Nice summary of the various points of view in that NYT response article.
I have a lot of friends who use these services and are delighted with them. A few years ago, one friend sent me a freebie for 3 Blue Apron meals so I tried it.
If you take a look at the recipe card from one of the meals I got, Braised Pork Chops & Roasted Leeks with Cherry Gastrique over Kasha, you can see that the directions and photos are pretty clear and could be used to guide or teach a less experienced cook.
My experience was favorable. I specifically chose meals that were different from what I would usually cook. It was a treat to come home from work and have the chance to cook something new, knowing that everything was on hand. I added more vegetables to each meal but many would be happy without that addition. I was pleased with the quality of the ingredients and the flavor of the finished dishes.
I found the amount of packaging distressing, though as @KennethT noted, that comes along with take-out, delivery and other packaged meals too. In the original article, I was glad to see that the companies are working on that.
I may have said this on another thread, but I think it would be fun to pair this sort of service with a new cookbook that featured an unfamiliar cuisine so you'd get the ingredients and recipes for a number of meals from a specific cookbook. Some of the celebrity chefs who have cookbooks out are already partnering with these services so it seems like a logical step.
