food, baby care, baby attire and baby play items. The "Mom" box includes health and wellness and home items.

You can have Ecocentric Mom delivered monthly or bi-monthly for $24.95.  In addition, they offer three, six and twelve month plans with progressive discounts (as low as $22 per mo.) for longer terms.  Plans auto renew and shipping is free within the United States.  

The theme of December's box was "post holiday calm" with products chosen to help relax and unwind after the holiday season.  This review is for the "Mom" box.

The information card tells what's in the box and gives a bit of information about each item. It also provides a website for each product plus discount codes if you want to purchase more.  

There are four packages of Smarty Pants multivitamins; two for adults and two for kids.  Each packet contains two gummies in fruity flavors.

Next is the kind of item you only see in sub boxes....a "therapeutic quality Ayurvedic organic essential oil blend".  These provide personal aromatherapy when applied topically throughout the day.  The card says they "evoke a euphoric feeling".  OK, I just applied some (it has a slightly grassy citrusy scent); I'll let you know if I'm feeling euphoric by the end of this post!

This package contains Coconut Chips from Coconut Organics.  These are lightly toasted and naturally sweet.  I'm not crazy about these on their own but they make a tasty topper for ice cream or other desserts.

Next is a bottle of Rejuvenate Avocado and Mango Butter Body Oil from HelloMellow.  The idea is to massage it into your skin for the ultimate nourishing and healing experience.  This aromatherapy product is said to be good for hydrating dry winter skin.

From Konjac Sponge, there is a bamboo charcoal facial sponge.  This is not pretty but the card says it contains activated carbon and various minerals that enhance absorption which makes sense since it is labeled "suitable for oily and acne prone skin".  Interesting item but probably not something I will use much.

The last item is the obligatory lip balm, this time it's a coconut scent from The Laughing Tree. This smells nice and will certainly be used but honestly, I'm getting tired of lip balms in every subscription box.  From a business standpoint, I completely understand why sub commerce companies keep turning to these but from a consumer standpoint, they just come across as filler.

For me, this was a pretty lackluster box.  None of the products are particularly interesting and none are things I would buy independently.  To be fair, I am not the intended demographic for this box but I do review a lot of boxes and this one just seems uninspired. We have seen much better boxes from this company; hopefully, this was just a one time aberration.  

If you're interested in trying Ecocentric Mom, click here to get a discount code worth $10 off a three or six month subscription.  This offer expires on March 23, 2016. Hopefully, the next box will show some improvement!

Thanks for reading,

Cheryl

P.S.  Not feeling too euphoric right now!

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post may contain referral or affiliate links.

Carol's Daughter Natural Hair, Body and Skincare Products Review

Many of the beauty bloggers and vloggers I follow have had really good things to say about products from Carol's Daughter.  This company has been around for quite a few years and specializes in hair, body and skincare items.  Their hair products are known for being particularly effective in dealing with problems associated with ethnic hair.  Since my hair shares many of the same challenges, I thought I'd give them a try.  

Here's a look at my first order from Carol's Daughter.  I'd read that they have some amazing scents so decided to focus on the Black Vanilla hair care line and the Almond Cookie body collection plus a couple of other signature products.

The main reason for this order was my desire to try the Black Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner, both of which are specially made to handle dry, dull and brittle hair. The shampoo is sulfate-free...a big plus!  The conditioner claims to instantly improve dry hair by 80%; that's a big claim but I have the hair that can prove or disprove it. These products have an amazing light and fresh vanilla scent.

Another Black Vanilla product is an 8 oz. Hair Smoothie which is a deeply hydrating once-a-week treatment that you can massage in to wet hair and leave on for 5 to 7 minutes or use with a plastic cap and sit under a dryer for 5 to 7 minutes.  This also has that lovely warm vanilla fragrance and contains lots of good-for-hair emollients.

From the Almond Cookie line, there is a 12 oz. bottle of Cleansing Gel, also sulfate-free.  This contains rich ingredients, nourishing vitamins and anti-oxidants to leave you with soft, hydrated skin.  The intoxicating scent blend contains sweet marzipan, tonka bean and vanilla.

Another Almond Cookie product is this Body Butter for extra dry to very dry skin.  This may provide more hydration than my skin really needs so I'll start off by confining it to elbows, knees and heels.  This one is currently sold out but judging from the reviews, it's popular enough that it will probably return.

There is more Almond Cookie goodness in this Shea Souffle which helps heal dry skin, rather than just hiding it.  This is a deeply hydrating body butter and gets great reviews, most of which mention the incredible (but not over-powering scent) and all day skin softening.

Since I use a leave-in conditioner every time I style my hair, I decided to try the Monoi Repairing Leave-In Conditioner.  Manoi oil is made by soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias in coconut oil; it does have a lovely gardenia scent!  At 4 oz., I believe this is a trial size.  It contains no alcohol, parabens, petroleum, mineral oil or artificial colors.

I also purchased a Monoi Body Repairing Transformative Bi-Phase Tonic.  This is partly a toner and partly a serum mist.  It comes in a spray bottle and the idea is to spritz it on your skin to help smooth, soothe and rejuvenate.  Some reviewers mentioned skin issues which were calmed with this product.  

Carol's Daughter included a couple of logo gift boxes, a nice touch!  I don't know if this was because of my order's proximity to Christmas or if they do this with all their orders.  Anyway, it makes it very easy to gift these products.

While my order certainly doesn't cover all the product lines offered by Carol's Daughter, I think it is representative of some of their signature lines and products.  I have not given everything a trial run yet but judging from the scents and ingredient lists alone, there won't be any problem making these natural products part of my daily routine.

Now is a great time to shop Carol's Daughter because many of their products are on a post holiday 60% discount.  For the next couple of days (until Jan. 3rd, I believe) you can get a FREE 4 oz. Manoi Shampoo or Conditioner with any $30 purchase.  A $25+ order gets free shipping.  If you really enjoy these products, you can become a member for $5 and get access to all sorts of special deals and promotions (today's member deal is 20% off site-wide).  Last, but certainly not least, is eBates....where you can get a 5% rebate on any Carol's Daughter order.

Best wishes for 2016!

Cheryl

Disclosure:  Views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly my own.  Product discussed in this post was purchased by Lone Star Shopper. Post does not contain referral or affiliate links.