by Erin Guidry
The COVID-19 pandemic changed a lot about what the daily life of an American looks like. It also served as a catalyst to rapidly accelerate some trends that had been brewing for years. One of those is meal and grocery delivery.
Meal kits aren’t new. Both national and local outlets had been selling them for years before the pandemic. Adoption rates were slowly increasing as busy Americans found themselves hard pressed to get into the kitchen and cook a fresh meal every night, but for many people, this investment was still a luxury.
Oftentimes meal kits were aimed at specific groups of people (such as those with certain dietary restrictions or requirements such as organic or vegan fare) and that came with a hefty price tag.
The same goes for grocery delivery. Many grocery stores had been working for years to get delivery services off the ground, but with relatively slow customer growth, costs were still too high to roll it out on a mass scale.
When the whole world went on lockdown, things quickly evolved. We’ve seen nearly every restaurant and store embrace curbside pickup as well as third party or in-house delivery options. To those who are accustomed to handling all the shopping and cooking on their own, these services can feel like an unnecessary indulgence, but there are a few major reasons to embrace this trend, especially for retirees.
Convenience
If you’ve spent your entire life working hard to put food on the table, it’s going to feel like a luxury to never go to the grocery store again. But after years of grocery runs, you’ve earned a break! The convenience of having your groceries or pre-made meals delivered to your doorstep is a total game changer.
At Dorvie, we pride ourselves on finding ways to give your time back to you so that you can enjoy your retirement. Cutting out weekly trips to the grocery store will give you back hours of your time to do what you really want to do.
Cost
10 years ago, grocery and meal delivery came at a steep premium. In today’s world, that’s not the case. Most grocery and meal delivery services had to lower their prices if they wanted to survive the initial crushing wave of the pandemic.
These days, add-on fees are minimal and, when you consider the cost of gas to get to and from the store and the unseen cost of your own time spent on those things, it all balances out. It’s no longer an extravagance only some people can afford, which is reflected by recent studies showing that nearly 71% of Americans have made an online grocery purchase in the last 3 months.
Utilizing delivery services can also make you more deliberate with the things you shop for. You can meal plan for the week ahead (especially if you’re in a set routine and like to have certain things each week) and get only what you need, thus saving yourself from the impulse buying that often happens when you shop in-store.
Changing It Up
Let’s face it—one of the worst parts of adulthood is having to figure out what to cook every night for the rest of your life. If you’re burned out on cooking, a meal delivery service can be just the thing to liven up your routine.
Regardless of your dietary needs, there is a delivery service out there for you! Some specialize in vegetarian or heart-healthy plans. Others take into account diabetic needs or allergies. Whatever your specific needs, there is likely a meal kit out there for you.
And with meal kits, you don’t have to worry about leftovers or food waste. They send you just the right amount of ingredients to execute the recipe and no more.
Embracing meal and grocery delivery may initially feel like “treating yourself”. But ultimately we promise that 1) it’s easy to work into your monthly budget 2) it’s not a luxury product and 3) you’ve earned it! Give yourself a break and enjoy the convenience and simplicity of having your food come to you.