I HEART: Plated

As I mentioned two weeks ago, I’m obsessed with Plated.

 

** sorry in advance for an insanely long post... I just couldn't cut anything out...

 

 
A little Bit of Background...

Plated helps busy (and hungry) people all over the country create chef-inspired meals with in-season ingredients, all delivered right to their doors. Simply visit the website and select from seven dishes (they change weekly) and on the delivery date of your choice (Tuesday or Friday)you’ll receive a delivery of a majority of the ingredients you need (perfectly portioned out), plus the recipes to make each dish a reality in 20-40 minutes.

Empty pantries will never be a problem, since Plated only assumes you have milk, eggs, salt, pepper, oil and butter. Aside from those few staple ingredients, they’ll send everything you need, including spices.

 
These ingredients are locally sourced whenever possible, and they arrive in the correct portions for each recipe.

Almost all the ingredients sent to you are sourced locally. When it comes to fish, Plated uses 100 percent sustainable and domestic seafood from Sea to Table. They also care about what goes into their meats, which is why they exclusively source antibiotic and hormone-free, with an emphasis on working with local, family-owned farms.

A typical plate has between 600 and 800 calories, and is low in unsaturated fat—making each quick meal far healthier than takeout.

The culinary experts at Plated take all the fuss out of food preparation. They’ll send you step-by-step recipes.

My Experience
I get insanely excited on delivery day and when I see this box on my doorstep I literally do a happy dance which involves me jumping up and down screaming "It's Here!! It's Here!!"

 P.S. - It is worth noting that the boxes are made from 100% recycled content (and 100% recyclable) and the ice gel packs that keep your food cold are non-toxic and non-hazardous. Clip the corner, discard the gel and recycle the plastic.
 
When the box is opened you first see the recipe cards. These cards are also available on-line under your "Order History" (I love that I don't have to save every card but that I can easily just look on-line to recreate these yummy meals in the future.)

 
Here are some photos from the meals I've cooked

 
There has only been one instance when I have been disappointed by the produce received and that was when my beets were TINY Baby Beets and not like the normal size pictured. I e-mailed plated to voice my dissatisfaction and they IMMEDIATLY made it right by providing me with a $12.00 credit. (equivalent of one free plate). I was beyond happy with their response time and customer service,

 
Pricing Info:
$12 per plate (a plate only serves one person)... with a minimum of 4 plates per order. Plated also offers two "Chef's Table" meals each week and these are at a premium market price. Free shipping for orders over $50.
 
How we Order:
We are currently signed up for automatic shipments of 6 plates (3 meals with 2 plates of each) every other week. As the kids get older we will need to either up our shipment or supplement with additional proteins that we purchase separately (buy and extra chicken breast or salmon fillet and cook with the plated meal). BUT... for now with just Emma eating larger portions were are okay only ordering two plates of each meal... they send enough that it easily covers her dinner too.
 
I'm obsessive about going on the plated website to customize our order to EXACTLY the meals that I want delivered (if you forget though they will just pick your meals for you). I probably go on the website once a day (again aware that is obsessive)... Things don't even change on a daily basis but I go on anyway... I'm a freak. AND I get super excited each time a new menu is released. I sit in bed pouring over each detail to Matt... just because I'm sure he REALLY wants to know what we will be eating two weeks from now...
 
Coming up:
We will get a delivery next week and I'M OBSESSED with this meal... Chef's Table: Strip Steak, Potato Tian, and Caramelized Brussels Sprouts.

We decided to upgrade to a Chef's Table meal because Matt's Mom will be in town so I wanted to do a nicer meal for her and we did 4 plates because there will be 4 adults... at $24 a plate it isn't cheap but I figure it is less than we would pay for a nice dinner out at a restaurant in D.C.... and the $15 bottle of wine that I serve with dinner will only cost $15 and not the $50 that I would pay in a restaurant...
 
My mouth waters reading the description...
"Our exceptional New York strip takes a classic French preparation with a bordelaise reduction of red wine, fresh tarragon and shallots. The strip steak is served with potato tian, a rustic French technique for producing slow-roasted, thinly-sliced vegetables from a shallow earthenware dish. For a hint of sweetness, the accompanying Brussels sprouts are caramelized and crunchy from browning in the oven, rounding out this savory, rich meal."
 
I also love that they detail exactly what they will send you and exactly what you will need on their menu.

I think that this helps customers make informed decisions when ordering.  

I'm also looking forward to this beauty...

I would HIGHLY recommend giving plated a try... Fair warning though it is addictive! The three people that I have turned on to the service are now all almost as obsessed as I am!

But really give it a try! If you click this Plated link we can both get two FREE plates! or do one of the other many promotions that they have going on! JUST TRY IT!