I love surprises arriving in the mail, from stylist-curated clothes to my weekly CSA delivery and my Atlanta-based meal subscription service Garnish + Gather. 

I know that those surprise deliveries of new recipes and ingredients or an intriguing new vegetable can be a great way to get out of my comfort zone and try a new food or—in the case of those clothing-subscription services—break out of my fashion rut.

If you are a DIY sort, think about jump starting your own creativity with a little help from one of these innovative kits that will help you do everything from mix-master your own craft cocktails to eat healthier (and learn what the heck to do with tofu).

GrowJourney Seeds

Whether you are a budding gardener, or an experienced planter, the GrowJourney Seeds of the Month Club is a great way to expand your growing repertoire. Unusual organic heirloom veggie, fruit and herb seeds arrive monthly and are selected to grow in your gardening zone. Let them know if you are more of a patio or container grower, and GrowJourney will send you seeds that will suit your smaller growing space.

Purple Carrot

Meal delivery services are booming. And many of us have discovered the fun and time-savings of having great food and a recipe shipped right to your door. I’ve learned a bevy of cooking techniques, how to work with new ingredients and definitely expanded my recipe database through an Atlanta-based meal service that combines locally-sourced chefs and produce so I can create restaurant-worthy recipes at home.

But a national meal delivery service I’ve come to love is Purple Carrot, a plant-based vegan meal company that has really helped me eat healthier and see that a meat-centric meal is not my only option. Many of the recipes feature exotic spices, herbs (I haven't every worked with fresh lemongrass until my Purple Carrot subscription came along) and products that will definitely get you out of your go-to recipe rut. 

Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Club

I love a well-crafted cocktail. Our Made+Remade team recently learned some incredible mixology techniques from Atlanta beverage expert Eduardo Guzman of Atlanta's JCT. Kitchen, but the more I learn the more I realize I have…more to learn. Enter the fun monthly mixology delivery service Shaker & Spoon, created in—natch—Brooklyn. It might seem counterintuitive, but even though Shaker & Spoon doesn’t include alcohol in their recipe package (that would limit which states the package could be shipped to, and require having someone 21+ on hand to sign for them), they do provide all the cool tinctures, syrups, flavored salts, produce and mixers (most in super cute little containers) and three recipes you will need to make a variety of cocktails using one featured spirit each month to create 12 drinks. I tried their mezcal kit and definitely found myself enjoying learning new techniques and how the right accoutrements can really transform a cocktail from pedestrian to something special.