If you’re looking for gourmet meal prep to spice up your weekly meals, Williams Sonoma is your calling!
They specialize in gourmet food that makes for either the perfect weekly meal prep or a delicious gift. On their website, they recommend it as a great gift for:
- New homeowners
- New parents
- Busy working professionals
- Seniors
- Students.
Williams Sonoma is also unique in that you can order as much or as little food as you’d like. You can order either a week’s worth, a month’s worth, or anything in between!
Williams Sonoma At A Glance
- Best Match For: Those looking for a one-stop-shop for all kitchen essentials like cookware, appliances, and grillware, as well as some delicious foods and pantry staples.
- Commitment Level: No commitments - Order at any time
- Availability: US and Canada
- Value: Prices and shipping fees depend on select items and locations
- Type: Everything for your indoor and outdoor kitchen, including appliances, food, cookware, grillware, bakeware, cutlery, and more.
How Does Williams Sonoma Work?
Even with just a glance at their website, you can see that Williams Sonoma has a large variety of meals on offer. They offer meals in categories such as vegetarian, seafood, and chicken.
When you click on the products, you’ll be able to select how many servings you want. For example, you can choose 4 individual servings 8 depending on how much you want or how many people you’re cooking for.
Before you add the items to your cart, you’ll be able to see the shipping options available for your address.
Once you’ve chosen the delivery option, you’ll be able to add your meals to your cart where you can then enter your address and payment details and any other requests you have.
The meals ship in around one to two weeks and arrive pre-frozen to preserve their quality. Simply put them in the freezer and reheat them when you’re ready to enjoy!
How Did I Test Williams Sonoma Meals for This Review?
As I test Williams Sonoma Meals, I have been looking for various factors that include the following:
Quality and taste
The first and most important thing about any meal service is its taste and quality. I carefully tasted every meal that I received and wrote notes on how the flavors went together.
Variety of dishes
Another aspect I looked at was the variety of dishes I could order. I ended up ordering a selection of pot pies, roast meats, and pasta entrees.
Delivery and packaging
Once I placed my order, I eagerly awaited its arrival. The meals are packed frozen with dry ice, so I wanted to see whether they would remain frozen upon arrival.
Costs and promotions
Finally, I also looked at the cost of the items, and whether I could save any money using coupons and promotions. Getting more value for your money is always important, especially for a gourmet meal service!
Williams Sonoma - What You Can Expect?
Williams Sonoma mostly offers gourmet food. Think of delicious chicken pot pies, juicy beef Wellingtons, and creamy mushroom soups!
Each dish comes in a variety of flavors suitable for anyone’s palette. You can expect to find a wide assortment of meals on their website.
They also offer prepared meal options for Christmas and Thanksgiving Dinners.
Although I didn’t end up trying these options, the reviews of them I read applauded the ease of cooking the meals provided on Thanksgiving morning!
Prepared Meals
Many of the prepared meal options come in multiple varieties. For instance, vegetarians and Italian food enthusiasts can get multi-entree packs that cater to their innermost gustatory desires in three- or five-day versions.
Even simpler items, such as the tamales, come in a variety of different flavors with unique ingredients as well as party platters designed for those who like to serve.
These meals also give you options for how you prefer to feast.
For instance, while you can try complete pasta dishes like a gnocchi sampler with different filling varieties and sauces, you can also purchase a pasta-only sampler and combine it with a sauce combo.
In other words, it’s just as easy to experiment as it is to have your entire meal delivered in one fell swoop.
Meal Kits
Looking for something a bit less ornate? The Williams Sonoma Sun Basket collection features meal kits with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Although you’ll have to do the cooking, everything is premeasured, and you can choose from 18 weekly recipes to customize the experience.
Sides and Soups
The sides menu is a perfect example of how Williams Sonoma accommodates any hosting style. From truffle mashed potatoes and gluten-free green bean casseroles to organic stuffing mixes and sauces, it’s easy to get a lavish spread together without needing to do absolutely everything by yourself.
It also doesn’t hurt that you can buy the soups and side dishes in multiple varieties: fully prepared or as convenient Instant Pot starters.
Other Menu Items
The Williams Sonoma online store is also packed with assorted food items that don’t constitute meals by themselves yet remain essential for creating well-rounded feasts.
For instance, you might pair your family’s favorite main course ingredients with simmering sauces, grab some cake, cupcake and pancake mixes for dessert, or pick up an entire hors d’oeuvres tray to kick off a fancy gala. With a vast selection of infused oils, bread, wines and specialty condiments, you don’t have to look far to become an exquisite host.
What Are The Portion Sizes Like?
The portion sizes are about what you’d expect for gourmet food: lacking. The amount of food you get depends on the type of meal you order.
For example, the entrees and appetizers don’t leave you feeling satisfied, so you have to order more than one to get the most out of your meals.
On the other hand, the mains are filling enough on their own. I tried the “Elephants Cure” soup which made me feel full!
What Special Dietary Preferences Does Williams Sonoma Cater To?
Williams Sonoma offers a large range of options for dietary needs! You can filter the meals based on your preferences, such as vegan, vegetarian, free-range, antibiotic-free, gluten-free, and more!
Allergens Present in Williams Sonoma Meals
All the ingredients used in the meals are listed in the description of the item. Meals that contain dairy, gluten, or meat are also labeled as such – which makes it easy for you to filter based on your dietary needs.
The Cooking Process of Williams Sonoma Prepared Meals
The meals arrive frozen, so you’ll need to reheat them before you’re able to eat. They’re able to be stored in your freezer for up to three months upon arrival.
To reheat, simply remove the plastic seal and put them in the microwave for five to six minutes, or as instructed for the specific item.
Some meals will have special instructions. For example, I had to put the chicken pot pies in the oven to heat them until crispy.
Williams Sonoma also recommends thawing the meals in the fridge before cooking them.
However, if you’re pressed for time, you can still reheat them in the microwave from frozen! Just ensure their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Much Does Williams Sonoma Prepared Meals Cost?
The pricing of Williams Sonoma’s prepared meals varies based on what you order. I also noticed that items that are the same price can vary slightly.
For example, the mini chicken pot pies (4 servings), assorted soups (3 servings), and individual beef Wellingtons (4 servings) were all $99.95 each, even though they came with different amounts of food. This works out to around $25 per serve.
Williams Sonoma Prepared Meals Service
Delivery Service
Williams Sonoma delivers their food straight from their vendors. It arrives within 1 - 2 weeks from when the order has been placed.
Their delivery service is quick and efficient, and also inexpensive! The shipping cost is based on the number of items in your order and where you’re located.
Packaging
The food is frozen after cooking and arrives packed into a box full of dry ice to keep it cold. The individual meals are sent in individual containers with a plastic wrap seal.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Unfortunately, Williams Sonoma won’t let you cancel an order once it’s already been placed.
They also don’t offer returns or exchanges on food products once shipped. Instead, you can reach out to the customer service team if you find something wrong with the order.
Let’s Talk About the Pros and Cons Of Williams Sonoma Prepared Meals
Pros
- Delicious gourmet meals
- Option to order as much as you want
- Lots of options for portion sizes (some items up to 20)
Cons
- Expensive for what you get
- Only ships to 48 States
Williams Sonoma Coupons Codes
Williams Sonoma unfortunately doesn't have any promotions for prepared meals as of the time I’m writing this. However, they do have clearance prices for some seasonal meals such as Halloween sweets.
Their promotions page is very long, so keep an eye out for any Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner specials!
The Verdict: My Overall Rating on Williams Sonoma
Most meal services focus on a specific niche, and this company is decidedly upscale. Although the menu can get pricey, everything arrives fresh and takes its inspirations from culinary experts. Here is my comprehensive evaluation of Williams Sonoma across different parameters:
Quality and taste - 5/5 stars
I found Williams Sonoma’s prepared meals to be of outstanding quality! What else could I expect from gourmet meals? The meal was still juicy and succulent, and the texture made it appear like it had just been cooked.
Variety of dishes - 3.5/5 stars
While Williams Sonoma does offer a broad range of dietary options, I found some of their meal options uninspiring. I can appreciate soup only so much!
Delivery and packaging - 4.5/5 stars
My meals still arrived frozen and with the dry ice nearly intact! I had to be careful not to touch the dry ice too much when removing the prepared meals from the box.
Cost and promotions - 2.5/5 stars
The only thing that didn’t cut it for me for Williams Sonoma was the cost. For an eye-watering price of ~$25 per portion, the chicken pot pies were delicious but not filling enough to justify the price. However, you do pay for the quality, and the quality of the pies was unmatched.
Williams Sonoma Meals