‘I tried Cook's meal delivery service – it changed my meal prep game’
When I decided to become a pescatarian nine years ago, I didn’t realise how much I would miss certain meals. Don’t get me wrong, bacon, steak, and mince have long been a thing of the past for me, and I am more than happy with the veggie and vegan alternatives out there, but sometimes there’s nothing quite like a home-cooked lasagne or thick gravy with your (veggie) bangers and mash. Enter Cook.
I was first introduced to Cook after eating their Vegetarian Lasagne about five years ago, and since then there’s always been a box of it in my freezer.
It’s hard to believe that these are frozen ready meals – yet with stores on every middle-class British high street, they’ve gradually become an ideal no-fuss option for households up and down the country. Everything Cook makes is hand-prepared, and they pride themselves on using trusted ingredients from farmers and producers they’ve worked with for years.
Now, I’m no chef, so I was more than happy to order a few items from their menu and put them to the test in the name of journalism. Were they worth the money? Would they fill me up? How do they fair against the big names like Charlie Bingham, Huel, Frive, and AllPlants. These were all questions that needed asking.
How does it work?
Ordering from Cook is easy, I just perused their range of dishes online, added them to my basket and placed my order. The hardest part of the whole process was deciding what to eat – predicting what you’re going to crave for dinner four days ahead of schedule is harder than it sounds, especially when the world’s cuisine is just a click away.
There’s something for everyone, from hearty British pies suitable for a family of four to healthier dishes for one, as well as party food and nibbles that are perfect for the upcoming festive season. Cook’s website also utilises helpful filters that cater to all sorts of dietary preferences and wellness goals. Vegan? You’re covered. On a calorie deficit? No probs.
When checking out, I chose when during the week I wanted the meals to be delivered and no less than a few days later, they were at my door in an insulated box.
Is Cook expensive?
I spent around £50 and got over five meals, as well as a bottle of ginger beer (guilty pleasure) and a couple of snacks. This is certainly expensive when compared to other meal delivery services, averaging around £7 per meal, so it probably won’t be replacing anyone’s weekly shop any time soon.
However, it does fill your freezer with hearty, nutritious, and easy-to-prepare meals that can be a lifesaver for busy schedules. They also have a 3-for-£13 option, so you can get a little more bang for your buck.
Cook meal delivery review: The standout dishes
Halloumi & roasted vegetable pasta
Initially, I was worried about the pasta being too soft as this dish can only be prepared in the microwave, but the long rigatoni still had a bit of an al dente bite to it. The overall dish is very saucy, so I’d recommend serving it with a crusty roll or garlic bread to mop up the great tomato flavour.
The texture of the halloumi wasn’t the best as it felt quite hard to chew and the bigger chunks took more time to microwave properly so ended up tasting slightly cardboardy – I think this is the only giveaway that this was a frozen ready meal. Aside from that, there was plenty of veg which tasted fresh; in particular, the courgettes still had a nice crispy bite to them which helped the texture of the dish. I served with a topping of capers for an added salty hit.
Veggie Bolognese
Another pasta dish that nailed that perfect al-dente finish we’re all after. There was a good sauce-to-pasta ratio (not too wet not too dry) and I found the amount of pasta ideal for a dinner-sized portion, and guessing the right pasta portion size is arguably one of the hardest tasks in the kitchen.
Although there wasn’t anything particularly ‘stand out’ with the flavours, the salty, umami sauce just tasted like nice, home-cooked bolognese, which is exactly Cook’s memo to a Tee, and can be hard to find in microwaveable meals.
Kimchi Rice
Now, reheating rice has been a long-contested health and safety topic but as an avid hater of food waste, I’m more than happy to pop rice in the microwave and tuck in with gusto. As long as you don’t reheat more than once and make sure it’s piping hot all the way through, you should be good to go.
This Kimchi dish is packed full of veggies, including peas, shredded carrot, cabbage (of course) as well as spring onions and crispy onions, so you can imagine the textures were second to none.
I thought the flavours could’ve been more powerful, but overall it had a pleasant umami taste throughout. Although a great meal to enjoy on its own, it might make for a more filling dinner with some added protein – think tofu, salmon, or chicken as it is quite samey throughout. I added sweetcorn for an extra veg hit (not that it needed it!)
Drunken Noodles with King Prawns
Without a doubt, this was my favourite of the dishes I tried. Sweet yet salty, crunchy yet chewy, it ticked all the boxes.
The noodles had a perfect consistency, as did the prawns which tested impressively fresh despite being cooked from frozen. My only gripe is the portion size! I wish the dish was slightly bigger; if you were to grab these as a ‘drunken’ saviour, it may hardly touch the sides.
And for the spice-adverse, don’t worry, it was very mild as the heat comes from blended green peppercorns rather than chillis. Top with a little coriander or spring onion if you have it and dig in!
Sweet Potato and Aubergine Sri Lankan Curry
Having been well and truly impressed by all the dishes so far, particularly their Asian-inspired meals, I was excited about this sweet potato curry, but it proved my biggest disappointment. It lacked proper seasoning so ended up tasting fairly bland and I wished for more aubergine as my portion only included a couple of mouthfuls.
I must say though, that paired with a healthy portion of rice which I cooked on the stove, this made for a filling and hearty meal, perfect for anyone with a milder palette.
WH Verdict
Ideal for anyone on a time crunch, or for the not so culinary-inclined (guilty as charged), Cook’s meal delivery service has plugged a hole in the pre-prepared meal industry.
With the wellness world waxing lyrical about gut health and nutrition, it feels as though it’s never been more important to take care of yourself through the foods you eat, and Cook provides a simple, quick, and effective way to do so (and they’re surprisingly tasty).
Most of their meals are packed full of fibre, protein, and veg, making for a satiating and nourishing menu of eats. The Drunken Noodles with King Prawns were an instant hit, while the jury is less certain about the Sweet Potato and Aubergine Sri Lankan Curry.
Although slightly on the more expensive side, if you’re in a pinch, or haven’t had time for the dreaded weekly food shop, they will be your new freezer favourites.
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