I have a love-okay-I-kind-of-like-you relationship with Blue Apron. I subscribed to the dinner home delivery service almost two months ago when a get-one-meal-free offer (with no strings attached) was too good to refuse. As the primary meal planner in my household, I was intrigued by the idea of receiving ingredients and instructions for three dinners a week without having to plan or think about what I had in the house. I liked the idea of experiencing the freedom of getting up in the morning without that nagging what-will-I-make-for-dinner-tonight? thought. Some of you are wondering why the heck I’d care; there’s always take-out. The catch is, I like to cook. I find it relaxing. And I take pride in putting a good meal on the table each night. I grew up in a household where Sunday dinner was a big deal. But sometimes I need a break. As a frequent traveler, I find Blue Apron also gives me the flexibility of being able to cancel a delivery with just a one-week notice. And for shorter trips, I know I’ll come home to a pantry full of fresh food. (Blue Apron packs deliveries in a refrigerated box, so as long as my husband is home or I can ask a neighbor to take delivery, there’s no waste.) On the flip side, we’re not always thrilled with the menu. Our very first Blue Apron dinner, matzo-crusted chicken with orange, fennel and golden beet salad was a definite hit. We’ve also enjoyed mushroom and Swiss burgers with pan-seared fingerling potatoes, and beef dukbokki with kimchi and fresh peas. I’d cook flat-iron steak with ramps, fingerling potatoes and shaved asparagus salad again, but white pizza with arugula pesto, pine nuts and pea tips was disappointing. And I’m sure some subscribers loved the asparagus and ricotta sandwiches with arugula, almond and fennel salad, but I discarded the bread and used the rest of the ingredients in other recipes from my personal collection. But every time I think about canceling our deliveries, I’m surprised by a meal I’d never have cooked on my own. Tonight it was turkey steam buns with cucumber-radish kimchi. I dutifully followed the recipe, doubting it would be a hit and keeping Plan B (speed-dial pizza delivery) in mind. There was no need for Plan B. And there were no leftovers. — Lisa Matte, editor in chief