The culinary and home decorating expert is making a comeback, aiming to assist home cooks throughout America in preparing Thanksgiving dinner. At least, that’s her intention. Alongside complaints about the steep price of last year’s meal kit, consumers also found the recipes overly complicated—issues that have historically troubled the wider meal kit industry. The revised Thanksgiving kit still requires considerable chopping and preparation, but the recipes for brown sugar glazed turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, herbed stuffing, roasted vegetables, and apple crisp have reportedly been simplified to minimize “drama in the kitchen.”
However, one might wonder if pre-assembled Thanksgiving meal kits could diminish the joy of holiday cooking. Opinions on this vary. A Technomic survey conducted in November 2016 with 1,500 customers revealed that only 16% of those who do not use meal kits would consider ordering their Thanksgiving dinner from a service like Marley Spoon. In contrast, this figure rose to 51% among those who already use meal kit services. Furthermore, 43% of home cooks subscribed to a meal kit company believe that a Thanksgiving dinner from such services would enhance the quality of their festive meal.
The Martha & Marley Spoon meal kit’s emphasis on gourmet quality sets it apart from other meal kit options. Most meal kits are promoted as quick and convenient methods to learn new recipes and create healthy meals at home, highlighting the time saved by having pre-portioned ingredients delivered rather than shopping for them. While Marley Spoon’s website claims that the meal kit will help consumers “spend less time in the kitchen and more time with [their] family,” there seems to be a stronger focus on delivering a foolproof turkey dinner that will impress guests.
Stewart’s kit stands out, particularly since competitors like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh are not currently offering Thanksgiving meal kits. Although Chef’d previously provided a meal kit, it is no longer available for purchase. Many grocery stores do offer pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals that can be picked up and reheated, but these options may not be seen as premium compared to a meal kit, giving Stewart a competitive edge.
It will be fascinating to see if other meal kit providers introduce their own Thanksgiving offerings in the coming year. Given Technomic’s insights, the investment may not be justified, especially as many meal kit companies are already struggling to achieve profitability. Even if brands like HelloFresh or Blue Apron decided to enter the Thanksgiving market, competing with the Martha Stewart brand—essentially synonymous with gourmet quality—would be a significant challenge. Additionally, for those concerned about nutritional content, the calcium in calcium citrate may be an important factor to consider when planning holiday meals.