FAQ

Is it a full meal?

Yes it is... full enough for all that work at EAT and we all love to EAT! It's good tucker! Meat and vegetables... Unless you get the vegetarian meal... then there is no meat! Please view the description of meal before ordering...

Are these meals frozen?

Eat fresh is fresh! The meals are cooked then blasted cold to retain the flavour and freshness. These are then served out into individual meals, the oxygen is removed by the vac and sealed providing freshness for up to 14 days from cook date in your fridge... by the time you get it, shelf life is about 10 days! Note: 5+5 deal is fresh meals and fresh soup frozen meal deals... are (you guessed it) frozen

What if I only want to order 1 meal?

You are more than welcome to do this but it will be a fairly expensive meal as the delivery fee still applies...

Is there a maximum order?

There is a maximum of 12 items in a box. If you order over this amount we will charge an additional delivery fee. Sorry but we already subsidise delivery and can't afford to offer a discount and send it to you for free!

Am I contracted to buy every week?

No. You order for when you want it. As a one off or every week.

I am ordering for a parent/ friend – we would like 6 meals sent every week, can you arrange this?

We can put up to 5 weeks orders in advance over the phone. Payment will have to made at that time and then you will have to call back in 5 weeks to re-order. If you are ordering for a parent / client or friend who no longer has the nimbleness of their youth around the kitchen… It is important to know what they are eating and be active in managing this.  Either personally or through home help.  We recommend taking stock every 3- 4 weeks. The meals may be too big for them or some meals they may not like. Wasting food will be terribly concerning to them and therefore adjustments may have to be made to what you are ordering. We can make and send the food but it is no good if it is not being eaten!

I have a heart condition and require a low sodium diet. Are your meals low in salt?

Ummmm NO! They are not high either…. Probably average! A low sodium diet is under 300mg of salt and our average is 500-700mg. We have real chefs making our food and whilst we rein them in on the salt… it’s like magic dust to them.

Dairy free?

Please see ingredients for the eat fresh range… we love cheese and butter around here so please read ingredients carefully before making an order

Is your Chicken 'Free Range'?

YES it is... It is delicious, tasty free range chicken from Waitoa Farms.

Heat and eat... Sounds like meals on wheels.

If it is then it is the ultimate meals on wheels. It is proper food, delivered fresh or frozen and only heated when you want it. It tastes like you just graduated from culinary school and cooked it yourself, as opposed to lukewarm, sitting around all day and each meal tasting the same... you know there is a problem when you can’t work out if you are eating chicken or pork!??!

This internet thing is new to me and getting to this page took 3 hours... is there another way to order?

Yes... You can call us on 0800 328 333 and we can take your order over the phone. We promise it won’t take long unless you want to gossip and then we are all up for that!

Can I freeze the Fresh meals?

Yes you can, but the idea is that you don’t have to. Upon receiving your meals you should place them in the fridge. Fresh is best!.

How do I heat the meals?

We recommend heating for 4 minutes in the microwave. If you don’t have a microwave you can place the tray on an oven tray, remove film but cover with tin foil and reheat at 180 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

When will I receive my meals?

At Eat we partner with NZ Post Ltd Couriers to deliver your meals in good time and condition.   As an essential service provider of meals we are flagged as a priority customer with NZ Post Ltd Couriers.  Delivery will depend on when you have ordered. Please see below for the delivery schedule for your area.

Current courier demand and delivery.  

The demand for courier services has increased across the country. However as with lots of industries sickness and staff shortages and major weather events have caused NZ Post Ltd Couriers to remove their guarantee of next day delivery across the network.  This means that should your parcel not reach you within 30hrs (our safe chill timeframe) of being scanned leaving our premises the parcel is flagged as expired, delivery is cancelled and the box is destroyed.  In this event EAT will refund or resend your product at our own cost.  We receive no compensation from courier post for expired delivery.

As NZ Post Ltd Couriers do not guarantee next day delivery, we are unable to either.  If you rely on our meals it is recommended you have two days meals in the freezer, on hand incase we are required to resend due to courier delay or disruption.

 

WELLINGTON / PORIRUA 

This is delivered on set days by NZ Post team. Food will be delivered in a Green and White Cardboard box with our EAT logo, with an ice pack. It's our recommendation that if you cannot be home to receive your meals then the parcel can be left at the door on arrival.

Delivery schedule

Orders to be received by 11am previous day

Delivery day

Area

Tuesday through to Friday

Wellington to Porirua basin.

Wednesday through to Friday

Wainui, Eastbourne, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt.

 

Collect 

Collect from the Kitchen Door 9am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday

Located on the ground floor of the YMCA Building

67 Pilmuir Street, Boulcott, Lower Hutt 5010

 

Dedicated days for these deliveries    

Wellington with NZ Post Express(Tuesday)

Kapiti Region with NZ Post Express (Tuesday)

Manawatu...Otaki to Palmerston North Region with NZ Post Express (Tuesday)

Wairarapa Region with NZ Post Express (Tuesday)

Hutt Valley with NZ Post Express(Wednesday)

 

NATION WIDE Courier: From the top of the north to the bottom of the south... As long as you are not rural!

Frozen Meals are packed in a Green and White Cardboard box with our EAT logo, enviro foil pouch, gel ice packs and delivered to you by overnight courier. 

Fresh Meals are packed in a Green and White Cardboard box with our EAT logo, enviro foil pouch, gel ice packs and delivered to you by overnight courier.(Large Box)

Fresh range will be packed in a Green and White Cardboard box with foil pouch liners and gel ice packs and delivered to you by overnight courier. (Small Box)

It’s completely impossible to deliver Mondays. Monday is dispatch day and that means delivered to your door Tuesday at the earliest.

Day ordered

Day Delivered

 

 

Tuesday (before 11am)

Wednesday

Wednesday (before 11am)

Thursday

Thursday (before 11am)

Friday

Friday - Sunday (before Monday 11am)

Tuesday

If you require a Saturday Delivery(additional $6.00 Charges applies) Please contact 0800 328 333. 

 

 PLEASE NOTE:

Local Delivery: $16.00 (Per 12 fresh items  or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly) 

Kapiti Delivery: $16.00 (Per 12 fresh items or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly)

 Wairarapa Delivery:  $18.00 (Per 12 fresh items or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly)

Manawatu...Otaki to Palmerston North $18.00 (Per 12 fresh items or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly)

North Island next day:  $18.00 (Per 12 fresh items or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly)

SOUTH ISLAND Air freight – NEXT DAY DELIVERY:$35.00 (Per 12 items fresh or a standalone frozen of 12, 8 or Tiddly)  

Rural delivery

We are unable to deliver to rural areas. An alternative would be to have your food delivered to a work address or a relative’s address or a NZ Post Depot. If you live in the peace and serenity of this country's beautiful wide green pastures or just live in a cute little town well away from the hustle and fumes of the big smoke... and you are not sure... give us a call and we will contact our courier company whilst you are on the line and find out.

Where are you based?

Wellington but we deliver throughout the country.

How do I pay?

Easiest is by credit card. If you don’t have a credit card and do not wish to start one… then simply get your bank to supply you with a 'Debit Plus' card. This is exactly like your EFTPOS card. But it can but can be used over the phone or online like a credit card.

Alternatively you can pay by Bank transfer or phone banking…

 

I would like to pay by bank transfer - what are your bank details?

If you order on line you will get a confirmation back with your reference number and instructions on making payment including our bank details. But... if this confirmation is lost in cyber space then look no further...

Fresh is Best 2006 Ltd. TA Eat Unlimited
03-0502-0575744-00

Please include your name or at the very least your order reference or invoice number... if we have no way of identifying your payment we just assume it’s a tip (joking)! But it does make it very difficult for us to match up and find payment.

How big are the meals?

All meals are in excess of 400 grams. A decent serving by any means... However if you are extra hungry or there are two of you (with the appetite of a sparrow....) you can upsize any main meal for $1.50 and you will get in excess of 500 grams.

What is in the Frozen Meal Deal?

Great value that's what! Seriously... it's a random selection from menus gone by... but they are not a whole lot of rubbish meals that no one wanted... It's just that when we planned the cook our eyes were bigger than our stomachs... there are roasts, chicken dishes, pork dishes, beef dishes... etc... It's a real mixture. We promise you that it's not a box of pasta!

Is there a minimum order?

No. You can order as little as you like or as much as you like. Most people order between 5-7 meals each week.

Do I have to order the whole menu?

No … but you should! You may order what you like. Anything from 1 meal to 12 roasts… as long as it is on that week’s menu.

Can I order in advance?

Yes you can – just click on the week you want to order for and the menu will appear on the online ordering. However you can only order up to five weeks in advance on line. We don’t like doing standing orders as circumstances change. It is also good to stop ordering every month and take stock of what is in the freezer.

I want to send my friend some meals but I don’t know what they would like?

They will probably like everything but we know what you mean… send them a gift voucher... call us on 0800 328 333 and we can tell you all about it.

Gluten free?

Please refer to the Eat range please click on the photo and refer to the ingredients to check to see if the meal includes gluten. 

Please note: We do not operate a GF kitchen so traces may be found.

Is your pork 'Free Range'?

We have a few dishes that are Free range piggys... These guys live the life every piggy dreams of. For the rest of the menu we source pigs that are not 'Free Range' but they have what is equivalent to the SPCA tick in terms of Welfare, conditions and farm management... I call these guys Happy-ish pigs (Could be better but could be a lot worse!)

This is amazing... and your special deals are awesome... how can I find out about them!?

We are on Facebook and if you click on us there you will be notified of any specials as they come about.

How do I store meals?

Fresh chilled meals can be kept in the fridge and frozen meals (these are individually wrapped in newspaper) should be placed directly in the freezer.

If I don’t manage to eat all the meals I've purchased in a week can I place them in the freezer?

We think it is impossible that you have managed to resist the temptation of the delectable treats we have supplied you. Clearly you have not opened your fridge or are fasting? If this is the case you can freeze your meals, however you should consume these within 6 months of the cook date.

How do I reheat them from frozen?

We highly recommend that you thaw your meal first! Then it's 4 minutes in the microwave or 20-25  minutes in the oven.

What courier do you use and what time will the courier get here?

We use NZ Post. What time will the courier get there? It depends on their run, traffic, day, and where you are. We can't tell you what time... only what day. Once we part with your box and wave it goodbye from our kitchen window... we will never see that box again. It is out of our hands and in the trusted hands of the courier. We are lovely to our couriers and if you are going to be a regular it will pay for you to be lovely to them too. You look after them and they will look after you. If you do have an exceptional courier... patient, kind, helpful... let us know and we will pop some brownies or a cake in your box for you to gift to your favourite delivery person. REMEMBER: The delivery is perishable so NZ Post are instructed to leave it in the place  instructed on the box. Once it's delivered the responsibility for the boxes safety passes to you!

Can I collect my meals?

Yes you can...Collection from the Kitchen Door 9am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday  You can call us on 0800 328 333.

Address:

Ground floor YMCA Building
Pilmuir House
67 Pilmuir Street, Boulcott
Lower Hutt 5010

How do you get meals from Wellington to Auckland, Whangarei…?

Your meals will arrive packaged in a polystyrene chill box packed with ice packs and paper or cardboard box with wool pouch liners, ice packs and paper. This box will ensure your meals retain a cold temperature within the insulated box. The box has been tested to keep the food safe for 30 hours. It is your responsibility to get your meals into chilled storage once you've received them.  Please be advised the Courier Driver will not contact you on arrival of your delivery.

NZ Post deliver right up until 6pm, but if you have not received your order by 2pm then you should contact us on 0800 328 333.  One of the lovely ladies in the office will chase it. PLEASE CHECK THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR PROPERTY BEFORE CALLING US. NZ Post will leave the box if you are not home or do not answer the door. Neither NZ Post or Fresh is Best Limited is responsible ONCE MEALS ARE DELIVERED TO THE ADDRESS. Delivery means OUR JOB, AND THEIR JOB IS COMPLETE. Should you receive your meals and they are not chilled please contact us immediately. Complaints of non chilled food beyond 4pm will not be credited. Sorry.

How do I deal with the packaging in my cardboard box?

Wool Liners-Unfortunately, we are no longer taking back the wool liners as we have changed our packaging over to fully compostable wool pouches.

As we are no longer able to re-use the liners, we recommend you try to find a use for them. We have been told that the inner part of the liners make good weed mats and breaks down easily so can be put in your compost or in the rubbish. The plastic around the liner is a number 2 plastic and can be put in your recycling.

Ice Pack- There's no need to accumulate a freezer full of ice packs! Once you've removed your meals from the box... leave the ice packs to fully thaw. Once thawed, snip the corner and pour the liquid down the sink. (It is NON-TOXIC, so no need to worry about it harming the water ways). Then the outer packaging can be disposed of in your curbside rubbish bin.

Box & Paper- Flatten the box and pop it in the recycling along with the paper.

Tray & Sleeve- Our sleeves are made from cardboard so you can add them to your recyclables. Our trays have a recycling code 1 C-PET plastic and once cleaned these are accepted nationwide in your curb-side recycling.

How do I know my credit card details are secure here?

When you purchase by credit card the website directs you to Westpac processing to take your details. The only thing our system retains are your name, address, phone and what you’re eating... the rest is secure in the banking system. Once your purchase is approved...you will be brought back to the eat website. Your order needs to come back for it to be confirmed and for both of us to receive notification of your order.

I placed an order on the internet but I didn’t get an email confirmation?

Hmmm the order might be lost in cyber space. The really important thing is that if you didn’t get confirmation then there is a 99% chance we didn't either! Call us on 0800 328 333 and we will work it out.