Gousto too much trouble?

[Rebbecia1234]

I have had to pause my Gousto deliveries as the amount of effort required for each dish (back breaking!). Most dishes involving at least 30 minutes of intense chopping, toasting frying etc. I am vegetarian so that might make the dishes a little more labour intensive.
Has anyone else found this?

I find most of the recipes take longer than half an hour. It’s a pain but usually worth it.

It always amuses me when people who haven't tried meal boxes say they're for lazy people. They do take longer than the recipe card says. Also I have a tiny kitchen and limited pots & pans, with a gousto meal I had to use every bit of work surface and so many pans....however, the dishes were nice.

Yup. I much prefer simply cook.

www.simplycook.com/

I find the food quality can really vary in gusto and hello fresh boxes. I like that I can up the portions with simply cook too.

I try to get two of the more involved meals and two easier ones but yes they are certainly not for the faint hearted. Did the meatloaf at the weekend and although nothing was difficult individually, getting it all done at the same time was nuts!
I’ve definitely learnt to look carefully at the ingredient list before ordering though as that does give some idea of how time consuming they will be

I love my gusto and it has really helped me to learn how to cook (I was never taught as a child). I have one friend who looks down on it and constantly says that it's cheating. I even get dc1 to help as it's helping him learn as well. However, it is labour intensive and uses every pan going. And I never complete them in the time it says. But all in all I do think it's worth it and we eat a much more varied diet than what I could muster up.

Funnily enough- day 4 and thinking the same thing! It’s a risotto, I’ve annoyingly poured all the stick in at once, DS4 wants playdough, DD is having a tantrum because she can’t have a lolly and there’s still another 20 mins of stirring to go…

Glad it's not just me then! I do think the quality of food produced is very good though. Many dishes I would be extremely happy to receive in a restaurant.

We've been using gusto for 3 months now and I absolutely love the quality of the ingredients and the dishes are always beautiful (except the Joe Wicks ones, they're always a bit lacking in flavour!). They definitely take longer to cook than the recipe card says though. And I always find the carb portion of the meal to be too big.

Thankfully DH is really enjoying cooking them! I always make sure when it's my turn that I make one of the "prep in 10 mins" ones.

I treat myself to the occasional Gousto box and have had some really nice recipes that I'll definitely make again, BUT as others have said it's definitely not a "cheat" in any way, shape or form!

I am also a vegetarian and using gusto and yes I agree!!!!! Full dishwasher after every single meal!!!!

Yes, I’m a keen cook and most of the Gousto meals take longer than I would normally spend on a weeknight dinner.
Buts it’s convenient, and it makes me do it as ingredients need using, rather than wimping out with a pasta dish etc.
The veggie burger meals are really good, I never bother with the reshaping, adding onions malarkey.
I always choose at least one veggie burger or prepped in five or ten minute ( really, more like. 20!) meal

Do not ever attempt any dish that requires breadcruming a fish cake - nearly drove me to tears one night. Apart from that, some are better and quicker than others.

Yeah I have given up

For a tenner more I can do my weekly food shop at m and s- where everything is chopped and in foil tins.

I bought it for ease- but I am a good cook and can make quick, easy food anyway. If I want to actually save time- m and s pre packaged is the way to go.

I find them a doddle, I get a mixture of meat and veggie dishes. Most take no more than 30-40 mins. They do have a time guide which I find accurate

I find them really easy and no time at all.

@Farmhouse1234

Yes agree with fish cakes, somethings are meant to be bought prepared!!!

That said my loyalty is shallow ... hello fresh gave me a 50% off 3 boxes voucher to come back

@Rebbecia1234

I have had to pause my Gousto deliveries as the amount of effort required for each dish (back breaking!). Most dishes involving at least 30 minutes of intense chopping, toasting frying etc. I am vegetarian so that might make the dishes a little more labour intensive. Has anyone else found this?

I never have enough bowls or pans for all the steps they tell me to take, one recipe had four separate pans and five things to go in bowls

As a veggie OP how are you finding the variety of dishes? Partner and I are veggie and did the meals for a month and while some of them were delicious I did find the overall choice and taste very samey. The choice was extra limited for us because I avoided the ultra processed proteins - burgers and the like.
I didn't mind the time taken on the dishes. I added 10 to 15 mins for whatever it said on the menu and the time was comparable with dishes I normally cook, and without having to search for elusive ingredients at the back of the fridge.
Felt uncomfortable with all the waste too.

The one thing I won’t do again is risotto as it did take way longer than the recipe card said and dc was starving.

I don’t agree at all. I’ve been having gousto for several years and although it does take 30 minutes for most dishes, doesn’t every meal take that long? If cooking from scratch. And you don’t waste all the time deciding what to eat and having to actually go shopping. Absolutely love it

We got fed up with it for that reason too- and after a while all the meals taste quite similar with similar herbs / ingredients.

I do love it really - as was terrible cook and now have loads of great ideas for meals. I’ve learnt that anything with rice takes longer than they say, avoid breadcrumbs, and potato takes longer too

@Suprima

Yeah I have given up

For a tenner more I can do my weekly food shop at m and s- where everything is chopped and in foil tins.

I bought it for ease- but I am a good cook and can make quick, easy food anyway. If I want to actually save time- m and s pre packaged is the way to go.

Me too. Had simply cook and wasn’t keen on the quality. If I want to throw something together I can, if I want to cook something new I’ll find a recipe and if convenience then Charlie Bingham or M&S. Partly due to where we are in life, it’s just the two of us and I walk past decent shops on way home from work.

@ButtonSister

As a veggie OP how are you finding the variety of dishes? Partner and I are veggie and did the meals for a month and while some of them were delicious I did find the overall choice and taste very samey. The choice was extra limited for us because I avoided the ultra processed proteins - burgers and the like. I didn't mind the time taken on the dishes. I added 10 to 15 mins for whatever it said on the menu and the time was comparable with dishes I normally cook, and without having to search for elusive ingredients at the back of the fridge. Felt uncomfortable with all the waste too.

I agree that the veggie choices do seem a bit samey after a while.