After testing 14 meals from Tempo, a spin-off subscription service from Home Chef, a colleague and I were surprised by how much we liked them. But lord, there’s lots of chicken
Meal cost is between $11 and $13 a serving, depending on how many meals you want delivered each week, plus $11 a week in shipping. Usually, the introductory week costs significantly less, with additional military and student discounts also available. Generally, the first package arrives about a week after you sign up. You can choose which day of the week your first order will arrive, and this will remain consistent on subsequent weeks.
Once refrigerated, the meals remain good for seven to 10 days, with expiration dates stamped on each box. This longevity is mostly due to the modified atmosphere packaging technology that flushes out oxygen and replaces it with other gases carefully calibrated to help prevent spoilage. This tech has improved significantly in recent decades, leading to longer shelf lives in supermarket items and in prepared meals like these.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
Like a lot of meal kits these days, Tempo caters especially to those looking to make sure they get their protein on—and who don’t want to overdo it on carbs. Among the 25 or so meals available each week, as many as two-thirds of the Tempo meals might be marked “protein-packed,” with more than 30 grams of protein. Vegetarians might only find a single meal or two: This is a meat-eater’s kit.
Mostly, Tempo’s meals take traditional middle-American form: a big protein, some veggies on the side, maybe some pasta or rice. Adventurous eaters shouldn’t expect much more exotic than a “Thai sweet chili salmon” with bok choy, or a Cajun-spiced chicken thigh. With just a couple dozen meals on the menu each week, Tempo is gently catering to the broadest possible palate.
This is far from how I usually eat. If anything, I overspice. But I was surprised to find myself enjoying this mostly simple fare, whether heated in a conventional oven or dumped from the box and heated in an air fryer for a little extra crisping.
