Try these local meal kits, round 2
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Thai coconut soup topped with lots of vegetables and cilantro from this month's meal kit. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
Alissa here, reporting back after completing my second monthly meal kit from the nonprofit Local Matters.
How it works: Order kits online and a bright green Veggie Van will deliver them for free within the I-270 outerbelt.
- It's similar to HelloFresh or Home Chef but at a cheaper price of just $10 per meal.
This month's meal: Rice and a creamy Thai coconut soup with carrots, mushrooms, onion, bok choy and lots of curry.
💭 My thought bubble: The meals continue to be worth the cost, with fresh ingredients and good portions — but I continue to struggle with following the directions.
- Unlike last month, I didn't reach out for help this time.
- I diced up all the provided vegetables and proudly took a photo. But after sampling the finished soup, I realized I had made two grave mistakes.
Pro tip: Apparently, lemongrass' woody outer stalk must be removed before chopping. And lime leaves are added whole during the cooking process, for flavor, and then removed.
- 😬 Whoops. I tried.
Yes but: The soup still tasted great, despite the unexpected tough, chewy textures.
- I first tried it mixed with rice but found it more flavorful on its own.
- You can add a protein like tofu, chicken or shrimp, but it's perfectly tasty without it.
What's next: My third and final kit is a black bean pasta stir fry, so check back next month.
ICYMI: Check out the first month's meal, a Parmesan-and-mushroom Dutch baby