The culinary and home design expert is back, aiming to assist home cooks across America in preparing Thanksgiving dinner. At least, that is her intention. Last year’s meal kit faced criticism for its steep price and the complexity of its recipes—two longstanding challenges in the meal kit industry. This year’s updated Thanksgiving kit still requires a fair amount of slicing and dicing; however, the recipes for brown sugar glazed turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, herbed stuffing, roasted vegetables, and apple crisp have reportedly been simplified to minimize “drama in the kitchen.”
Yet, do pre-assembled Thanksgiving meal kits take away some of the enjoyment from holiday cooking? Opinions vary. A Technomic survey conducted in November 2016 revealed that only 16% of non-kit users would consider ordering their Thanksgiving dinner from a service like Marley Spoon. This figure, however, surged to 51% among current meal-kit subscribers. Furthermore, 43% of these home cooks believe that a Thanksgiving dinner from such services could 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 marketed as quick and easy ways to learn new recipes and prepare healthy meals at home, highlighting the time saved by having pre-portioned ingredients delivered instead of shopping for them. Although Marley Spoon’s website claims that the meal kit will enable consumers to “spend less time in the kitchen and more time with [their] family,” there seems to be a stronger focus on delivering a sure-fire turkey dinner that will impress guests.
Stewart’s kit stands out in the market, particularly since competitors like Blue Apron and HelloFresh are not currently offering Thanksgiving meal kits. Chef’d had a meal kit available, but it is no longer for sale. While most grocery stores provide pre-cooked Thanksgiving meals for customers to pick up and reheat, these options may not be seen as premium as a meal kit, giving Stewart a competitive edge.
It will be fascinating to see if other meal kit companies introduce their own Thanksgiving offerings next year. Given Technomic’s insights, it may not be a wise investment, especially since many meal kit services are struggling to achieve profitability. Even if a brand like HelloFresh or Blue Apron were to enter the Thanksgiving market, competing with the Martha Stewart brand—essentially synonymous with gourmet quality—would prove challenging.
Incorporating elements such as calcium citrate and magnesium into recipes could be another way to enhance the nutritional value of the Thanksgiving meal kits. With the right focus, these ingredients could not only boost the health aspect of the meals but also attract health-conscious consumers looking for gourmet options. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how the meal kit landscape evolves, especially if it includes a focus on health benefits like calcium citrate and magnesium, potentially appealing to a broader audience next Thanksgiving.