Fresh Healthy Family Meals from Pernilla's Pantry

Sometimes I find myself making the same things over and over again for dinner, or grabbing takeout more often than I probably should. That's why I was so interested in Pernilla's Pantry, a mom-run business here in Marin that offers creative healthy meals for busy families.

Pernilla's Pantry is a little different from other meal delivery services in that the food is not prepared for you in advance. Instead, you get a recipe cards and all the ingredients that you need to make four fantastic family meals for the week. Pernilla's Pantry was created by Pernilla, a Marin mom and Swedish native who loves to share her passion for food and good cooking with others.

We had the opportunity to try out a week's worth of meals from Pernilla's Pantry recently, and we were all very impressed! Here's how it works: log in to the Pernilla's Pantry website and choose your meals for the week. You can also choose to order dinner for two or a family of four. During our week we had grilled salmon with orzo and brocollini; roasted chicken with creamy broccoli slaw; tomato, olive, and spinach pasta; and pork tenderloin with snap pea salad.

On Monday, Pernilla's Pantry drops off your food and recipe cards. If you're not going to be home, you can leave a cooler on your doorstep and they'll leave the food there. Everything you need to create your meals is included, although they do assume that you'll have pantry staples like olive oil, spices, garlic, vinegar, mustard, and breadcrumbs, as well as cooking tools like knives, a cutting board, and mixing bowls.

Now, it's time for you to get cooking! This service is perfect for busy families and new parents who want to cook their own meals, but don't have the time for meal planning, shopping, and investigating new recipes. Even my kids got into the act and wanted to help make the meals. They loved everything, too, even things like the salmon which I wasn't sure they would like.

The delivered ingredients are fresh and high quality. Many of the items are organic, but Pernilla does not use all organic ingredients to keep costs down. The cost for four family meals is $129, and for two people it's $86. Recipes are perfectly planned for delicious results, and the quantity of food you receive is really generous. We had plenty of leftovers, which my husband usually took for lunch at work the next day.

I really loved the convenience and creativity of Pernilla's Pantry. It was nice not to have to think about what I was going to make for dinner, and to have someone go shopping for me and not forget any of the ingredients! It's a great value, too, and I'll definitely be ordering from Pernilla again. Not only did it make for less stressful and easier dinnertimes, but it inspired me to get more creative the kitchen as well.

Right now you can get 25% off your first order with Pernilla's Pantry by using the promo code TRIAL. Currently, their delivery area is in Marin County only, from Novato to Sausalito, and as far west as San Anselmo. They are constantly expanding, so if you don't see your location listed let them know.

Visit pernillaspantry.com to see what's on the menu, to learn more about how it all works, and to sign up for service. Pernilla's Pantry also makes a great gift for new parents or anyone else that needs a break. My family and I highly recommend it!

Disclosure: Pernilla's Pantry provided us with a week's worth of meals for review purposes.