*A big thanks to our good friends at Blue Apron for partnering with us on this sponsored post. Recipe fatigue is a real thing and they’re here to help with easy dinners! (Oh, and they’re giving HowDoesShe gals $60 off too!)

2020 has got me tired. Like bone tired. Every week is a new obstacle course to navigate–will my kids be in school today or learning from home? (It changes every week in our school district depending on COVID-19 cases.) Our social circles vacillate from allowing groups of 50 to mandating groups of 10, meaning I never know if I can attend my kids extra-curricular activities or if I have to give them a kiss good luck and drop them off at the door.

I’m tired of never knowing what to expect and tired of always having to be on high-alert. What I’m thankful most for in my life right now are the constants I can count on and look forward to–my socially-distanced book club once a month, a new episode of my favorite TV show every night, and three meals a week that I don’t have to plan, shop for, or pick up.

Blue Apron has been a life-saver for me this year. It’s one of those “constants” that I look forward to every single week. When I couldn’t go to the grocery store when COVID hit, they delivered fresh meals to my doorstep. And now, with so much up in the air all the time, I can’t tell you how nice it is knowing that every week I’ll get 3 delicious restaurant-quality meals dropped off on my doorstep that I did nothing to prepare for except choose the recipes that looked yummiest.

If you’re tired of the rigamarole of planning meals and shopping for them, give Blue Apron a try (it’s $60 off your first three boxes right now!). They’re easy, delicious meals for when you’re sick of cooking.

Easy Dinners for When You’re Sick of Cooking

Blue Apron is a gourmet meal delivery kit that brings everything you need to cook a healthy, hearty dinner to your doorstep. I’ve been ordering it for a few months now and everything inside is always fresh (even seafood). I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the quality of ingredients and the unique recipes.

It’s made cooking fun and exciting for me again. We’ve tried new ingredients (spaghetti squash–so yum!) and recipes that I probably never would have done on my own. (These chorizo enchiladas were amazing! A little spicy, but delicious.) Easy dinners made exciting.

Go see what’s on the menu at Blue Apron this week!

Convenient & Flexible

Every week there are 23 recipes to choose from, with something for everyone’s taste and health preference, and it’s very simple to manage. (I’ve tried a few different meal kits and I like Blue Apron’s meal manager the best.) I use the Blue Apron app on my phone to view upcoming menus and skip a week if I don’t particularly like what’s on the menu or if we’ll be out of town. You can also monitor your credits and cancel at anytime.

Yep, they really are easy dinners. (About 30 min.)

Don’t expect a frozen lasagna scenario where you just toss something in the oven. Blue Apron meals do require some work, but if you can follow a recipe, you’ll find them pretty easy. They’re for people like me who like to cook, but don’t necessarily have time for planning and shopping for meals.

From start to finish, it takes me about 30 minutes to get a Blue Apron dinner on the table. And the pay-off is enormous! I made salmon avocado bowls for my father-in-law and you’d have thought I took him to a 5-star restaurant. He still raves about that dish and it makes me smile.

Meal Favorites and Not-So-Favorites

I have sworn an oath of honesty in all my writing, so I’ll dish on the favorite Blue Apron recipes we’ve had and the ones I would pass on.

All-time favorites:

• Salmon Avocado bowls – So fresh! If you like salmon, a must. The textures and flavors are fun and exciting.
• Pimento Cheeseburgers – A bit spicy, but so juicy! Again, exciting flavors I’d never tasted before. This one is a must if it comes back again. (All the burgers I’ve tried have been amazing.)
• Sautéed Salmon and Kale – I love salmon, so I loved this dish. Also, the filets came deboned, beautifully packaged, and so fresh.

Not-so-faves:

• Anything ground turkey – I personally don’t like the taste, but thought I’d give it a try in a pasta dish. Still not a fan. My fam didn’t love it either so I’ll probably skip on the ground turkey recipes.
• Calabrian Chicken – This one was probably my fault. I think I terrorized the chicken (aka overcooked it), but I didn’t particularly like the spiciness of the dish. Next time I’ll cut the chicken breasts in half for a thinner cut, which I prefer, and lay off the spice. And that’s the good thing about Blue Apron recipes; you can always leave out the spice if you so desire.

The chorizo enchiladas we had last night were delicious! Perfectly light spice and lots of bold flavors.

Price Point & Quality

For anyone who goes out to eat regularly, Blue Apron is going to save you money–it’s around $7 per serving and they’re big servings. And when you order now, you’ll get $60 off your next three boxes. It ends up being an even better deal!

Honestly, at around $40 plus free shipping, it’s LESS than I’d spend on groceries for three meals. Totally worth it in my opinion. Another thing I love about Blue Apron is that I never have to measure a thing; all of the portions are done for you! Just cut a packet and add to the skillet.

Snag a gift card!

Give the gift of home cooking this season. I can’t think of a better gift for a busy parent or a budding home chef. Grab a Blue Apron e-gift card for easy dinners or wine and give someone on your list the best surprise! You don’t need to wait for a card to come in the mail, simply print it out at home or email it to your recipient. Perfect last-minute gift idea!

​​​​​​​In a year with so many questions, the one I don’t have to ask is, “What’s for dinner.” There’s no headache, no hassle, and no reaching into the back of the freezer for a frosted bag of mixed vegetables. Go give Blue Apron a try! It is a thankful constant that I can always count on and while easy dinners may be a small thing, that makes my life so much easier.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​