Get Excited About Cooking Dinner!
HelloFresh, EveryPlate and Blue Apron are three popular meal box subscriptions that people love to use. They help create a routine, make meal planning simple and organized, and help save both time and money.
It’s not surprising that they’ve all risen in popularity, and many people try multiple options to find recipes their families love. If you shy away from cooking or want to spice up your dinner routine with more flavors, then we suggest trying out one of these amazing meal delivery services.
1. Blue Apron
Blue Apron, operating since 2012, uses high-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients and offers a wide variety of recipes to choose from. It’s a flexible meal delivery service and allows customers to skip weeks or modify their subscription as needed to better fit their lifestyle and personal needs. Blue Apron is also a carbon neutral company, and works directly with food producers to source ingredients.
Pros:
- Blue Apron offers a wide range of meal plans to choose from, including vegetarian, low-calorie and family-style options.
- The company uses high-quality ingredients that are sustainably sourced.
- They offer various discounts for students, teachers, seniors, veterans and first responders.
- Blue Apron offers a variety of add-ons, such as wine or kitchen tools.
- The subscription model is flexible, allowing customers to skip weeks or modify their subscription.
Cons:
- Blue Apron is more expensive than other meal delivery services.
- They only ship to customers within the contiguous United States.
- Some recipes may be time-consuming or difficult to prepare.
- While parts of their packaging can be recycled, each food item is individually wrapped, which causes excess waste.
- There are no options for specific dietary restrictions or allergies.
2. Home Chef
Home Chef is another popular meal delivery service that offers kits from as low as $7.99 per serving. Customers can pick from popular dishes, easy-prep meals, family-friendly meals and more. There are also options for both subscription plans and à la carte ordering, which gives customers the flexibility to choose how often they receive meals.
Pros:
- Home Chef offers an extensive range of chef-curated recipes, accommodating various cuisines and dietary preferences.
- Pre-portioned ingredients and clear instructions streamline the cooking process, saving time on meal planning and grocery shopping.
- Customers can choose from different serving sizes, making it suitable for individuals, couples, and families.
- With the "Customize It" feature, users can swap proteins or upgrade ingredients, tailoring meals to their liking.
- The step-by-step instructions and cooking techniques included in each recipe help users enhance their cooking skills and learn new culinary methods.
Cons:
- While convenient, Home Chef can be more expensive than traditional grocery shopping for those on a tight budget.
- The individually packaged ingredients contribute to plastic and packaging waste, which might concern environmentally-conscious consumers.
- Delivery schedules mean you need to plan ahead, which might not suit those looking for instant meal solutions.
- If you're seeking ready-to-eat meals, Home Chef requires cooking, which might not be suitable for those with minimal time to spare.
- Although rare, there's a possibility of receiving subpar or missing ingredients, leading to slight disruptions in meal preparation.
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3. HelloFresh
HelloFresh is a meal delivery service that provides customers with pre-portioned ingredients and recipe cards to cook at home. It was founded in 2011 and operates in several countries. Customers have said they use HelloFresh for its convenience, as it eliminates the need for meal planning and grocery shopping. It also appeals to those who want to learn how to cook new recipes and expand their culinary skills.
Pros:
- Convenient and saves time since customers don’t have to shop for groceries or prep their food.
- Reduces food waste.
- Offers a variety of recipes to choose from so you never have to think about what you want to cook.
- Helps customers develop cooking their skills.
- Uses high-quality ingredients you may not buy for yourself otherwise.
Cons:
- Can be expensive compared to cooking from scratch.
- Limited flexibility in choosing ingredients or modifying recipes, especially if you have food intolerances.
- Packaging can create a lot of waste.
- May not appeal to picky eaters or those with specific dietary restrictions.
- Some customers may prefer the experience of grocery shopping and selecting their own ingredients.
4. EveryPlate
EveryPlate was launched in 2018 as a budget-friendly alternative to other meal kit services and is available in the United States. Many people prefer to use for its affordability, simplicity and convenience. There are also offers and discounts available for students, which helps lessen the stress for young adults to eat healthy.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing compared to other meal kit services, and accepts payment via VISA, Mastercard, Discover, American Express and even PayPal.
- Offers a variety of easy-to-follow recipes, and customers can choose specific options for kid’s meals, plant-based meals or low-calorie options.
- Pre-portioned ingredients help reduce food waste.
- Simple cooking instructions and techniques.
- Provides an opportunity to try new recipes and expand culinary skills.
Cons:
- Limited menu options compared to other meal delivery services.
- Fewer customization options for dietary restrictions or preferences.
- Quality of ingredients may not be as high as other meal kit services.
- High shipping cost of $9.99 USD per week.
- Upcharge for premium meal selections.
Final Notes
Meal delivery services offer the convenience of having pre-portioned ingredients delivered straight to your doorstep, along with easy-to-follow recipes that make meal preparation a breeze HelloFresh and EveryPlate are great choices for people who want affordable, easy-to-prepare meals with plenty of variety, while Blue Apron is a great option for people who need more flexibility and like knowing exactly where their food comes from.