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In today's fast-paced world, meal kit delivery services have become a lifeline for busy individuals and families wanting home-cooked meals without the hassle of planning and shopping. With options like Gousto, HelloFresh, Mindful Chef and Green Chef, along with many more, there's a wide range of choices on offer, addressing various dietary preferences and culinary skills. So if you’re wanting to add some flare to your weekly meals, but aren’t sure which box to go for - this blog is for you!
Using a meal kit service simplifies meal decisions and makes cooking from scratch effortless, empowering healthier eating by putting you in control of your ingredients. With precisely measured ingredients, it prevents the frustration of missing items and reduces food waste. While it may seem costly initially, home delivery curbs impulsive grocery shopping and takeaway orders, potentially saving money overall. Moreover, it aids in portion control for those counting calories. However, if you rely on dinner leftovers for lunch, you might be let down, though select brands sometimes offer larger portions to accommodate this need.
Exploring four of the most popular brands, we will help you navigate your way through the recipe box market unpacking the nitty-gritty details you really want to know.
HelloFresh is renowned for its user-friendly approach, offering straightforward recipes that are perfect for busy individuals or families. Their ingredients are pre-portioned, reducing food waste and making the cooking process a whole lot easier. HelloFresh prides itself on sourcing high-quality, seasonal produce and partnering with various food production companies, ensuring there is something for everyone to enjoy!
Price per portion: £3.15 to £5.00
Intro offer: 60% off your first box and 20% off for 2 months
Delivery cost: £4.99
UK delivery Areas: Nationwide
Delivery days: Mon to Sun
Subscription available?: Yes
Special diets: Only able to select preferences rather than specific diet categories
1 Simple and easy-to-follow recipes suitable for all skill levels.
2 Generous portion sizes.
3 Comprehensive app features for managing orders and accessing recipes.
4 A vast quantity of meals to choose from with a broad variety.
5 Air fryer recipe adaptation options.
1 Limited customisation options, especially for those with specific dietary restrictions.
2 No option for single portions.
3 No option for a one-off box – must be 3-5 meals a week.
4 More utilisation of single-use plastic than other brands.
What do people love about HelloFresh?
What do people like the least?
Gousto stands out with its wide variety of recipes, catering to diverse dietary needs including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten and dairy-free. Their recipes are beginner-friendly, ensuring cooking is accessible to all skill levels. Additionally, Gousto offers the convenience of a 'Gousto Market' where customers can purchase from a selection of groceries and premium brand items to order alongside recipe boxes. They also emphasise high-quality ingredients sourced from trusted British suppliers, providing consumers with fresh produce every time.
Price per portion: £2.99 to £6.24
Intro offer: 60% off your first box and 20% off for 2 months
Delivery cost: FREE
UK delivery Areas: Nationwide
Delivery days: Mon to Sun
Subscription available?: Yes
Special diets: Vast majority covered, including vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.
1 Extensive recipe variety catering to different tastes and dietary needs.
2 Flexible service - one-off meals and subscription pauses at any time.
3 Convenient delivery schedule.
4 Boxes available for single portions.
1 Meals are less child-friendly than competitors.
2 Limited customisation options compared to other services.
What do people love about Gousto?
What do people like the least?
Mindful Chef takes a strong health-focused approach, with recipes crafted by in-house nutritionists. Their meal plans are designed to support various dietary preferences, and their recipes are both gluten and dairy-free! Mindful Chef prioritises sustainably sourced ingredients, with an emphasis on organic produce and responsibly farmed proteins. With each meal purchased, a donation is provided for children living in poverty. Additionally, they offer ready-to-go meals, which are convenient options designed for quick preparation, such as frozen microwavable dishes, smoothies and snacks, desserts and soups. With a strong mindset towards saving our planet, Mindful Chef has now introduced a low-carbon range, aspiring to achieve complete carbon neutrality by the year 2030.
Price per portion: from £6.00
Intro offer: 25% off your first 4 boxes
Delivery cost: FREE
UK delivery Areas: Nationwide
Delivery days: Mon to Sun
Subscription available?: Yes
Special diets: Some covered, no specific categories provided.
1 Health-conscious recipes - no refined white versions of carbohydrates used.
2 Dairy and gluten-free meals.
3 Premium quality ingredients sourced from independent farmers and producers.
4 Commitment to sustainability, with mostly recyclable packaging and carbon offset initiatives.
5 Boxes available for single portions.
6 Ready-to-go meals also available (microwavable meals, smoothies, snacks, desserts and soups).
7 Carbon labelling on recipes.
8 Flexible service - one-off meals and subscription pauses at any time.
1 Higher price point compared to other services - (e.g. prices from £10 for a single serving meal).
2 Limited recipe variety, especially for those seeking more adventurous meals.
What do people love about Mindful Chef?
What do people like the least?
Green Chef sets itself apart from other meal box services with its focus on organic, non-GMO ingredients and carefully curated recipes that cater to specific dietary preferences, including low-carb, paleo, vegan and vegetarian. With a strong emphasis on sustainability, they prioritise sustainable ingredients whilst offsetting 100% of their carbon emissions and all plastic waste from their meal kits. Each recipe box is designed to make the cooking process as easy as possible, with pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions.
Price per portion: from £5.95
Intro offer: 40% first box and 25% off for 1 month
Delivery cost: £4.99
UK Delivery Areas: Mostly nationwide (aside from the Scottish Highlands and Northern Ireland)
Subscription Available?: Yes
Special diets: Categories for pescatarian, vegan, vegetarian, lower carb, keto and flexitarian meals.
1 Emphasis on organic, sustainably sourced ingredients.
2 100% carbon emission offset for distribution, operation and plastic packaging use.
3 Specialised meal plans catering to various dietary lifestyles.
4 Flexible service - the option to skip weeks or pause a subscription at any time.
1 Higher price point compared to other meal kit services on the market.
2 Limited availability in certain regions, restricting accessibility for some customers.
3 Not as many weekly meal options available as other brands.
4 No option for single portions - only caters for 2 or 4.
5 No option for a one-off box - must be 2-5 meals a week.
What do people love about Green Chef?
What do people like the least?
From a nutrition perspective, the best thing about meal kits is that they encourage people to cook from scratch using fresh ingredients. This is great for building your confidence in the kitchen and learning about food. I do understand there is a big affordability point, but most companies have some very good value introductory offers you can take advantage of so you can check out the idea and see if you like it.
For busy people, not having to think about what you're having for dinner each night is a huge benefit (after you've placed your weekly order of course!) - and as we nutritionists always advocate, planning ahead is the best way to avoid making unhealthy decisions because you're tired or hungry. Even if you can only afford a couple of meals a week, these are still home-cooked, high-quality meals, which is always preferable to convenience food options. Bottom line - meal boxes can be a great way to encourage you to start cooking or just cook more, which is great! Bon appetite!
*Trust pilot ratings taken 08/02/2024
Nutritionist Beth Furness (ANutr), holding a BSc in Nutrition and Health, is deeply dedicated to applying evidence-based knowledge to all aspects of nutrition. Her passion lies in fostering healthy relationships with food, ensuring that everyone maintains a balanced and sustainable approach to nutrition.
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