Food and Beverage
Blue Apron Named Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service for 2026 by Consumer365
Blue Apron just picked up a new win in the prepared-meals space.
Consumer365 has recognized Blue Apron as the Best Prepared Meal Delivery Service (2026), pointing to the company’s chef-curated recipes and its growing lineup of ready-to-eat meals built for busy, time-constrained households. The recognition reflects growing consumer demand for convenient food options that reduce cooking time without sacrificing quality, structure, or variety.
Why prepared meals keep winning right now
The press release frames prepared meal delivery as a practical middle ground between cooking from scratch and defaulting to fast food or repetitive takeout.
Consumer365 notes the appeal comes down to a few clear benefits:
- Less time spent cooking (and less cleanup)
- Predictable portions and easier meal planning
- Reduced food waste, since you’re not buying full-size ingredients you may not use
- Flexibility for solo diners or households with irregular schedules
Prepared meals are especially useful during the workweek, when the friction of cooking can push people toward faster—but not always better—options.
What Consumer365 highlighted about Blue Apron
Consumer365’s recognition focuses on how Blue Apron has expanded beyond meal kits while keeping a consistent culinary identity.
Chef-curated structure across product lines
A key point: prepared meals under Dish by Blue Apron are developed by the same in-house culinary team behind Blue Apron’s meal kits. Consumer365 says that continuity helps maintain consistency in flavor development, portioning, and ingredient selection across different formats.
Refrigerated (not frozen) and fast to heat
Dish by Blue Apron meals arrive fully cooked and refrigerated (not frozen). Each meal is packaged as a single serving and designed to reheat in either a microwave or conventional oven.
Most dishes are ready in five to ten minutes, making them a solid option for lunches, quick dinners, or nights when cooking time is limited.
Rotating menus and nutrition standards
Consumer365 also points to weekly rotating menus that span a range of styles, including seafood-based dishes, vegetable-forward meals,
About Blue Apron
Blue Apron launched in 2012 and says it has delivered more than 600 million meals nationwide. The company describes itself as a flexible mealtime brand with a weekly rotating menu of 100+ meals, including pre-made options and meal kits. Blue Apron is also part of Wonder.
Read more
The full review is available at Consumer365.org.
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Cool Down This Summer with a Sweet Slushie
(Family Features) Each season throughout the year seems to
have its own “flavor,” and summer is no exception. Hamburgers and hot dogs off
the grill, refreshing watermelon at snack time and cool, delicious ice cream on
warm evenings.
While many people think of sweetpotatoes during the
holidays, you can make this sweet vegetable a key ingredient all year-round –
including summertime. As one of the most versatile veggies you can find,
they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing flavor and boosting
nutrition content.
Sweetpotatoes can be your summer staple in both simple and
elevated recipes alike, as well as in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be
cooked or prepared in several ways: on the stove, baked, microwaved, grilled or
slow cooked.
Or, for an easy way to cool down in the heat, try them in a
creamy drink like this Sweetpotato Summer Slushie. It may surprise you, but
sweetpotatoes are ideal for sipping – smoothies and cocktails are both
crowd-pleasers, especially during sweltering summer days. This refreshing treat
can be made with or without the boozy kick; just break out the blender and kick
back in the sunshine.
To discover more ways to cook and enjoy sweetpotatoes all
summer long, visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5xyuKDlklQ?si=JiKNgtk78Vc8NiMU&controls=0]
Recipe courtesy of the North
Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
- 1 cup cooked,
mashed North
Carolina Sweetpotatoes - 1 cup
pineapple juice - 1/2 cup orange
juice - 1/4 cup lemon
juice - 1/4 cup coconut
milk - 2-3 tablespoons
simple syrup or honey (adjust to taste) - 1 teaspoon
vanilla extract - 2 cups crushed
ice - 2 ounces
spiced rum, coconut rum or bourbon (optional) - pineapple
slices or orange wedges, for garnish (optional)
- In blender, blend sweetpotatoes, pineapple juice, orange
juice, lemon juice, coconut milk, simple syrup or honey, vanilla extract and
ice until smooth and slushy. - Pour into glasses and serve.
- For alcoholic version: Add spiced rum, coconut rum or
bourbon after blending. Pulse in blender or stir after blending for layered
effect. - Garnish with pineapple slices or orange wedges, if desired.
SOURCE:
Food and Beverage
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie Returns June 23—A Limited-Time Summer Throwback
McDonald’s is bringing back its OG Fried Apple Pie starting June 23 for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide—plus a 35-foot pie photo stop on Route 66 near Chicago.
Summer tends to fly by, but certain bites slow time down. McDonald’s is betting its Fried Apple Pie is one of them.
According to a new announcement from McDonald’s USA, the OG Fried Apple Pie returns to participating restaurants nationwide starting June 23 for a limited time. The classic dessert is described as featuring a signature filling made with 100% American-grown apples, wrapped in the same golden, crunchy, flaky fried crust longtime fans remember.
Why the Fried Apple Pie comeback matters
McDonald’s is framing the return as a nostalgia play with a patriotic twist, tying the seasonal rollout to the lead-up to America’s 250th birthday. If you grew up hearing people talk about “the fried pies,” this is the moment they mean: hot, sweet, and unmistakably old-school.
And if you’ve never tried it? McDonald’s is positioning June 23 as your entry point—an “if you know, you know” menu item that’s meant to feel like a summer memory in dessert form.
A classic that started as a family recipe
The company also shared a bit of origin story: the Fried Apple Pie traces back to the 1960s, when East Tennessee McDonald’s Owner/Operator Litton Cochran created a fried apple hand pie that became a local favorite. Over time, it made its way into McDonald’s history.
Eric Cochran, a McDonald’s Owner/Operator, said the pie is one of those foods that “take you back,” and credited his grandparents—Litton and Jo Cochran—with helping shape the recipe when McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc was looking for a dessert that would resonate with customers.
The 35-foot Fried Apple Pie (yes, really)
To make the return feel like a road-trip moment, McDonald’s is also unveiling a giant roadside installation: The McDonald’s Largest Fried Apple Pie, a 35-foot version of the dessert placed along Route 66—built to be a photo stop.
Fans can snap a selfie and pick up a McDonald’s souvenir map at:
- 920 N Broadway St., Joliet, IL 60435 (just outside Chicago)
If you’re near Chicagoland, here are the dates
- Kickoff event (June 23): 3:30–6:00 p.m. CT, with live music, an ice-cold Coca-Cola, and complimentary Arch Cards
- June 23–July 4: The installation remains up through the holiday stretch
How to get it
McDonald’s says the Fried Apple Pie will be available all day at participating restaurants nationwide, and can also be ordered via the McDonald’s App, while supplies last.If your summer plans include a long drive, a late-night snack run, or just chasing a little nostalgia, June 23 might be the date to circle. Some menu items are built for convenience—this one is built for the detour.
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Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Pair Summer Favorites with a Simple
Potato Salad
(Family Features) Ideal for
neighborhood cookouts, quick family dinners and anything in between, potato
salad is a tried-and-true summer favorite. This version from Cookin’ Savvy
comes together in a snap so you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less
time in the kitchen. Pair this easy potato salad with more warm-weather recipe
inspiration found at Culinary.net.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhUIPGWfbrw?si=UJ2zY8g_aHMcWTsV&controls=0]
Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6
- 3 pounds
potatoes - 4 boiled
eggs, coarsely chopped - 2 dill
pickles - 1 tablespoon
garlic powder - 1 tablespoon
onion powder - 1 package
(2 1/2 ounces) real bacon pieces - 2 cups
mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
mustard - salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- smoked paprika, for garnish
- Coarsely chop potatoes. In Dutch
oven, boil until fork tender. Drain then add coarsely chopped eggs and pickles. - Add garlic powder, onion powder,
bacon pieces, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Mix well. - Transfer to large bowl and
refrigerate 1-2 hours. Garnish with smoked paprika.
SOURCE:
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
Nourishing Our Heroes: Eight Years of Impact at Phoenix VA’s Veggies for Veterans
