Grocery Shopping vs. Meal Delivery: How to Keep Up With a Teen Who Eats Everything

You open the fridge. There’s food in there—technically—but nothing that adds up to a meal.

You shut the door, sigh, and debate whether to cook something semi-balanced or just order takeout.

Sound familiar?

Feeding a teenager is an extreme sport. Mine eats like he’s bulking for an imaginary competition but refuses leftovers.

One week, he’s all about protein, so I stock up on eggs, chicken, and beef.

The next, he reads something about red meat, and now I have five pounds of abandoned ground beef in the freezer.

He also won’t eat sandwiches. At all. No PB&J. No turkey and cheese. No easy grab-and-go meals.

So what’s the best strategy for keeping food in the house without losing my mind or paycheck?

The Case for Grocery Shopping

Some people swear by grocery shopping because it’s cheaper, gives you control over ingredients, and lets you plan meals that actually work for your family.

Why it works:

• Cooking at home is usually more budget-friendly than takeout or meal kits.
• You aren’t locked into a pre-set meal plan.
• There’s less packaging waste compared to meal delivery.
• It should, in theory, work for picky eaters. (In practice, not always.)

Why it’s a headache:

• Grocery shopping takes time, and I go at least twice a week.
• Even with food in the house, cooking requires energy I don’t always have.
• Food disappears fast, especially when your kid eats like an athlete but changes his diet weekly.
• No matter how well I plan, he will decide midweek that he’s over whatever I stocked up on.

How I Make Grocery Shopping Work

I buy in bulk, but only for neutral foods that won’t suddenly become “bad” next week.

I keep emergency meals on hand that don’t require much effort—frozen burritos, rice bowls, protein shakes, anything that lets him eat without me cooking every night.

There’s always a rotating list of “safe” foods that seem to stay in favor.

At least one protein, one carb, and one snack that won’t get vetoed.

And I’ve accepted that no matter how much I plan, I will need to make another grocery run before the week is over.

The Case for Meal Delivery

Meal delivery services promise to make dinner easy, but do they actually?

Why they work:

• No meal planning—someone else does the thinking.
• Less food waste because ingredients are pre-portioned.
• Faster prep, since some meals come partially prepped or ready to heat.
• If you’re stuck in a meal rut, they can add variety.

Why they’re frustrating:

• They’re expensive. Convenience costs.
• You eat what they send, even if you’re not in the mood for it.
• The amount of packaging is ridiculous.
• If you forget to skip a week, congratulations, you just spent $80 on meals you didn’t want.

I’ve never tried a meal kit because my son’s shifting tastes would make it pointless.

One day he’s into something, and the next, he acts like I’m poisoning him.

Also, portion-controlled meals don’t work for a growing teen.

I do rely on takeout more than I should. But every time I drop $40 on food that’s just okay, I regret it.

So, What’s Actually Easier?

Grocery shopping wins if you like flexibility, lower costs, and feeding a teen who eats like a human vacuum.

Meal delivery wins if you want convenience and fewer food decisions.

For most people, a mix of both makes the most sense.

Some weeks, home-cooked meals work. Other times, it’s survival mode.