Meal kit deliveries feel so trendy, offering satisfying, home-style dinners without the hassle of planning meals or grocery shopping.
But do they truly justify their cost? Can you rationalize the convenience of a meal kitandalso justify the price?
We decided to test four well-known meal kit services by having one of Savinly’s least-experienced cooks prepare a dish from each box.
Then, we contrasted the cost of having each kit delivered with the expense of purchasing all of the recipe’s ingredients at the supermarket.
When It’s Worth Paying More for a Meal Kit
No matter how we examined it, buying the groceries for these recipes was cheaper than the kits themselves.
That said, I must point out that preparing these meals from scratch requires some forethought and planning.
If you’re not confident in the kitchen, you may find it challenging to tackle the varied ingredients and flavor profiles contained in the boxes.
And if you attempt an adventurous recipe, you might wander the supermarket aisles aimlessly trying to locate everything you need.
Meal kits suit cautious home cooks: the folks who will binge-watch cooking shows but would never consider recreating those techniques themselves.
So set your apprehension aside and order a kit when one of these scenarios applies:
- You’re swamped at work this quarter but tired of ordering takeout
- You’ve got a new partner coming over and don’t want them to know you sometimes survive on cereal
- You want to improve your cooking skills without a major time commitment
Continue reading for my account as Savinly’s in-house home chef. I’m pleased to say the dining table offered no complaints.
A note on our price comparison: We listed the ingredients for each dish and checked the cost of comparable items at national retailers like Walmart.
For instance, one Blue Apron recipe included one tablespoon of honey. When checking Walmart, the smallest jar we found was 8 ounces for $1.98 — about 24.8 cents per ounce. Since a tablespoon is half a fluid ounce, we allocated 12 cents of honey to that recipe.
Our price comparison excludes the cost of pantry staples or cooking supplies the kits expected you already to have, such as olive oil, salt and pepper, and aluminum foil.
Plated vs. Blue Apron vs. Hello Fresh vs. Marley Spoon
Blue Apron
We tried: Spice-Rubbed Pork with Sweet Red Onion and Black Beans
Typical price: Around $60 for three meals with two servings each per week
What the ingredients would have cost for this dish: $7.80 ($3.90 per serving)
Listed cook time: 45–55 minutes
How long it actually took: 1 hour, 13 minutes
Top Chef alum Brooke Williamson contributed this recipe to Blue Apron’s Guest Chef Series, which made me a bit nervous as I extracted a small pork roast from the box.
The photos and step-by-step directions for searing and roasting the pork were surprisingly simple to follow — even though I hesitated while applying the rub. (The instructions recommended seasoning the pork, but my coworkers weren’t satisfied until I worked those spices in.)
The finished plate was savory and slightly sweet, and it looked impressive when I sliced and served it.
Order it when: You want to wow your partner with your culinary skills. I felt pretty accomplished assembling this meal.
How to make the deal even better:Sign up and you’ll receive $30 off your first order.
Hello Fresh
We tried: Pan-Seared Chicken with Herbs de Provence
Typical price: Around $60 for the classic box, which includes three meals with two servings each per week
What the ingredients would have cost for this dish: $6.62 ($3.31 per serving)
Listed cook time: 30 minutes
How long it actually took: 40 minutes
Hello Fresh offered the clearest, most approachable instructions of the group.
Although this recipe was among the simplest, the chicken turned out solid. An added benefit: the straightforward method meant cleanup was minimal.
Our Hello Fresh meal also had one of the lower calorie counts for the day, yet it felt just as filling as the other dishes.
Order it when: You want to try a meal kit but haven’t spent much time in the kitchen.
How to make this deal even sweeter:Sign up for emails to snag a $15 discount.
Plated
We tried: Chicken Piccata with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Green Beans
Typical price: About $72 for two meals with three servings each per week
What the ingredients would have cost for this dish: $11.56 ($3.85 per serving)
Listed cook time: 35–45 minutes
How long it actually took: 37 minutes
Plated’s directions were straightforward, and the included components were common enough that I could see myself recreating this meal on my own down the road.
I especially liked the sidebar on the recipe card that explained why I was deglazing the pan with white wine as I did it.
Look at me, I’m making proper meals!
Order it when: You want to feel a little fancy while still sticking to familiar tastes. This wasn’t the flashiest dish but it delivered on flavor.
How to make the deal even sweeter: Use this link to score a free meal on Plated.
Martha & Marley Spoon
We tried: Garlic Braised Chicken with Greens & Creamy Grits
Typical price: $48 for two meals with two servings each per week
What the ingredients would have cost for this dish: $6.55 ($3.28 per serving)
Listed cook time: 40 minutes
How long it actually took: 1 hour, 16 minutes
I’ll admit I botched this recipe, quite badly.
The card instructed me to trim excess fat and skin from the chicken breasts, which I interpreted as “enthusiastically remove all the skin.” A few lines later I discovered I should have “add chicken skin-side down and cook until browned.”
Lesson learned: Always read the recipe card twicebefore you begin, rather than skimming the bold lines while unpacking the box.
I had serious doubts while working through this Martha Stewart–affiliated kit. I’m not a fan of kale, I don’t usually eat grits, and the recipe photos didn’t look particularly appealing.
But the end result? It was terrific. I even packed a leftover plate to take home (and then hid it from my coworkers). I probably should have expected a Martha-approved dish to be delicious.
Order it when: Your parents are visiting and you still need to convince them you’re a grown-up.
Also, if you’re curious about how meal kit fees compare to traditional groceries in shipping and handling, check out meal delivery service shipping costs for a helpful breakdown.
