Elderly and Senior Meal Delivery Solutions from the Experiences of Family Caretakers for New Family Caretakers
MagicKitchen
Magic Kitchen Review of their Senior Meals and Prepared Meal Delivery Service
About MagicKitchen.com Prepared Meals
We live in a time when seniors and family caretakers are finding it more difficult than ever to keep their family members fed. The challenge is even more significant when a loved requires nutritional meal planning. This is a national prepared meal delivery service with multiple options:
- A La Carte Shopping - Buy two servings of prepared entrees or side dishes.
- MK Signature Meals - Choose from about 40 single serving meals priced between $11.50 and $14.50.
- Senior Meal Delivered
- Single serving meals geared more towards nutritional needs but populated with lower quality meals for $11.50.
Is this service a senior meal solution for you or your loved one's needs? We hope to share with you our customer experiences and help you make the best decision for you or your family.
A Difficult Website for Shopping
Compared to other meal delivery services, this website can be difficult to navigate, and loaded with bugs that could make it difficult for a senior or busy family caretaker to find what they are looking for. Here are just a few examples we experienced.
- The search function only searches the first word you enter. For example, if you search "Chicken Parmesan," 36 meals with chicken show in the results and you have scroll through the list to find what you're looking for.
- Anything you add to your cart automatically takes you the shopping the cart, which an unnecessary step that wastes consumer's time. It's annoying here because finding your way back to where you were is often an adventure.
- Click on the "Continue Shopping" button from the shopping cart page and you rarely go back to where you where. You can go to any section of the website. Sometimes we get an error message that says "welcome page to be built soon." We almost always had to continue our shopping by starting over.
- Inconsistent Nutritional Information. One example could be found on the entree Beef Burnt Ends which comes with two servings for $22.99. Each serving size is listed as 7.35 oz. In the nutritional information section of the product page, the serving size is 4.9 oz. A diabetic might quickly look and see 19g of sugar when they will really be eating much more than that.
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
We love when a company stand behind the quality of their food, and this company does. Here is their guarantee, which you may want to use if you buy any of the senior meals.
"When you order from MagicKitchen.com be assured that you will always be satisfied with the products you receive. Our Guarantee: If anything you receive from MagicKitchen.com arrives spoiled or damaged it will be replaced at our expense. Any meals you try that do not meet your satisfaction will either be credited or replaced in your next order."
A La Carte Ordering - Please visit Magic Kitchen Reviews
at PreparedMealDeliveryReviews.com for the A La Carte Reviews.
The A La Carte option offers entrees and sides that require customers to buy two servings, doubling the cost for each meal component. This might financially limit those seniors and elderly who want to enjoy a meal plan that changes frequently. Seniors and family caretakers who want to plan nutritionally balanced meals will find the green vegetable menu is limited to two selections that do not include a cream sauce. Let's say we want to start balanced meal planning for our loved one and we start with:
Beef Bourguignon $29.99
Mashed Potatoes $11.99
Brussel Sprouts $12.99
Total: $54.97
Total Per Meal: $27.49
Chicken Parmesan $22.99
Creamy Cheese Noodles $9.99
Broccoli, Peas, and Corn $10.99
Total: $43.97
Per Meal: $21.99
Salmon Caponata $19.99
Rice Pilaf $11.99
Creamy Spinach $10.99
Total: $44.97
Per Meal: $22.49
Roasted Turkey $19.99
Apple and Sage Stuffing $10.99
French Green Beans $12.99
Total: $43.97
Per Meal: $21.99
Of course there will be exceptions, but most seniors and family caretakers will not find the A La Carte buying option a cost effective solution for ongoing senior meal planning. Chances are, these prices compare to local, high-end restaurants who prepared the meals fresh.
Seniors and family caretakers who are in need of nutritional meal planning may find this menu rich in fat and limited in green vegetables. Plus, it would very time-consuming to calculate the nutritional information for each meal, should that be a requirement.
Meal Bundles
We would recommend MK meal bundles if you are repeat customer and you are very familiar, and happy with the product line. Bundles are generally not less expensive than picking out your own meals. Microwave meals can be bundled with meals that only reheat in the oven. Bundles could be entree only without being complete meals. Desserts could replace side dishes. Nutritional information is not available on the bundle page.
Our MK Signature Meals Review
A signature meal is defined as a dish unique to a chef, restaurant, or geographical location for which the creator wants to be known for. We were excited to sample the MK Signature Meals. Instead, we found prepared meals from Bateman Selects.
Like the Traditions Meals that appear in the Senior Section, these meals play a critical role in feeding the nations elderly, but these meals are designed to support low-budget government contracts.
Not all the meals in this section are Bateman Selects meals, but they are not labeled to determine which is which. There are about 40 single serving meals in this section, and they range in price from $11.50 to $14.50. Quite frankly, we are surprised the company wants "to be known" for these meals.
MK Signature Meals We Would Reorder
Magic Kitchen outsources meals from Bateman Selects, a Meals on Wheels provider.
MK Signature Meal - Pork Pot stickers with Stir-Fry Vegetables and Chicken Fried Brown Rice - $13
This is meal produced by Bateman Selects, who manufacturers food for Meals on Wheels, so the Kudos really goes to them for producing a high-quality meal on a Meals on Wheels budget. All they did was put their name on it and call it one of their signature meals.
The pot stickers were good and the rice and vegetable combination was better than the other Bateman Selects meals we tried. Is it worth $13? Close, but we are not aware of another prepared meal delivery service that has them on the menu, so there is some value in that.
MK Signature Meal - Eggplant Parmigiana and Polenta with Spinach & Roasted Peppers - $12
Right off the bat a side vegetable would have been nice, maybe some green beans, but this is a good meal. The polenta is especially flavorful, and the two wedges of eggplant look and taste like they were farm-fresh the day this meal was created.
MK Signature Meal - Salmon Caponata with Orzo and Spinach - $14
The Orzo and Spinach was the star of this meal, it was delicious with a light and airy texture. The Caponata was almost as good with fresh roasted eggplant and vegetables. The water from the vegetables leached into the salmon, which would have been better served if it had been in its own compartment in the tray. The color of the salmon seemed a bit odd too, that was probably because of its exposure to the Caponata. Although a little on the small side, the salmon tasted good.
MK Signature Meals We Would Not Reorder
MK Signature Meal - Beef Pot Roast with Red Wine Sauce over Noodles with Carrots & Green Beans - $13
This is a meal produced by Bateman Selects, who manufacturers food for Meals on Wheels, and it is passable as a $4 Meal on Wheels dinner. We would overlook the jerky-like dry pot roast and the absence of any Red Wine Sauce. Do you see any in the picture? The penne pasta (not noodles) and the canned vegetables were good. We wonder how they call this their
"Signature Meal" when they are buying them from Bateman Selects. In our opinion, it's not even close to being worth $13.
MK Signature Meal - Chicken Parmigiana, White Rice and Carrots - $12
Chicken Parmesan is a staple for all prepared meal delivery services. We expected something more for the price, and the ridiculous amount of rice (why not pasta?) that came as a side made us start feeling like this company doesn't care about its customers. A feeling that accelerated like a snowball rolling down a hill as we experienced more of these "Signature Meals."
MK Signature Meat Meatballs With Penne Pasta and Peas - $12.50
See if you see what we see. Click on the picture so you can see the enlarged view of this meal, and see if it looks like the bottom third of each meatball has been removed. None of them are round, but they are not particularly good either. The sauce for the pasts is more like unseasoned tomato paste than sauce. There is better value out there for $12.50.
MK Signature Meal - Roasted Pork with Hickory Barbecue Sauce over Southwestern Style Rice and Mixed Vegetables - $12
This is a meal produced by Bateman Selects, who manufacturers food for Meals on Wheels. Maybe a long fancy name will make the meal taste better? No. The sliced pork might be 1/8 of an inch, and the "gravy" is burnt into the pork. Also dried out is the rice and there are not enough mixed vegetables to make a serving. $12 for this "signature Meal" is far from being a fair value.
MK Signature Meal - Beef Bourguignon, Brown Rice and Broccoli - $14.50
This meal came in a paper tray instead of a plastic one. The seal was broken, and there was excessive water in the tray. The meat seemed to be better quality than the processed meat on most other meals, but it was still unappetizing. The rice was hard, if not crunchy. For safety reasons, we do not eat meals with broken seals, and it was hard to tell if the food was poorly prepared or went bad during shipping. To spend $14.50 on this meal was a big disappointment.
MK Signature Meal - Beef Bourguignon, Brown Rice and Broccoli - $14.50 Purchased 10 Months Later
We purchased this meal again, about ten months later, to see if there was any improvement. It actually got worse. Now it comes with diced broccoli stems instead of florets, and the rice came out of the tray stuck together like a cake. The gravy is still water. Really? $14.50?
MK Signature Meal - Home-style Meatloaf with Tomato Gravy, Barley Mushroom Risotto and Mixed Vegetables - $12
This is a meal produced by Bateman Selects, who manufacturers food for Meals on Wheels. Like the pork, we see surgically thin-sliced meatloaf, with burnt on gravy. You may have to click the picture and see the meatloaf on the fork. There is nothing old-fashioned about this meatloaf. Risotto is not made with barley, and the same canned mixed vegetables appear in this meal too.
MK Signature Meal - Cheese Omelet with Broccoli and Cinnamon Apples - $11.50
The omelet was good and had a lot of cheese. However, this same omelet is available from all the meal delivery services that specialize in $7 meals. We didn't understand how broccoli qualified as a breakfast side, and the apples seemed like they came out of a can. Really? A Signature Meal?
MK Signature Meal - Chicken Cheese Enchilada with Tomatillo Sauce, Rice and Pinto Beans - $12.50
A Tomatillo Sauce is made from roasted Garlic, Chilis, Onions, and Jalapeno Peppers. Too bad this dish didn't come with it as the name suggests. The enchilada was dry and flavorless. We only needed one bite to discard it. The kidney beans could have been rinsed better coming out of the can, and the rice came out of the tray as a clump. This meal made us wonder how long it has been in the freezer before it was shipped to us.
MK Signature Meal - Spinach Mushroom Lasagna with Garlic Green Beans - $12
If you put canned spinach and mushrooms between two lasagna noodles, you have this meal. This tray also came with the seal broken. Maybe it was the garlic seasoning, or the food went bad, but something tasted funky. We threw it out.
MK Signature Meal - Roast Turkey with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes with Peas - $12.50
When we buy Turkey or Ham dinners we think about the Holidays, as these are the most popular meals delivered. There is a Turkey dinner you would be ashamed to send to someone, even though it's a "Signature Meal" for of this company. The turkey looks like it's sliced from a supermarket deli section, there is literally one very small scoop of mashed potatoes, and the peas are standard fare. What's on the fork you ask? It's the gravy that goes on the turkey. You'll also notice water on the plate. There is nothing of value here.
Our Magic Kitchen Senior Meals Delivered Review
We purchased these prepared meals from the Senior Meals Delivered section of their website. We found all of these meals to be prepared meals from Tradition Meal Solutions. This company plays an essential role in feeding seniors and elderly in this country. Many would go hungry if these meals did not exist. Because of the meager budget in which they have to produce these meals, they are not very good. Basically, they are assembled bulk frozen food components put into microwaveable trays.
Traditions provides prepared meals to national, state and local government organizations, prisons, insurance companies, hospital outpatient programs, and Meals on Wheels, to name a few. Until recently, they were available for retail purchase at the Traditions website for about $6 each. Now you can buy them here for $11.50.
We do not think they are good value at any price except free, or almost free, as they are intended to be used to feed those in need. Mom's Meals
and Homestyle Direct
are two senior meal delivery services that provide meals to people on Medicaid. They both have a private pay option for families who do not qualify for Medicaid prepared meals. Mom's will be better in quality, for about $7 each, or 40% less than what you'll pay here.
MK Senior Meals Delievered We Would Not Reorder
Magic Kitchen outsources from Traditions Meal Solutions, a Meals on Wheels provider.
Meatballs with Rice and Gravy - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by this service. These meatballs are the same quality of precooked frozen meatballs
you can buy at Costco, B.J.'s Wholesale, or your local market. Our gravy was heavily watered down from excessive water in the tray resulting in no flavor. You can't get any simpler (or cheaper) than the frozen peas and carrots, and the cauliflower was the tiniest bit-size pieces we have ever seen.
Chicken Patty and Penne Pasta Alfredo with Carrots and Fiesta Corn - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. We found the chicken patty to be a highly processed, precooked chicken patty
you can get at Costco's, B.J.'s Wholesale, or your local market.
While you are there, you buy frozen corn and carrots that come with this meal and make your meals for about $2 to $3 each.
Sausage Patties and Biscuit with Country Gravy - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. The sausage patties were tasty but nothing special you couldn't find in the market. The biscuit reheated to be hard as a rock, and the gravy was flavorless.
Beef Patty Over Cheesy Chipotle Rice, Corn and Broccoli - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. Another highly processed beef patty that was probably not prepared by a chef. We couldn't get any flavor out of the Chipotle Cheesy Rice which seemed watered down. The corn seemed to come right out of a can, and the tiny broccoli bits are probably the cheapest broccoli you can buy.
Chipotle Meatloaf with Red Skin Potatoes and Green Beans with Onion and Peppers - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. This meatloaf reminded us the type of beef one might find at a food mart in a gas station as a "grab n' go" type meat, than a chef-made meatloaf. Our Red Skin Potatoes were mushy, and the green beans were what you might expect from a can. Not worth $11.50.
Lasagna with Meat Sauce with Mixed Greens, Corn and Peppers - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. his was the most water damaged meal we received. The lasagna was submerged in water. We think the picture says it all. It looks and tasted like it was soaking in dishwashing water.
Spaghetti and Meatballs with Broccoli and Corn - $11.50
This a Traditions prepared meal sold by MK. These are the same pre-cooked meatballs, this time served in a water damaged sauce that had no flavor or texture. The sauce was more like soup. Paired with cheap vegetables.
In Summary
As you can see, we have purchased a lot of prepared meals from MagicKitchen.com, and we believe the pictures of the meals we have reviewed speak to the overall below average quality of their meals as well as their average to above prices. The company seems content on sourcing prepared meals from other companies who specialize in low-cost government contracts including Meals on Wheels and charging a high rate for low-cost meals designed for seniors and the elderly who qualify for social services to feed themselves.
Other meals suffer quality control issues that are allowed to go uncorrected year after year. One of the most significant problems is excessive water in the trays of the meals. This water drowns any flavor, seasoning, and melts any gravy that may have come with the meal. The only option a consumer has to throw the meal out. We have been buying meals here since 2011 and see this as a recurring problem, often with the same meal.
"Dried out" seems to be a standard description of many of the meals we have reviewed. We don't know if it is a packaging or preparation issue, but meals will have components that if they are not drowned from excessive water, they are dried out. Adding the cost of what we throw away reduces the value of this meal delivery service even more. Seniors and family caretakers would probably have a difficult time using this service to feed their loved ones consistent meals of decent quality at a price that fits into the family's budget.
Shared Experiences from Other Family Caregivers
"While hospitalized for major surgery, my daughter sent meals for my husband. They were awful! We did not get the food she ordered; several of the packages were freezer burned; and the food itself was very poor quality....the burnt pork Barb q ends had so much fat that there were not edible. My daughter paid a lot of money for these meals, hoping to ease the burden of illness and it is disgusting that a company would take advantage of people trying to help others in times of need."
-Cynthia Johnson, MN
"I have been to the MagicKitchen website many times and found it hard to find what I was looking for. Your insight and recommendations have been extremely helpful."
-Jarred Butler, CA
Your MagicKitchen Review
Our reviews are written only
from the viewpoint of a family caretaker who has the responsibility of feeding one or two senior or elderly loved ones. We take into consideration shipping, packaging, storage, reheating, food quality, and price per meal to determine if the meal delivery service is a good value, convenience, and an option to support their family caretaking responsibilities. Advertisers do not influence our reviews.
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