New York Top Food Delivery Services – Part 1

New Ways to Bring Dinner to Your Door  

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but it certainly has to eat!  As of 2013, the NPD Group think tank reported that there are 24.4 restaurants for every 10,000 residents living in our city.

With so many dining options, one would think it impossible to eat the same meal twice – unless of course, you can’t actually reach your favorite restaurant due to illness or injury.

Eating assistance and meal preparation are some of the keys to good home health care, and SelectCare’s staff of compassionate Home Health Aides are well-versed in preparing nutritious meals for our clients, but even the tastiest dish can grow stale if served too often.

To that end, we’ve composed a list of the top four food delivery options that some of our clients have come to rely on for more variety in their menus.

In part one of this post, we will review a pair of services designed to bring prepared foods to your door, while part two will dive into grocery delivery services.

Seamless: Delivered from your favorite local restaurants   Seamless Restaurant Delivery NYC

Seamless is a modern answer to the takeout menu bag – users simply input their address and are provided a constantly-expanding list of restaurants organized by cuisine and rated by food quality and       delivery speed.  Payments, including tips (!), are all managed electronically and special instructions can be added to any item ordered, as well as the manner in which the food should be delivered (should the delivery person wait outside, call ahead, etc.)

Since all ordering is done electronically, there are no questions about how much the order will cost, or incorrect orders because the person on the phone misheard your request.

     Pro: Free delivery, accurate delivery windows and a massive roster of restaurants

     Con: Some neighborhoods enjoy more delivery options than others, delivery cut off times are not always posted

     Pro-tip: Tip well, especially on bad weather days or when placing a large order – Seamless tracks tips and sends discount codes for future orders if you are generous to your delivery man.

For Our Clients: Seamless is a great way to ensure your exact order is not lost in translation, especially for clients who might be hard of hearing or have strict dietary needs.  Seamless also encourages trying new types of food by offering deep discounts on select restaurants.

Blue Apron: Some Assembly Required.    

Blue Apron NYC Food Delivery

Blue Apron is the perfect solution for an adventurous cook who doesn’t want to schlep to their local grocery store.  Rather than sending cooked meals, Blue Apron delivers refrigerated packages with premeasured ingredients and recipes, for all the fun of cooking your own healthy meals, without worrying about leftover ingredients or incomplete shopping lists.

Customers sign up for weekly deliveries (the base package covers three meals for two for $60 a week) and choose from a constantly changing list of recipes based on seasonal availability.

     Pro: All the fun of cooking your own meals, none of the trips to the grocery store, recipes range from simple to challenging

     Con: While you can skip a week of deliveries, the request must be sent well in advance, the rotating list of recipes means you may not always be able to make your favorite dish

     Pro-tip: The Blue Apron Facebook community is very active, with members oftentimes showing off new takes on the recipes they order.

For Our Clients: Blue Apron isn’t just a way to order food it’s also a great way for a client and aide to build a stronger partnership as they share cooking techniques. Leftover portions of meals can also be saved and enjoyed the next day, especially if you order a larger meal plan.

SelectCare is always looking for new, creative solutions to the challenges faced by our clients. Thanks to our compassionate caregivers and dedicated administrative staff, we have succeeded in keeping aging New Yorkers happy, healthy and living independently for 30 years. To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, call us today.

In our next post, we will cover two fast, convenient ways to keep your loved one’s pantry stocked with fresh groceries. Stay tuned!