You can count the number of times I’ve left the house in the last six weeks on one hand. Online grocery shopping has been especially convenient lately, but securing a time slot through FreshDirect or Amazon Fresh is no easy feat. I know most people are seeking to get their groceries delivered rather than having to step outside, so I wanted to share a few options for places that still have readily available food delivery – no time slot required! Here are some online small businesses that you can support and get groceries from during quarantine:
- RightRice
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Personally, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like rice; it pairs well with so many meals! I recently came across RightRice, nutritious rice made from “lentils, chickpeas, peas + rice, with more than double the protein, five times the fiber and almost 40% fewer net carbs than a bowl of white rice.” There are no empty calories or excessive carbs, making for a much healthier alternative to your standard white or brown rice. RightRice comes from the same creator as Popchips, another favorite snack of mine, and they offer a variety of original and seasoned flavors such as lemon pepper, spanish, garlic herb, thai curry and cilantro lime. If you’re looking for an alternative to your regular white rice, start with the original flavor first! You can’t really go wrong with any flavor you try though. They’re all delicious and very easy to cook: just pour the pouch of rice into a saucepan of boiling water, turn off the heat, let it stand for ten minutes, transfer it to your plate and enjoy! RightRice also donates a portion of the equity of their company to No Kid Hungry, which is fantastic and really helpful during this time. You can order their rice through Amazon Prime for delivery within just a few days :)
- Splendid Spoon
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“Busy can be healthy.” This line certainly caught my attention during a period that seems so hectic, uncertain and busy for everyone. Founded by Nicole Centeno, a mom, author and French Culinary Institute-trained chef, Splendid Spoon is a subscription-based delivery service made for those “in-between’ and ‘on-the-go’ moments of life.” They offer nutrient-dense, high-quality smoothies, soups and grain bowls that are delivered pre-prepared and taste like delicious, homemade meals. I’ve tried products with similar claims before which, in my opinion, tasted like diet food. The bowls and smoothies from Splendid Spoon are actually really tasty, and the health benefits are just an added plus! All of their products are plant-based, vegan, GMO-free and sustainable, and the brand is centered around the idea that it can be simple to build a routine and healthy habits. It’s really important to try and maintain a consistent routine during a time where everything seems so irregular, and having a healthy meal schedule every day can lead to an overall more productive and healthy lifestyle. There are 27 bowls, 14 smoothies and 5 reset soups to choose from, and some of their well-loved products are the Sweet Potato Quinoa Bowl, Dragon Fruit Berry Smoothie and Garden Minestrone: “Splendid Spoon is designed to help you get in touch with your healthiest body.” I love drinking their smoothies in the morning or right after a workout for a boost of energy, and their bowls are great for a quick meal in between online classes. You can customize your plan and mix and match meal times to tailor it to what works best for your schedule. Their lunch plan includes 5 bowls for $65, the breakfast + lunch + reset plan includes 5 smoothies, 5 bowls and 1 full-day reset for $125, and the breakfast + lunch plan includes 5 smoothies and 5 bowls for $85; these are all delivered weekly and you can skip a week as needed. If you don’t end up wanting more of their products (which is unlikely), you can easily cancel your future orders after your first delivery. You can use this link to learn more and get $10 off your subscription!
- Japan Crate
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This is the best way to get indulgent snacks delivered right to your door! Japan Crate is a monthly subscription box of Japanese snacks. I received the April premium box, and every item inside was a wonderful post-homework or study session treat! Here are a few favorites that I wanted to mention: Sweet Salty Haru Potato Chips are great to snack on when you’re craving something crispy and salty; Petite Divination Chocolate, mini color coated chocolate balls, is a childhood classic treat in Japan great for satisfying your sweet tooth; Sakura Matcha Cream Collon, biscuits with a cream filling, is another sweet classic Japanese treat; Nipponshu Sakura Kit Kat Minis are a spring, cherry-blossom flavored version of your favorite Kit Kats. I’m especially fond of the Sakura flavored treats, as these provide a nice taste of springtime from the comfort of my own room. Because of this, I think the premium box is well worth the price and a great value for your money. The mini box includes 5 items for $12/month, the original box includes 10 items for $25/month, and the premium box includes 18-20 items (including a drink and limited edition bonus item) for $35/month. If you prepay for 3, 6 or 12 months of boxes, you can save some extra money as well. If you’re interested in trying any of the products I mentioned from April’s box, you can look for them on Sugoi Mart :)
- BUBBLE
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This is a great e-commerce marketplace for all your healthy snacks! Products sold on their site “contain whole fruits, grains, vegetables and some added natural sweeteners such as whole fruit juices, honey, maple, coconut sugar, etc.” but do not contain “refined or artificial sugars, preservatives, artificial dyes, trans fats or hydrogenated oils.” So many of their brands are small businesses, and it’s really important to try to help smaller businesses stay afloat at this time. If you’re craving chips to help get you through the last few weeks of the semester, try Pulp Pantry, tortilla-style veggie chips. If you’re looking for a nut butter alternative to add to your protein shakes or smoothies, try SEEDIBLE, a sesame butter. There are plenty of yummy and healthy goods to get on their site, and you can use BUBBLECASSIE10 for $10 off your order of $50 or more.
I hope you found these suggestions helpful, and please continue to stay safe and healthy! If you’d like to help support local restaurants and send meals to healthcare workers on the frontline fighting against COVID-19 in NYC, please consider donating to this GoFundMe. Donations of any size are always appreciated.