Calabash: Meal Kits by Foodland - Perfect for Busy Parents!

Although I primarily work from home, getting dinner on the table every night for me is a challenge. Not only do I feel I just don't have the time to make a decent dinner, but I also don't have any culinary skills whatsoever.

But thanks to Calabash: Meal Kits by Foodland, busy parents (or those, like me, who can't cook), can get a delicious meal on the table fast.

Last week I attended a media event where Foodland's Corporate Chef Keoni Chang, Chef de Cuisine Brian Nagai, and Sous Chef Rebekah “Bekah” DeCosta explained the concept behind Calabash, as well as all of the thought that went into each kit to make meal time easy for the consumer. 

 

“Calabash is our way of making meal planning and preparation easier, so our busy customers can spend more time with their families or doing what they love most,” said Chairman and CEO Jenai S. Wall. “The name Calabash pays homage to the humble, wooden calabash bowls that graced Hawaii’s dining tables over past centuries, serving as the centerpiece for family gatherings and the sharing of culture and experiences.”

No shopping (other than for the meal kit) is required. All you'll typically need are basic staples (e.g. salt, pepper, oil), and supplies (a frying pan, knife, spatula, etc.). Easy-to-follow directions are on the back of each kit's label.

And the meals are really a cinch to make. I know - because the media event turned into a surprise cooking challenge, where we paired up and cooked a Calabash Meal Kit.

My partner (Kelli @ Frolic) and I cooked up Sesame Pineapple Cauliflower "Rice."

All we had to do was cut up some vegetables, mince garlic, throw everything into a pan, saute, season, garnish, and that was it!

Here is a sampling of other kits the media cooked, as well as those that the Foodland chefs cooked:

Pork Hash Loco Moco with Shoyu Mustard Gravy

Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts

Ti Leaf Baked Fresh Catch

Spicy Beef Stir-Fry with Basil and Long Beans

The Calabash kits come in Mains or Sides, so you can easily mix and match dishes. And it's great that you can really show your personality through your dishes, as evident through the different plating styles of the Pulehu Steak with Spicy Sambal Hamakua Mushrooms:

Calabash Meal Kits are currently available for purchase at Foodland Farms Ala Moana in the store’s produce section – or via Foodland to You for curbside pickup or delivery in the metro Honolulu area. The colorful design and look of the Calabash kits were designed by Welcome Stranger, a Hawaii-based brand identity and experiential design studio led by Scott Naauao and Jesse Arneson. Kits range in price from $13.99 to $17.99 for mains and $6.99 to $7.99 for side dishes.

Follow Calabash on Instagram (@eatcalabash) and visit the website (www.eatcalabash.com) for information on the kits.