Ok, so we’ve not really got to see much of 2021 yet since we’re still in lockdown and will be for the foreseeable. If, like me, you’re really missing going out for dinner then don’t worry – I’ve got you. These right here ladies and gentlemen are the meal kits you should be ordering in, where you can recreate some of your favourite cuisines in the comfort of your kitchen.

Chicken 🐔

Miss getting your chicken fix? Same here. Which is why we were ecstatic to learn that WingShack Co had launched not one but two meal kits! Available on Great Food 2 U, the meal kits, suitable for four people, contain: 1.5kg marinated raw chicken wings, Chang’s Honey and sesame sauce (de-lic-ious) or Jarv’s tangy buffalo sauce (🔥) with chives, toasted white sesame seeds and spring onions. Recreating restaurant-worthy wings at home is a mucky job, so it’s pretty handy that you also get four WingShack Co bibs to help stop you from getting marinade all over your clothing.

Pizza 🍕

Ordering a pizza takeaway is great, but it’s not the same as being in a restaurant where you can watch the chefs creating your pizza from start to finish is it? Well now you can watch (and amaze) yourself by creating your own, vegan-friendly pizza. Vegan Dough Co’s mission is to introduce game-changers to the least likely veggies, like me for example. And with some interesting options such as their “mistletoe pizza” and the “godfather”, they certainly have given the game a right old shake! I ordered the godfather which has spicy vegan nduja, broccolini and green olives, and with its rich tomato sauce, wonderfully melted vegan mozzarella and doughy pizza base, there is certainly no compromise on flavour. In fact, they are BIG on flavour and well worth a go in my opinion. Who said vegan and delicious can’t go hand-in-hand?

Italian 🍝

Hands up everyone who misses romantic Italian meals out? I certainly do, so when I heard that one of my favourite Italian restaurants – Bancone – was now doing meal kits, I had to get my order in. Their skillfully handmade pasta kits bring the authentic, modern taste of Italy straight from their London kitchen into the homes of those within the M25. Bancone’s meal kit options include bucatini cacio e pepe, spicy pork and ‘nduja mafalde, and spinach and ricotta mezzaluna ravioli with sage butter. I went all out by ordering the bucatini cacio e pepe – one of their most popular kits – along with the burrata starter and hazelnut chocolate mousse with strawberry tartare. The pasta is superb – I really miss watching the chefs in Bancone making and cooking the pasta – with a very simple, yet very tasty cheese and pepper sauce. Kale and beetroot isn’t usually my favourite, but with the burrata starter and the chive oil drizzled on it’s an excellent flavour combination. As for the dessert, I mean just read what’s included. Need I really say more? Ok then in a word – divine.

Burgers 🍔

Honest Burgers have 40 locations across the country and when they all closed in lockdown, the Honest team were among the first to create meal kits last year. Originally they made 250 kits for people in the Greater London area, as part of Honest’s charity fundraising, which raised nearly £9,000 for Landworkers Alliance, Hospitality Action and Trussell Trust. Following popular demand, more of the kits are now available for delivery nationwide. Well packaged, top quality ingredients and a straightforward cooking method means you can take pride in your burger construction. Below is everything you’ll get in the Tribute Burger DIY Kit. Mouthwatering chopped British chuck steak and rib cap patties from the Honest Butchery, along with excellent dry cured smoked bacon rashers which deliver the right seasoning and flavour, along with condiments and bouncy buns to make up the rest. Shout out to the Honest burger sauce too – that’s stuff banging!

Thai 🍜

Rosa’s Thai Cafe is spreading its love for Pad Thai across the nation with the launch of its first Pad Thai DIY kits. November 2020 marked 75 years since Pad Thai became Thailand’s official national dish, so to celebrate, Rosa’s partnered with Tourism Thailand to bring the taste and feel of Thailand to households across the UK – perfect for some much-needed escapism! Want some more Pad Thai facts? Since opening its first restaurant in Spitalfields 12 years ago, Rosa’s Thai Cafe has sold over 1.4 million Pad Thais to satisfied customers across the country! So, while we’re in lockdown Rosa’s decided to keep the nation satisfied by introducing their own meal kits for their most popular dish. Founder
Saiphin Moore’s signature Pad Thai can now be recreated at home without the hassle of sourcing and measuring tricky ingredients. The prawn Pad Thai, which I ordered, is fun to make. It smells and looks and authentic and the portions are generous, so make sure you’re hungry. The ingredients are really good quality, so it’s money well spent too. You can cook-along with the easy-to-follow recipe card or scan the QR code to bring up a video of Saiphin cooking the dish, so you can copy.

Fine Dining 🥩