New Year’s Solutions: Making Mealtime Easy

NEW YEAR’S SOLUTIONS:

Making Mealtime Easy

By Liz Clearman

The holidays are officially over, and many of us are likely lamenting the amount of Christmas cookies, eggnog, pies, adult beverages, and cheese that we gleefully partook in over the season. One of the most popular New Year’s goals is to eat “healthier” (whatever that might mean for you), but if you’re anything like me, the thought of all that meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and then cleaning up afterward can be daunting. We’ve compiled several meal prep services in the Spring Branch/Memorial area and beyond that might just make your newly embraced eating habits just a little bit easier. (Author’s note: This list is not an endorsement of the services or stores by Spring Branch Plus; it is simply informational.)

BELONG KITCHEN Started by a local mom who noticed the stark lack of opportunity for her developmentally disabled daughter post-high school, Belong Kitchen is a neighborhood grab-and-go prepared meal storefront that employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They offer different ready to go meals daily (you can see the weekly menu on their website) that feed 4-6 people, and each meal is $45. They also take special orders.

belongkitchenhtx.org

HEB Yep, our favorite Texas-based grocery chain has one of the best prepared meal selections in town called Meal Simple. While all HEBs carry them, the one located on I-10 at Bunker Hill has the biggest selection in the area, and the options are endless. The meals are organized by type (Italian, Tex-Mex, classic, etc.) and you can get full meals for one, just entrées, just sides, or bigger meals to feed multiple mouths. This is a fantastic and affordable option if you’re a singleton just looking for one-off meals, or if you want to stock up for an upcoming busy week.

heb.com

LENA’S ASIAN KITCHEN Chef Trang (“Lena”) Le started this macro-friendly, Asian-based meal prep and delivery service after immigrating to the United States in 2015 when she realized that the healthy Asian comfort food she craved wasn’t readily available. You can choose your meals online and either have them delivered to your door or pick them up at several locations around Houston (including Bobo Tea on Dairy Ashford), and she’ll work with you if you have specific dietary preferences or limitations. Chef Le employs and empowers survivors of domestic violence and abuse, giving them the skills to help them grow in a safe and loving environment.

lenasasiankitchen.com

SMART MEALS Located right outside of the Spring Branch area in 77042, Smart Meals has a wide variety of healthy meal options (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), options for delivery or pickup, and even a subscribe and save option for those wanting to order meals weekly. Prices are extremely reasonable and each meal listing on the website shows calories, carbs, fat, and protein content upfront. If you’re doing low carb or keto, you can choose from a separate menu designed specifically for those diets.

smartmeals.com

SNAP KITCHEN Talk about flexibility — Snap Kitchen’s meals can be ordered online for either in-store pickup or delivery, but you can also visit their Memorial Villages location to browse what’s available. They also have a Snap Pass option to set up a recurring weekly, customizable order so that you never run out, and this free membership also gives you 5% off each order. Meals are portion controlled, healthy, and can be heated up in their eco-friendly packaging. You can view their location-specific and impressively varied menus online, place an order at work, and pick it up on the way home.

local.snapkitchen.com

TRES MARKET FOODS A Memorial favorite, Tres Market is a go-to for anyone looking to pick up ready-made meals for new moms, sick families, or for a party. The storefront off of the Beltway and Memorial also has snack options, a great wine selection, and other fun consumables. Menu items include breakfast, tea, and coffee; lunch; salad and dressings; appetizers, charcuterie, dips, and spreads; entrées; side dishes; breads; soups, hot sandwiches, and TV dinners; and desserts, as well as a catering menu. Pick up fresh or frozen meals in varying sizes and dinner is done.

tresmarketfoods.com