Columbites: Try these Central Ohio meal kits

If you enjoy subscription boxes like HelloFresh and Home Chef, here's a tasty and affordable local alternative to try.

What I ate: A Parmesan-and-mushroom Dutch baby, which is a baked, eggy pancake with savory toppings.

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• It's the meal kit of the month from Local Matters , a nonprofit working to increase Central Ohioans' access to healthy food.

How it works: Order kits online for just $10 apiece and a bright green Veggie Van will deliver them for free within the I-270 Outerbelt.

💭 My thought bubble: The recipe was less precise than the strict HelloFresh formulas I'm used to and provided a bit more of some ingredients than I needed.

• That's great if you're a confident cook, but I'm a novice at best.
• Luckily, I called Local Matters to talk through the process and they kindly obliged.

The bottom line: Despite my nervous deciphering, the meal came out delicious! It made enough batter to feed me and my husband, with some leftovers.

The finished Dutch baby in a mini cast-iron skillet, topped with mushrooms, spinach, basil and parmesan cheese.

Pro tip: The kit included an adorable mini cast-iron skillet to make mini pancakes.

• Yes, but: Considering the 18-20-minute bake time, I only made one and impatiently poured the rest of the batter into a larger skillet.

What's next: I bought a three-month meal kit subscription, so stay tuned for July and August recipes.