Weight Watchers And Walmart Launch Meal Kits

HelloFresh and Blue Apron have two new competitors in town: Walmart and Weight Watchers. The two brands recently announced their ventures into the meal kit business, but unlike many of the other options out there, these pre-prepped packages won't be delivered to your door.

"Customers are busier than ever and we know getting a delicious dinner on the table can be a chore. We're here to help," Walmart senior vice president and general merchandise manager Tyler Lehr said in a release. "These delicious meals give the best or worst of cooks a fresh, easy option for dinner tonight, or later this week."

A vast array of meal options, which have already rolled out to over 250 stores, are made and assembled fresh in-store daily. Options include pre-portioned kits for steak Dijon, basic garlic chicken, sweet chili chicken stir fry, and pork Florentine; Thai curry chicken and chicken fried rice rotisserie meals; and one-step heat-up chicken Alfredo, cheesy ravioli, meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, pulled beef, curry chicken, pot roast, and chicken enchiladas.

Each item is a one-time purchase with no subscription required. One meal serves two people and costs anywhere from $8 to $15. Customers can order online at lunchtime to pick up in-store by dinner or just swing inside the store to pick from options on the shelf.

Weight Watchers — which just added DJ Khaled as an ambassador alongside longtime spokeswoman Oprah — is working with California-based meal kit company FreshRealm to roll out quick-prep food and individual grocery products as a part of the company's new WW Healthy Kitchen initiative, which also includes a new line of kitchen tools (water bottles with built-in tea and fruit infusers, pineapple corers, and nonstick pans).

"At WW, our goal is to be a partner to everyone on their pursuit toward healthier living," Weight Watchers president and CEO Mindy Grossman said in a release. "We know people today need the tools, inspiration and community to develop healthy habits in their day-to-day lives. Whether through a collection of delicious and satisfying recipes, custom WW kitchen tools, or fresh, quick-prep meal kits, we are delivering the solutions that make healthy eating and cooking accessible, easier, and simpler for all."

The weight-loss company has not released pricing information, but consumers can expect to see the meal kits roll out in the second half of 2018.

If you're not about that meal kit life and you want to put together your own dang food, check out this complete guide to meal prepping made easy.