I tried 3 different meal kit services, so you don’t have to.
1. HomeChef
Ranked number one we have HomeChef. I stumbled upon this service amidst my many google searches for the best meal kit out there. I believe I found it in HomeChef.
HomeChef is similar to other meal kits but it offers more flexibility in the type of meals you can select. For instance, I loved my other traditional meal kit services, and I thought all the meals were delicious. But sometimes, I just don’t have the time or the energy to cook an entire meal with a longer prep time.
PROS:
Offers express meals that are ready in 15 minutes or less. These are great for busy weeknights or even a quick fresh lunch if you work remotely a few days during the week.
Offers “oven-ready family meals” which are four servings each. I use family-style meals for my lunch meal prep each week. I swear I eat the same meal Tuesday through Friday and I don’t get tired of it because they are that good! (Mondays I eat leftovers from the weekend, if you were wondering)
They give you the cooking trays in the meal kit, so the clean-up is a breeze. This is especially great if you have a roommate and share kitchen space and dishes with someone else on a regular basis.
Way less prep time. They often pre-slice veggies and send pasta already boiled. At first, this took some getting used to, but I soon realized how much time I spend chopping vegetables and waiting for water to boil. HomeChef offers meals that have little to no preparation steps and that is something I consider a pro.
Health Conscious. It’s one of the healthier meal service options I have seen. Most meals in every meal kit service taste good, but HomeChef offers the most health-conscious options with no compromise in taste.
They also offer traditional meal kit meals, which means the protein comes raw and the veggies are whole. I think this is great to order for one meal of my week when I am feeling like pouring a glass of wine and pretending to be a professional chef.
CONS:
The occasional missing ingredient. There has been one time they have forgotten an oven-ready tray in one of my shipments, but I just used one of my own casserole dishes. Although this left me with an extra dish to clean, this con does not outweigh the benefits, in my opinion.
It is more expensive than other meal kits I have reviewed.
Side Note - Although, if splurging a little means I can actually enjoy my trips to the grocery store without having to constantly check my list and figure out what I want to eat for the whole week, then I will do just that.
Does not offer as many discounts and rewards as other meal kits.
2. EveryPlate
Coming in at number two we have EveryPlate. In one sentence, I would describe EveryPlate as a cheaper version of HelloFresh. That’s why I ranked it number two.
HelloFresh, like many other 20-somethings, was the first meal kit I ever tried. I switched to EveryPlate after my boss recommended it to me because it was cheaper.
PROS:
Again, it’s cheaper than hello fresh, pretty much free at first with the discounts they give you.
The food is delicious. Personally, I thought the quality of food and tastiness was equal to other meal kits, especially Hello Fresh.
Offers significant discounts for first-time customers and rewards.
CONS:
They only offer traditional meal kit meals, there are no express or quick and easy meal options like HomeChef. However, If you like to cook everything from scratch and you don’t want to spend a lot, then this is the meal kit service for you.
I did experience more missing ingredients with this meal service than any other. They also left out the recipe papers on more than one occasion, but I just used the app on my phone.
The packaging is cheap. EveryPlate sends all ingredients in one giant cardboard box and then leaves you to sift through all the ingredients and pick the right ones for the meal you’re making. I found this to be annoying at first, but eventually, I got used to it.
Side Note - If you’re someone who likes organizing you’re fridge according to the different food groups, you may like how easy it is to unload the ingredients.
Not ideal for a single person. The smallest plan you can choose is three meals for two people. This left me with six servings each week, which is a lot for one person who occasionally eats out (or enjoys a ridiculous amount of Chinese takeout once in a while)
Not many meatless meals are offered if you are searching for vegetarian options
3. HelloFresh
And lastly, we have the infamous Hello Fresh. I know, it’s surprising I ranked them in last place. But I have based all of this purely on my personal experience and self-proclaimed meal kit expertise.
PROS:
Delicious food. I will admit, I was never disappointed with the tastiness of every meal.
They do offer great discounts for first-time customers, and they have rewards.
Neatly packaged ingredients make for an easy unloading process.
Do offer vegetarian meals and Mediterranean-style meals now
CONS:
Without discounts, it can get pricey for the amount of food you are receiving.
Not overtly health conscious. Some of the meals branded with the healthy symbol did not seem outstanding to me, once I actually checked the nutrition facts.
Side Note - If you’re not really looking for an overly health-conscious service, then this may be a good meal kit option for you!
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