Plated and Blue Apron have competition in York

Making time to eat is easy. Making something to eat is not.

At least for most working 20-somethings. And, honestly, just a lot of working people in general.

Cooking a fresh and healthy meal is something I struggle with (if you’re familiar with my columns, you already know that).

Around this time last year, I wrote a column about using the food service Plated that shipped ingredients and recipes to my door weekly. It was a way to remedy the struggle of shopping and searching for new recipes. But, it was too expensive for me to maintain.

With Plated, you have to have a minimum of 4 plates weekly. It’s $12 per plate. So, $48 per week. Shipping is $6, unless your cart totals $50 or more. So, per week, I was paying about $54 for four servings.

The serving sizes weren’t the largest, either. My husband and I rarely had leftovers. So, we nixed it after a few months.

But recently, I started searching for another meal option because I, once again, was having a hard time making healthy meals with a busy schedule.

Enter 56 Quick Fix from 56 Urban Provisions in York. I spotted a Facebook post advertising the new meal service in October and quickly signed up.

With 56, I get 12 servings at $59 per week. Plus, I’m supporting a local business who also includes some local ingredients in each pack. Think some meat from J. L. Miller & Sons and produce from Fitz Brothers' Farm.

Each week, I get ingredients for three meals, a hearty dish, soup and salad. Because I’ve selected a four-person option, I get four servings of each. Even though one of the recipes is a salad and another a soup, I find that all are pretty hearty. And, with the exception of one or two recipes, I’ve always had leftovers for lunch the following day.

I pick up the ingredients each week from 56 Urban Provisions. So, I don’t have to pay for delivery.

Allison Given, manager of 56 Urban Provisions, said she’s really been blown away by the response. She opened the program to 24 families and filled every spot. “We actually had to turn some down,” she said.

Her main costumers? Singles and couples downtown. Seventy-five percent of the orders are for the two-person meal plan, Given said.

As we get into the holidays, 56 is also offering a Thanksgiving meal option. I’ve already ordered two fresh turkeys, York City Pretzel stuffing, brine and Baron Von Schwein baked corn. I’m making a big Thanksgiving meal for the friends this year and it’s so convenient to just pick up everything at once. Given said she might be offering some options for a Christmas meal, too.

For anyone interested in signing up for the next round of 56 Quick Fix meals, fill out the contact form on 56urbanprovisions.com.