MEALBOX

Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★★

Chef-created meals delivered to your door

Standout Dishes: 16-Hour Smoked Brisket; Steak Tagliata; Banh Mi; Banh Mi Meatloaf; Lomo Soltado; Greek Freak Crusted Salmon

Picture this scenario: you come home and crash on the couch, exhausted from a taxing day at work. You’re craving a good meal, but cooking sounds about as attractive as getting into the ring with Mike Tyson in his prime.

Or this scene: your children demand chicken nuggets and, much as you crave adult food, you don’t have the strength to cook two meals. So it’s another night of breaded dinosaurs and frozen French fries.

What if it didn’t have to be that way? What if you could have a chef-created meal on your plate within five minutes with almost no work required?

It may sound impossible, but that’s the magic of Mealbox.

This meal delivery company was started by chef Will Birge, who, after nearly two decades of working in restaurants, decided to do something new. So in 2020 he began making and packaging meals that not only tasted great, but could be prepared after just a few minutes in the microwave.

That’s right: the microwave.

I know, I know; it sounds like sacrilege to suggest that proteins like brisket or fish should even be put in a microwave, much less that they could succeed in such an environment. But through science, precise cooking times, and thoughtful pairing of ingredients and accompaniments (not to mention plenty of trial and error on each dish), Will and his team make it happen.

No meal is a better example of this than the 16-Hour Smoked Brisket. I had the privilege to visit the Mealbox kitchen and taste this brisket right after it emerged from the smoker. It was incredibly moist, had a brilliant bark, and possessed a heavy (but not overpowering) smoky flavor… I won’t name names, but most of Omaha’s BBQ restaurants need to take notes. It was some of the better brisket I’ve had.

A few days later, my Mealbox arrived and I hesitantly put a container with brisket, brown sugar beans, and broccoli salad in the microwave for two and a half minutes. As good as the brisket had been fresh, there was no way the product would live up to my memories of it.

One bite in I was picking up pieces of my brain off the floor. I’d be lying if I told you the brisket was on par with the fresh version, but it was 95% of the way there. I expected it to turn leathery, but it remained tender. I thought the microwaves might evaporate away that beautiful pink smoke ring, yet it prevailed.

It defied all logic.

That’s a common theme that runs through nearly every Mealbox offering. They taste like something you’d get at a restaurant, only you can have enjoy it in the comfort of your home within 2-3 minutes.

Mealbox’s menu changes weekly depending on what ingredients are in season and what Will is inspired by. If you’re lucky, you might find some of the following as available options:

Hot Honey Salmon Burnt Ends: The salmon itself is perfectly fatty and flaky, giving way to a tender touch of the fork. It has a great sweet heat glaze, but it’s the delicious spicy carrot and butternut squash puree (so good you’ll like every last ounce off the plate) that steals the show.
Steak Tagliata (header photo): thin strips of steak, blistered tomatoes, and peppery arugula perch atop a bed of supple ricotta-stuffed raviolis. A salty gorgonzola cream oozes over the entire creation, adding welcome funk and earthiness that’s balanced by a sweet balsamic glaze.
Banh Mi Meatloaf: Sorry, moms everywhere, but your classic recipe has nothing on this sticky sweet hunk of pork and chicken, which carries just the perfect touch of heat.
Banh Mi: Juicy shaved pork loin is layered inside a crusty sourdough roll along with succulent meatballs. A sweet chili aioli brings both sugar and heat, and pickled vegetables add crunch and acid to complete an awesome sandwich.
Pastrami Mami: Enormous cubes of smoked pastrami are so tender they practically dissolve in your mouth; imagine a cross between burnt ends and pastrami. They’re mixed with house cured bacon, melted gruyere cheese, and a rich, earthy chasseur sauce atop a bed of egg noodles.
Enchiladas Morelia: Chopped flank steak, chorizo, and potato are rolled up inside tender tortillas and baked in a smoky guajillo chile sauce that adds just the right amount of heat.
Rigatoni Bolognese: The 24-hour meat sauce is rich and hearty, with just the right amount of sweetness to match the savory meat. The thick sauce clings to the ridges of the al dente rigatoni, forming a dish any Italian restaurant would be proud to serve.
B+B Salmon: A tangy, slightly sweet blackberry and balsamic glaze is applied to a 6-oz portion of grilled salmon, which emerges from the microwave flaky and bursting with flavor. The natural fat of the fish plays perfectly with the jam-like flavor of the glaze.

Mexi Shrimp & Grits: The creamy girts provide a warm, homey base for the giant sautéed tiger shrimp to rest. The shellfish add a subtle sweetness that pairs with the heat of chorizo, tangy queso fresco, and kernels of sweet corn.
Miso Teriyaki Pulled Pork: Tender shredded pork is nestled into a pile of thin vermicelli noodles and a brilliant miso-teriyaki glaze. Grilled pineapple and roasted sweet potatoes add a subtle amount of sugar, while soy braised collards provide just a touch of saltiness and bitter flavor.
Veggie Steak: That’s right, a vegan dish makes an appearance on this list. But if you tried this marinated cauliflower, which is grilled to a meaty yet tender texture, along with the creamy, garlic-y chickpea/eggplant mash and a heavenly chickpea aioli, you would understand.

Will releases a new menu each week, and deliveries are made each Sunday. Meals arrive in a microwave-safe plastic container within a specified window (if you don’t plan to be home during the delivery time, which is communicated over email, Mealbox will provided a temperature-saving bag) and literally require just 2-3 minutes of microwaving. Employing an air fryer, oven, or frying pan only enhances the experience.

The downside to most quick at-home meals is they’re often packed with sodium, calories, and fat. Not so with Mealbox’s options. Not only are these dishes calorie-friendly, but they’re generally low in fat and sugar, certainly in comparison with what you’ll be served in most restaurants.

The Greek Freak Crusted Salmon is an excellent example. The fish remains juicy and flaky despite the reheating process, and the Spiceology herb mix adds a Mediterranean, garlic-y punch.

The side of spinach and kalamata olives is dressed well and offers a proper amount of salt, while the side of tzatziki allows the diner to introduce this creamy, tangy condiment at their leisure. This plate checks in at around 600 calories, providing a healthy, satisfying meal that doesn’t sacrifice at all on flavor.

Most entrees fall between 500 and 800 calories, and macros are carefully listed on Mealbox’s website. All sauces are served in a side container as well, though you’ll be tempted to dredge everything in the delicious Omaha sauce (think the 1000 Island you’d find on a Reuben, but with a chef-y zing) on everything you eat.

When I take a bite of Mealbox food, I feel I’m experiencing part of the future of the restaurant industry. There’s no way to replicate what makes dining at a restaurant—the service, ambience, special feeling—at home. Dining out elicits special emotions, and I don’t think anything will ever change that.

But when you want to enjoy a fantastic, delicious meal from the comfort of your couch, your ace in the hole is the Mealbox in your fridge.