Trying the $5 meal prep service changed my grocery budget completely

Last month I signed up for that $5 meal prep service everyone talks about on here. I thought it would save money but honestly my grocery bill went UP by $40 the first week. Turns out I was buying extra snacks and drinks at the store anyway. The real win was that I stopped ordering takeout because I had meals ready to go. I learned the service itself isn't the budget breaker, it's the habit of not eating out that saves cash. Has anyone else found their grocery costs spiked at first before they figured out the system?

3 comments

3 Comments

terryh201mo ago

Haven't you noticed most stores price their basics higher than the meal kits?

king.stella1mo ago

Give it a few weeks and your grocery total should level out once you stop impulse buying at the store. The key is sticking to a list and only buying what you need for the prepped meals. I've seen this happen with customers who start meal services, it always takes a bit to adjust the whole shopping routine.

nina_johnson861mo ago

That's a really good point (and honestly, I feel for anyone trying to make that mental switch). @terryh20's observation is spot on too, because the base prices on staples can be sneaky high depending on the store. It's like you have to re-learn how to grocery shop all over again when you start a meal plan, which is just exhausting. I totally get the struggle of trying to break the impulse buying habit, it's way harder than it sounds.