Two weeks ago, we received a dinner box from Daily Dish. The Family menu promised delicious, kid-approved meals, which the whole family would enjoy. And last week we were sent the Classic Box. We’d tried a Classic menu last year, and it was that dinner box which made us fall in love with the wonderful concept and service that is Daily Dish.

In case you missed it, read my first post about Daily Dish and the Classic Box here: Daily Dish – the busy mom’s perfect sidekick

Dinner Box 1: The Family Box

The four dishes for the week were A-Maize-Ing Chicken, Easy Cheesy Mac, Leek & Cream Pork, and Pick-Up Sticks. Even the names were cute and definitely kid-approved. ?

The boxes this week even came with a gift – an amazing cheese box, perfect for a cheese and wine evening. That was really special!

All three of us were sick with this horrid flu that refuses to go away, so the time we’d planned to spend in the kitchen as a family didn’t go exactly as we’d hoped. There was still some fun had though, so we can’t complain. Zee helped me with the first two dishes. It was really cute – she was there, apron and all, reading the steps on the recipe card out loud when I asked her to, and helping wherever she could. She was most excited about day 2 because well, mac and cheese.

Day 1: A-Maize-Ing Chicken

When I first looked at this recipe, I wasn’t entirely sure about that tomato based sauce, or more specifically, if my child would enjoy it. The recipe mentioned serving the elements separately for kids, but to my surprise Zee asked to have it all together, and she really enjoyed it. It was also her first time trying polenta, and she thought it was lovely. The chicken was tender (yay me ?), and everything worked really nicely together. Day 1: a great (and yummy) success. Nicely done Daily Dish!

Day 2: Easy Cheesy Mac

Zee was already waiting for me in the kitchen when it was time to cook on day 2. I’m happy to report that the much anticipated Easy Cheesy Mac did not disappoint. And how could it, when it contained some of the little person’s favourite ingredients? Bacon, cheese, broccoli… yes, she’s a big broccoli fan, and she has been since she was really little and used to call them little trees. ?

I love that we topped it with panko bread crumbs, adding a crunchy element to the dish. Here’s what it looked like on its way in, and then out of the oven. So much YUM! Definitely our favourite of the week!

Day 3: Leek & Cream Pork

By day 3, the flu germs had made their way to my adorable sous chef. So I asked her to get some rest while I prepared our dinner. I loved everything about this dish – the delicious mushroom and leek mix/sauce, the always comforting mashed potatoes, the greens, and of course those gammon steaks! Even my two patients loved it.

Day 4: Pick-Up Sticks

Our last meal from the Family Menu was mostly prepared by Shawn who was feeling a little better. Zee and I made the salad, while Shawn did an amazing job with the koftas. We decided he’d earned the title of Kofta King. This was another delicious dish, and definitely kid approved, with Zee describing the koftas as “super yum”. ?

Dinner Box 2: The Classic Box

Last week’s dinner box was once again packed with beautiful, fresh ingredients, and great recipes. On the menu were Chicken, Greens & Mash, Hoisin Burger, Hazelnut Pork, and Mediterranean Smoked Sausages. As always, my little assistant helped unpack the ingredients, before checking out the menu and recipe cards. She was pretty excited about us making our own burger patties, and she was really happy to see pork bangers on the menu.

Day 1: Chicken, Greens & Mash

This dish was simple to make, and tasted amazing, but I found it really difficult to photograph (I’m working on my food photography skills… I have a long way to go). In the end, I decided I’d share Daily Dish’s photo with you.

Day 2: Hoisin Burger

Thanks to the meal kit for day 2, I got to make burger patties from scratch for the very first time. And they were AWESOME! I called it early on Instagram, and my decision remains unchanged – this was my fave dish of the week! Shawn and I loved the flavours, even the salad which was different and new to us. Kid verdict: Zee wasn’t crazy about the salad, but she thoroughly enjoyed everything else.

Day 3: Hazelnut Pork

Gammon steaks again – yay! You can’t go wrong with these – we think they’re really yummy. And they go really well with green beans and potatoes – mashed, or baby, it just works. This time it was paired with a hazelnut salsa, which added a nice tangy element (and which is also the only thing that Zee, and I’m guessing most kids, will choose to leave off the plate)

Day 4: Mediterranean Smoked Sausages

This dish was like a good old fashioned pork sausage chutney, except with bulgar wheat instead of bread like we’d usually have it. I started cooking really late on day 4, so I ended up throwing the tomatoes into the blender because grating them like the recipe said would’ve taken too long (have I mentioned I’m not the fastest in the kitchen?). The only thing I’d change about this recipe is to fully cook the sausages separately, and then add them into the sauce at the end.

Family Box or Classic Box?

This is a tough one to call, because both dinner boxes are filled with so much deliciousness, and we had eight amazing dishes. We also have favourites in both boxes. Seeing as we need a winner though, we’re going with the Family Box this time. It was flawless!

We’re learning so much with these dinner boxes – new recipes, new flavours, clever cooking tricks. I absolutely love that everything is provided in exactly the right quantity, right down to the smallest ingredients like a teaspoon of white wine vinegar, or a clove of garlic. The convenience is brilliant, and definitely makes for much calmer and organized (and fun) time in the kitchen. I can’t wait to share with you what we create next!