Meal Kit Industry Taps Into Our Desire for Culinary Adventure

Taryn Robinson cooks white turkey chili, a meal kit dish from Blue Apron, as her father, Keith Robinson, watches over her shoulder in Evanston, Ill., on Jan. 23, 2016. The industry of meal kits is growing quickly and competition is heating up as more players enter the space. AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

Americans have more food choices today than ever before, and a new industry is capitalizing on this cultural shift by offering those who are willing to cook at home easy access to all the culinary world has to offer.

With restaurants offering authentic cuisine (and fusion mashups) from every culture, a proliferation of specialty stores, and online grocery shopping having made even the most obscure foods readily accessible, it can be difficult to figure out where to start.

Enter the new era of meal kit delivery services, available only since 2012.