With holidays around the corner, it's often difficult to find the perfect gift for our parents and grandparents, especially when they have already acquired a plethora of kitchen gadgets and other stuff. Fret no more, as we have a brilliant idea for such folks: why not offer them the gift of a nourishing meal through a meal delivery service, saving them valuable time in the day?

Imagine the usefulness of this gift at the close of a hectic day. Your loved ones are exhausted and looking for a food source beyond the empty confines of the fridge. Usually, this culminates in expensive takeout, or worse, a tardy dinner after a tiresome grocery run. With a meal delivery service, however, all ingredients come prepared and ready for the stove, sparing any need for meal planning.

During our evaluation of various meal delivery services, Blue Apron came out on top. With a very reasonable cost band - between $8 and $12 per serving- it's a bargain compared to takeout or readymade meals from the supermarket. Blue Apron also boasts a variety of ready-to-reheat frozen dishes, alongside its core service.

The service offers flexibility in choosing the number of meals and servings for each week. I personally went with a three-meal, two-serving plan so as to have leftovers. My experience was positive - I could forego a week’s grocery shopping, cook less, and entrust my meal planning to Blue Apron’s weekly menu.

A highlight of using Blue Apron is that it ruled out over-purchasing groceries or wasting produce because ingredients come pre-measured (though you still need to prep them, including some light chopping, dicing or even grating cheese). Constructing meals using the easy-to-follow recipes provided on the handy recipe card that comes with each shipment was a breeze.

As a vegetarian, I found the plant-based offerings lacking, and occasionally supplemented the meals. There are, however, vegetarian options like 'Veggies' which offers meatless dishes (though they may not always contain ample protein), and other plans like Chef Favorites, Wellness, Family Friendly, and Fast & Easy.

Certainly, Blue Apron can cater to anyone seeking a simple, quick way to have a meal, particularly for those shopping-challenged parents. It's especially suitable for those pulling late hours at work and struggling to whip up elaborate weekday meals; people lacking a convenient grocery store nearby, those looking to curb their takeout habit, and roomies or couples hoping to cook more. Meal kits can come in handy during busy periods. I remember how much my mother, who somehow managed a homemade meal every night, appreciated a meal delivery service during my grandma's post-surgery recovery.

Blue Apron is currently offering a tempting deal of 50% off for the first four weeks of a new subscription. As a bonus, this offer might even get a nod from the most thrift-loving parents.