How many people does an Amazon Meal Kit feed?

Amazon Meal Kits pack recipes that are designed to feed two people. For some recipes, this is a harder limit, such as the chicken burger that only comes with two buns. Other recipes can be divided more easily among three people, but probably would not be filling unless you are aiming for a low-calorie diet.

With an occasional exception, the Meal Kits clock in at around 600 to 800 calories, with a couple cresting the 1000 calorie mark and a few dropping below 500 calories. So if you divide the kit, cooked per the recipe, among three diners, each will only be eating about 500 calories or less. Some of the meals can be high in sodium, but most of them contain a good amount of protein, a reasonable amount of sugar, and some dietary fiber.

With just a little planning at the store when you buy your kit, it would be easy to stretch the meals to feed one or two more. Almost all of the meal kits offer enough seasoning, sauce, or dressing to stretch and add more underlying ingredients. Many offer enough vegetables to feed more than two but skimp on proteins. Adding a few extra ingredients to your shopping basket will let you take advantage of the flavors in the Amazon Meal Kit without having to spring for a second box.

For instance, with the blue cheese chicken burgers, the burger patties were large enough to split three ways instead of two. I might buy an extra bun for one more burger, or if I'm making two more maybe even get an extra half-pound of ground chicken as well. Looking at the recipe online, I see that it calls for Yukon gold potatoes for the French fries. I could buy an extra Yukon gold to make more, or we could each eat a few fewer fries, and that's probably for the best anyway.

For the entrees that are a slab of protein with a couple of veg options, just buy an extra slab of that protein, and you'll be good to share. You might also pick up an extra vegetable side, or something pre-made from the cold case to go along with the meal. A salad or soup to start would certainly be a nice accompaniment. I like to keep some pre-portioned chicken, whether breasts or thighs or drums, in the freezer. You could easily keep some extra ground meat (turkey is quite versatile) and an extra piece of sirloin or fish to add a quick serving.

For the bowl-type entrees or the mélange recipes, there are plenty of ways to add more volume to the dish to stretch them further. I usually keep a selection of canned beans and pre-cooked lentils on hand to add to a dish like the roasted cauliflower with couscous, or the mushroom rice bowl. If you keep rice or couscous in the pantry, you could simply make more of the base layer and spread the vegetables thinner.