The habit of taking prepared lunch boxes from the day before to workis still one of the most economical options, as well as being the most sustainable alternative when it comes to food waste.
And, if truth be told, it can also be an excellent solution for those who are not very good at cooking.
The business of selling and delivering food to the home – or office – is here to stay and more and more restaurants and new businesses are joining this business model.
Delivery companies such as Glovo or Uber Eats, which have entered the national market to make life easier for those who don’t have time to travel or wait in restaurant queues, have contributed greatly to this.
The benefits of taking a lunchbox to work
Preparing lunchboxes to take to the office has several benefits, from control over the ingredients and portions you consume, to financial savings, and, of course, health care:
- Preparing lunchboxes of food at home is more economical than having lunch in restaurants every day;
- Bringing lunchboxes from home allows you to choose the freshest and healthiest ingredients, as well as avoiding processed foods;
- They also allow you to control the portions of food you eat, as well as their nutritional balance;
- They prevent waste, since everything you cook ends up being consumed.
But the aim of this little comparison is not to try the food from the restaurants delivered by those two companies, or to offer you lunchbox recipes that you can prepare to take to work.
It is rather to introduce you to the companies that provide the complete service: ordering, payment and delivery.
If you’ve never tried it, here are some of the best options in Lisbon.
Of course there are better solutions than others, particularly in terms of the quality of the food, but all of them are able to fulfill one very important factor: the price.
EatTasty
EatTasty may well be one of the best lunchbox food services delivered to the office (and also at home, for lunch and dinner) that we’ve tried: the food is prepared and delivered – almost – on the spot (it still comes warm and very tasty), the prices are not exaggerated (with dishes starting at 6.90€ and no delivery charge), and the options are very varied, with meals that take you on a journey through the Middle East, Maghreb, Asia or India.
On top of all this, you can order via a mobile app or online, on the same day.
All dishes are cooked by real chefs or through very specific partnerships with certain restaurants.
This means that you will only be presented with the menus for each neighborhood, where EatTasty trains its chefs.
At EatTasty you can pay in several ways: by credit or debit card, by PayPal or by MB Way (debit card or meal card).
EatTasty also has a credit system that allows you to top up your account with 30€ (no offer), 65€ (5€ offer) or 160€ (16€ offer), all of which are valid for 12 months.
The Marmita
In Lisbon since 2012, A Marmita may well be one of the most experienced services serving food in the office, or wherever you want, in the city of Lisbon.
In the weekly menu you’ll find various options, from fish dishes (feijoadas, codfish, salmon, etc.), meat dishes (chicken, meatballs, veal, etc.), meat dishes (chicken, meatballs, veal, etc.), meat dishes (feijoadas, codfish, salmon, etc.).), vegetarian options (vegetable curry, sautéed vegetables, vegetable gratin, etc.) and some salads (with chickpeas and chicken, farfalle with tuna, couscous with chicken, etc.).
With each meal order you can add one of the five soups (vegetable, seafood, coriander, watercress, carrot), drinks (organic juices, teas, water and colas), and desserts (sweets, mousses and fruit). Each of these options costs a maximum of €1.99, and can only be ordered when accompanied by one of the main dishes.
If you don’t have cutlery in your office, no problem because A Marmita also provides them (soup spoon, knife, fork and dessert spoon), at a price between 30 and 60 cents.
This company’s offer is one of the most complete in this comparison, and there are different dishes every week. You’ll easily be able to taste all the dishes available within two to three months.
Some of the meals we tried offer good quality, others not so much. The fact that they are kept in cold packs takes away some of their homemade qualities. Still, there’s no rivalry when it comes to price, with prices starting at 6.70€.
As for orders and deliveries, you can order online (the company doesn’t yet provide a mobile app for this purpose), and deliveries usually always come before lunchtime.
With A Marmitayou can also load a discount card: 50€ (with a 5€ offer), 100€ (with a 15€ offer) and 150€ (with a 30€ offer).
Bon AppeFit
One of the most recent experiences we’ve had is with Bon AppeFit, who stand out for providing delicious and healthy meals, as well as what we’re all looking for: meals that make our lives easier.
Inside, however, we found very well-prepared meals, with fresh and nutritious products, in a wide variety of recipes to suit all tastes.
The 350g portions are suitable for those looking for a healthier and more balanced lifestyle, and the fact that you can order via WhatsApp allows you to better organize your weekly menu.
Bon AppeFit has various packs of meals:
- pack of 5 lunchboxes for 35€
- pack of 10 lunchboxes for 65€
- pack of 15 lunchboxes for 90€
- pack of 20 lunchboxes for 110€
- pack of 30 lunchboxes for 168€
All orders must be placed on Sundays until 6pm, and there is a delivery charge of €3 for orders in Lisbon, and €5 for orders in the outskirts of the city. The company also takes into account your dietary restrictions/allergies.
The Revolution Food
The philosophy of this lunchbox delivery company, which has delivered more than 500,000 meals since 2019, is to offer healthy and “really” delicious meals. If you’re relying on us to confirm that, you’re 100% approved!
The food at The Revotution Food is gluten-free, lactose-free and offers 0% processed food, which is a feat in itself, considering the “taste” they manage to provide in their wide range of dishes from meat and fish, vegan, bowls, snacks, soups and even stews for the little ones.
To order your lunchbox from this company you should know that every Tuesday a new menu with eight options is launched; deliveries are made every Sunday and Wednesday (from 7:30pm to 11pm), and Thursday (from 1pm to 2pm); and if you make a purchase of 10 lunchboxes or more you are entitled to a 10% discount. Orders are placed online.
Meals start at €6.45 for the Chicken Meatballs with Mushrooms, Thyme and Caramelized Red Onion to €5.45 for the Grain Falafel with Leek and Sesame with Tzatziki Sauce, just to give a few examples.
And as with the other options, you can also take advantage of Gift Cards of €25, €50, €75 and €100.
And best of all: all the food is served in 100% recyclable containers.
We believe that, in practically all the companies we have tried, plastic packaging is a point for improvement, taking into account sustainability concerns, since there are already more “environmentally friendly” solutions, such as the cardboard packaging that some takeaway companies have chosen to use.
Since it is not possible to resolve this situation 100% for the time being, we can only wish you well!
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