ReadOns.com | Discover New Blogs Daily

8 mistakes to avoid while using food delivery services

With extremely hectic schedules, it can be difficult to manage cooking a filling meal. That’s where food delivery services come in. These services operate in two ways – via the restaurant’s delivery partners, or through a third-party platform. While ordering food via online delivery services has become commonplace today, certain old habits could cost one more money. Read on to learn about eight mistakes to avoid when ordering food from an online food delivery service.

Failing to vet the delivery service
Before ordering via a third-party delivery service or a restaurant’s online delivery portal, it is pertinent to vet them. During this stage, there are seven things to consider:

Specialization
When ordering temperature-controlled foods, does the delivery provider offer special packaging? For instance, is the ice cream delivered in a special insulated bag lined with ice bags to keep it cool? A lack of these services could seriously impact one’s eating experience, no matter how great the restaurant is.
Safety
Consider whether the delivery service ensures careful delivery, without any damages. Without this, there is a massive risk of food contamination, which can result in serious infections.
Food tracking
With fast-paced lives, sitting around waiting for food is just not feasible. Ensure that the delivery service offers real-time tracking along with regular updates.
Reputation
Next, it is extremely important to consider the delivery service’s reputation and credibility. Do they have a history of defaulting on orders, or are the customers happy with their experience? Look up online reviews to get a better idea and set realistic expectations.
Speed
Consider how quickly the order needs to arrive. Most restaurants take between thirty minutes and one hour to prepare and deliver food. Some food delivery platforms offer express services, while others may require pre-ordering.
Cost-effectiveness
Lastly, it is important to consider the costs involved. Pricing may differ based on urgency, location, type, distance, or size of the order. Weather conditions, traffic, and total volume of orders may also have an impact on these prices. Find a service that fits within one’s budget.
Customer service
This may not feel as important, but it most certainly is. Check whether the food delivery service offers 24×7 support. This can be an absolute boon if the order gets held up, or if any unforeseen issues arise.

Not considering local restaurants
When ordering from food delivery services, many people resort to the same fast-food chain restaurants. This occurs so frequently that food delivery today has become synonymous with fast food. While these are trusted to deliver a certain quality of food and service, it can seriously impact local restaurateurs. Give the local restaurants a chance, they may offer a pleasant surprise! Since they aren’t overloaded, they may be able to deliver faster than chain restaurants. When ordering from local restaurants, one is more likely to eat healthier, with sizable servings that meet their nutritional goals. They may also open one’s eyes to different cuisines and foods, all while generating new employment in the neighborhood.

Ordering when hungry
After choosing a delivery service and restaurant, it’s time to order. Don’t wait until hunger strikes before ordering. It is always a good idea to order about an hour before one’s regular meal time. By doing so, one is less likely to be impatient or irritable during ordering, ultimately leading to a pleasant eating experience.

To avoid the hassle of ordering daily, one can also sign up for food or snack subscription services. There are several varieties to choose from. Some services send pre-portioned and/or partially prepared ingredients so users can make a home-cooked meal with minimal effort. Others, namely meal delivery services, offer pre-cooked meals. Alternatively, customers can also set up deliveries for their favorite snacks, meats, and more.

Ordering food that goes bad quickly
Along similar lines, avoid ordering food that goes bad or becomes unappealing quickly, as it could lead to food wastage. For instance, any leftover pizza can easily be packed in the refrigerator and consumed later. On the other hand, salads or other foods marked “consume while fresh” have a short shelf life, and may end up being discarded after the meal.

Storing delivery packages
Always dispose of or recycle the containers when the food arrives. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, these containers are not meant to be reused and may leech microplastics into other foods.

Eating from the container
Serve a healthy portion of the food on a plate or bowl. Eating directly from the container may send signals to the brain that there are big portions to consume, which could lead to overeating.

Paying with cash
Cash payments can make ordering food online inconvenient. While most delivery services offer cash-on-delivery options, the delivery person may not have the appropriate balance, making it a hassle. When possible, use the cashless option while ordering online.

Not thinking about delivery agents
No matter the location one is ordering from, it is essential to provide a complete delivery address. This helps the delivery agent reach the location with ease. In addition to the building location, the address must also include the floor numbers, gate passcodes (if any), or any other information that may be necessary. Additionally, one must also offer a tip to the delivery agent to showcase that their service was satisfactory.

Popular Reads

11 useful tips for anxiety management

Nearly 84% of participants in a particular mental health survey were said to have some form of anxiety. The severity of symptoms did vary from person to person, but the fact remains that we live in a world where almost everything is a potential trigger for anxiety. And living in denial about having a psychological trigger only worsens the problem. Luckily, it is possible to manage anxiety by following the suggestions recommended by experts. Identify the triggers Anxiety is mainly triggered due to an event or episode where one finds themselves in a difficult position. It could be something that puts a person out of their comfort zone. Doctors advise people to identify these triggers and avoid them. Any comment, action, or situation that did not work out in favor triggers anxiety. So, make a list of such events and instances and ignore them the next time something happens related to that event. At the same time, try to remain positive as it can help strengthen the mind to manage anxiety better. Keep busy Distraction is one of the simplest ways to prevent a panic or anxiety attack. You can perform simple chores or indulge in a favorite task to stay physically and mentally occupied for a few hours. When the mind is occupied, there is hardly any scope for negative thoughts to trigger unnecessary overthinking. Some creative activities to boost cognitive performance include taking a walk, painting, drawing, listening to music, meditating, praying, and reading. You can opt for any of these to stay busy. Try mindfulness techniques Deep breathing and mindfulness techniques have helped thousands overcome their fear or anxiety time and again. Focused deep breathing is a method where one inhales for four counts and exhales for the same duration; this is practiced for minutes. It helps lower heart rate, which, in turn, calms the mind and body.

Atrial fibrillation – Causes, symptoms, and management tips

The human heart is susceptible to several health complications, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). The condition is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, which is a term describing when the heart beats unusually slowly, fast, or irregularly. AFib is estimated to affect between 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the country. An individual with the complication experiences irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers, affecting blood flow, leading to health complications. Causes Irregularities in the structure of the heart are the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Sometimes people may develop the condition without any known heart damage or problems. Risk factors like age may also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. Other potential causes of the phenomenon include a heart attack, sick sinus syndrome – issues with the heart’s natural pacemaker, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect – A heart defect that an individual might be born with, high blood pressure, lung diseases, heart valve problems, use of stimulants, including certain prescriptions and caffeine, physical stress caused due to pneumonia, other illnesses, and also surgery, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), metabolic imbalances, viral infections, and complications due to earlier heart surgery. Symptoms A person who develops atrial fibrillation may not notice symptoms, and the condition is detected only after a physical examination. But some people experience signs and symptoms before a diagnosis. A few common symptoms of AFib include being unable to exercise to one’s full potential, feelings of weakness, throbbing pain in the chest, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations and sensations of a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat, and feeling extremely fatigued. Therefore, the symptoms of atrial fibrillation differ from one person to the other. Occasional symptoms (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) Here, a person may experience something that lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Macular degeneration – Types, causes, and remedies

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects a person’s vision and develops as people age. This progressive eye disorder involves the deterioration of the macula, which is a part of the eye’s retina. It is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and may develop in one or both eyes. This condition is of two main types – dry and wet. Read further to learn about the disorder, its causes, and its types. Dry macular degeneration People are more likely to have dry macular degeneration than wet form. It is also less severe and develops when tiny yellow protein deposits under the macula. These deposits dry and thin the macula, causing gradual central vision loss while the peripheral vision remains intact. In the advanced stages, the dry form can progress to the wet form. People with dry macular degeneration need to test their eyes daily at home using an Amsler grid. One must consult a health expert immediately if any vision changes are observed. Wet macular degeneration In this condition, the blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula and cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This build-up of fluid results in scarring, leading to permanent loss of central vision. The wet form can cause a sudden change in eyesight resulting in a severe loss of centralized vision when left untreated. People with wet macular degeneration may require repeated treatments. Symptoms Macular degeneration may not cause any symptoms during the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, it can cause distortion and blurry vision. It can result in difficulty reading, driving, and identifying colors. Macular degeneration occurs mainly in people aged over 50. Blurred vision Dark, blurry areas appear in the center of the vision, leading to increased blurriness in reading printed words. Visual distortion The person may experience visual distortions, such as straight lines that look wavy or crooked, and objects may appear distorted.