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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

As a broke college student, cooking was never something I did often. Whenever I would go to the grocery store, I was overwhelmed with the options available and played it safe by buying what I always did. As a lover of cooking shows and trying new foods, I surprisingly was never one to step into the kitchen often. I always wanted to try meal subscriptions, but I never got around to buying one. After a friend sent me their $20 off coupon code for EveryPlate, I knew it was now or never. In two weeks, I made six meals and became my own version of Gordon Ramsey — at least I would like to think so. Follow me along as I rate my EveryPlate meals!

 

Cheesy Corn Bisque with Garlic Beard

Think back to the first time you tried your favorite dish…yeah, that’s the same way I felt about this meal. As I mentioned before, I was never an expert in the kitchen. Selecting these meals was one thing, but actually making them was something else. While making this one, I thought I completely messed it up because the consistency wasn’t what it should’ve been — I was mistaken. I truly don’t know what I did, but this meal was chef’s kiss. One of my favorite things about this meal was dipping my garlic bread into the bisque. The flavors were immaculate.

Caramelized Onion Burgers with Horseradish Aioli & Potato Wedges

Now, I’m not the biggest fan of onions, but let me tell you: this meal had me shook at my abilities. For starters, I hadn’t made a burger by myself, so I was extremely worried about how the meat would turn out. To my surprise — and with a lot of popping grease — I did pretty well. The horseradish aioli that I spread on the buns truly meshed everything together so nicely. It was so filling that I couldn’t finish one burger, let alone two, and the potato wedges complemented the burgers really well. I would make it all again.

Easy Chicken Fajitas with Zesty Sour Cream

Easy is the perfect way to describe this meal. Not only were these fajitas amazing, but the zesty sour cream was the perfect addition. Spicy food has always been a love of mine, so the inclusion of green peppers took this meal up a notch. The leftovers were great, and I was able to add some chicken to a tostada later in the week for some extra crunch.

Pork & Pineapple Tacos with Pickled Veggies & Lime Crema

Now, I love pineapples…I love tacos…but this combination was something different for me. Although it wasn’t my favorite, it wasn’t bad either. If you’re someone who believes pineapples belong on pizza, this may be the dish for you. Even though the flavors weren’t for me, I’m glad I gave the meal a try.

Garlic Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies

 

No picture = no meal. Take it from me — remember to put your meats in the freezer until the day before you’re ready to use them. Unfortunately for me, my chicken went bad, so I improvised with the roasted root veggies I had already made. Luckily, I had some rice in my pantry and quickly whipped up a supplementary side. Even though I was missing half of the meal, it turned out better than expected.

Chicken Sausage Orzotto with Roasted Tomatoes & Parmesan 

Good, but it could’ve been better. Growing up, I wasn’t a fan of tomatoes or onions, so this meal was definitely out of my element. Fresh off the stove, the flavors were everywhere but it was overwhelming during certain bites. When I reheated it the next day, this meal wasn’t bad. However, the tomatoes were less roasted and soggier. Although it was my first meal, it took the last place overall. Sometimes first isn’t always the best.

If you’re a college student or someone who just wants to dabble more in the kitchen, I would 100% recommend trying out a meal subscription. Since there are a lot of options out there, do your research to find the right one for you. Out of the meals I made, which one would you try? Happy cooking!

Lincy is a Senior at UCF majoring in Social Work with a minor in Sociology. She was born in Haiti, but raised in Florida. She loves spending most of her free time volunteering with children. If she's not volunteering, you can find her on Netflix watching her favorite shows -- Criminal Minds, Supernatural, or New Girl. If you want to keep up with what she's doing, follow her on her socials. 
UCF Contributor