Who should hire a personal chef for meal prep services?
A lot goes into this question, but here are some questions to ask:
How much time do you spend cooking, and what would you rather be doing?
How much do you spend on eating out already? Often personal chef service is a way of replacing what you're already spending, or maybe even less, on healthier and more custom meals.
Do you have dietary needs that you struggle to meet? Do you need help creating delicious meals or getting on a special diet?
Do you struggle with eating the right thing and want to be healthier?
Here are 7 other helpful thoughts:
1. Eating the same old food all the time is delightful.
The average American confidently knows how to cook about 5 dishes. Often these dishes are rotated with eating out or some small experiments of similar flavor.
Although many of us have tried to experiment, we still end up making the same old dishes. Sound familiar?
If non-variety is your jam, and never having someone else cook your favorites for you is soothing, then you should NEVER hire a personal chef.
2. Spending an hour, or more, each night in the kitchen is better than anything else you could be doing.
Imagine getting home from work or coming out of your home office, and instead of worrying about food or cooking, you're able to relax, enjoy a hobby or something nice for yourself. When it's time to eat, in your fridge conveniently sits a custom pro-chef meal that's ready to pop in the oven. How would that change your life?
If this sounds terrible, then you probably shouldn't hire a personal chef for weekly meal service.
3. Having to be creative about "what's for dinner?" keeps the brain young
Love Sudoku, puzzles, chess? Puzzles show to help improve mental speed, brain connections and improve short-term memory. So if you love puzzling over dinner every night, then your brain thanks you for your service, and you shouldn't hire a personal chef for weekly meal prep service.
4. Not knowing what ingredients are in your takeout is better than casino gambling
Confession, when I go to Vegas, I love hitting penny slots to get free drinks and a rush.
When I order takeout, I am typically leaving my health to the wind and hoping I don't have a gross bodily reaction – rush. Cheap bulk oils, lard, margarine, spices, and sometimes frozen / non-fresh ingredients.... Not to mention questions of sanitation and how often they check their grease pits. Have you seen Kitchen Nightmares?
If you love the rush of not knowing what your body is going to do tomorrow morning, then you shouldn't hire a personal chef for meal prep service.
5. "Cleaning a kitchen after cooking every night is what I Live For"
Do I need to say anything else?
6. "Recipe overwhelm is how I Adrenaline Junkie"
Found recipes for a great dinner? Time to bring on tons of timing and hoping you get everything right. It's like the challenge of Thanksgiving all over again. The stress, the sweat, the heart pounding.
If you stay calm under pressure or love the thrill of fighting your kitchen, then you shouldn't hire a personal chef.
7. Grocery shopping is a good exercise in patience
Love making lists? Ready to brave the COVID crowds? Ready to cart dash - hoping you don't run into somebody and awkwardly apologize? Love staring at the vegetable, fruit, or the meat section and wondering what you're even supposed to be looking for? Enjoy standing in line? Nothing else you'd rather be doing?
If grocery shopping is a hobby and pastime - don't hire a personal chef.
