The meal kit delivery industry has grown significantly since I first wrote about “delivered to your door” recipe subscription companies back in 2015. At the time, I wrote of the two options that were dominating the market. Today there are about 150 meal kit delivery services to choose from. With greater choice has come different approaches to streamlining the plan/shop/prep process for the home cook, as well as questions as to the industry’s future.
HelloFresh
HelloFresh was one of the first on the market and continues to be a popular choice among recipe kit delivery consumers. HelloFresh is designed to introduce new recipes, flavors and meals that might not make the usual weekly menu for home cooks. While menus can be selected to address different allergies and preferences, HelloFresh meals aren’t designed to align with a specific diet. The family plan includes 2 recipes per week for a family of four and costs $7.87/serving (plus shipping costs). It’s interesting to note that HelloFresh is part of a growing trend to make meal kits available only directly to your home and can now be picked up at Stop & Shop or Giant Food (Landover) supermarkets.
Green Chef
Green Chef is an organic recipe kit delivery program, with an emphasis on GMO-free, sustainable and traceable ingredients. Specified to different popular eating plans, Green Chef includes meals designed for individuals following specialized diets such as keto, paleo, gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian diets among others. The family plan includes 2 meals for a family of four and starts at $10.99 per meal.
Plated.
Starting at $9.95/serving for a family of four 2 nights per week, Plated seeks to provide home cooks with sustainable ingredients that are free from antibiotics and added hormones, while being organic when possible and sustainably sourced. With words like “artisanal” and “carefully crafted” it’s clear that this recipe kit company is seeking to stand out as a culinary experience for the home cook.
Martha & Marley Spoon
Wish you could cook like Martha Stewart? With Martha & Marley Spoon working “with the finest purveyors to deliver ingredients like grass-fed beef, Berkshire pork, American-caught shrimp, artisanal cheeses, and more to your door,” you might just be one step closer. For $9.50/serving a family of four can receive two meals per week. Recipes are selected from the many thousands that Martha Stewart has developed over the years and crafted to meet an array of needs (gluten-free, vegetarian, kid-friendly, low calorie, under 30 minutes, etc).
Sun Basket
Sun Basket delivers organic produce and seeks to provide individuals following popular diets with the ingredients they need to create sustainable “mix and match” meals in 30 minutes that fit their needs. A family of four can receive two recipes per week for $10.99/serving.
Terra’s Kitchen
With all ingredients aligning with the Mediterranean diet, Terra’s kitchen commits to getting farm fresh food to your door three times faster than the supermarket, while saving time and reducing waste with washed, peeled and chopped ingredients. Along with recipes that fit a variety of popular diets, customers can receive ready-to-eat salads, snacks, smoothies and more. One of the most unique aspects of Terra’s Kitchen is the novel, reusable, climate controlled “vessel” that meals are delivered in. The pricing for Terra’s Kitchen is slightly different, with plans starting at $72/week and the fee per serving depending upon ingredients.
It’s important to recognize that while some recipe kits may align with popular diets, avoid allergens, or promote organic and sustainable ingredients, they don’t necessarily address other needs or help an individual meet important nutrition goals like limiting saturated fat or lowering sodium intake.