Kelly Robertson
You’ve probably heard the phrase “you are what you eat.” What it intends to say is that a good diet determines the overall health of a person. And if there’s one thing you shouldn’t save money on — that would be food. But…
You can still save by buying meat, fruits and vegetables in bulk and by cooking at home. Or by buying only the stuff you will actually use, so that nothing is thrown away.
The problem is that quality ingredients sourced from independent producers cost more than their industrially made counterparts. You can buy at places like Whole Foods to get the good stuff for high-quality meals, or you could try a subscription service that will deliver all the ingredients to your doorstep along with a recipe card to make for a seamless experience.
Because these subscription services buy in large quantities you’ll end-up paying less than if you would buy the same ingredients for yourself. Here are the top 5 meal preparation services we have tested (they are presented in no particular order, mind you). Actually, the last one won’t prepare the meals for you, but will help you buy only the stuff needed for the recipes you choose. Let’s roll…
1. Hello Fresh
Hello Fresh is a subscription service that will let you enjoy cooking more often, as it will deliver all the ingredients along with recipe cards to your doorsteps. It’s healthy, and it won’t break your bank.
In order to get started, you pick a plan based on your dietary preferences (classic, veggie and family), schedule and household size. The Hello Fresh box will get to your doorstep at a time and day of your choosing (Mon-Sat), free of charge.
Each week, the Hello Fresh staff that includes chefs and dietitians will create 10 new recipes based on your preferences, though you have the flexibility to select meals from a weekly menu. For instance, the 3-meal classic plan offers 7 different menu preferences to choose from. You set it up once you log into your account, and can leave it up to Hello Fresh to select the meals they think you will like. Or you can choose any combination of meals from the menu on a weekly basis, in case you want to change what Hello Fresh has selected for you. This can be done from the web or from a mobile app.
Every Hello Fresh box has sorted quality ingredients sourced directly from independent producers. The boxes are layered with an isolating wool and ice packs to keep ingredients farm fresh and cool until you get home. Also, you will get simple recipe cards for each meal, featuring step-by-step instructions, an ingredient list and nutritional information to guide you.
Hello Fresh offers three different plans – Classic, Veggie and Family – the first two of which cost $9.99 per meal and the last – $8.74 per meal. You keep the control with the option to pause, modify or cancel your subscription anytime.
2. Plated
Like Hello Fresh, Plated also promises to deliver everything you need to cook great dinners to your doorstep.
Once you subscribe to the service, you’ll benefit from stress-free dinner planning with all the ingredients and recipes coming to you — rather than you researching and running around to get all the stuff needed for the dinner.
Plated promises a balanced range of new choices each week with 11 “thoughtfully crafted recipes” designed to save you time and “fit your unique tastes.” Also, as part of the deal, you’ll get peak-season produce, meats raised without antibiotics, and artisanal specialty items.
Do not fear, however, that such recipes will require some special-skilled cook; quite the contrary, Plated wows to deliver meals that can be prepared at every skill level.
All Plated dinners are $12 per serving, and when you subscribe you get the first dinner for free. Choose between 2, 3 or 4 servings per night, and select the number of nights per week — which again is 2, 3 or 4 — and you’re good to go. From there, Plated will make sure to serve you properly. Bon appétit.
3. Marley Spoon
Another service that will deliver fresh ingredients and delicious recipes to your doorstep every week. This one, for what it matters, comes from Martha Stewart.
Just like Hello Fresh and Plated, Marley Spoon will also let you skip the grocery store, and pick seasoned and organic produce from sustainable farms and fisheries for your meals. You can choose the recipes you like, and get fresh ingredients and instructions delivered right to your door. Shipping is free, and you get to pick your preferred delivery day in a week. Even if you’re not at home, the chilled boxes Marley Spoon uses will keep the food fresh. Also, you can skip a week if you need to.
In addition to fresh, pre-portioned ingredients sorted by the recipe, each box also has recipe cards with step-by-step instructions that “take the guesswork out of cooking.”
Cooking with Marley Spoon starts at just $8.90 per portion. You select whether you want a Two-Person Box (for 2 adults) or Family Box (for 2 adults and 2 children), how many meals you want per week (2-4) and — optionally — whether you want a vegetarian box.
Also, 10 days before your delivery day, you will receive an email with meal choices. If you’d like to swap recipes, you can do so under “My Account.” Pretty cool.
4. Munchery
Building on top of other services mentioned in this section, Munchery will also deliver all the ingredients along with recipe cards to your doorstep… AND if you live in the area they serve — also cook the meal for you!
Like competing services, Munchery also promises to use fresh, wholesome ingredients to create ready-to-heat meals and cooking kits. They are also different as they require a fixed membership fee of $8.95/month or $85/year, after which you’ll get your meals for as little as $7.95 per meal. The money you pay for the service is used to get the high-quality ingredients at lower costs, and you also get to buy beverages for up to 50% off.
As for the Cooking Kits, they are made to get you “all the satisfaction of cooking a homemade dinner with none of the hassle.”
Finally, by signing-up with Munchery, you will also be helping other people — every time you order, the company will automatically donate to a local food bank. So far, they have helped feed over 2.5 million people in need.
5. Platejoy
Ending the list of our meal subscription services is Platejoy, which DOES NOT deliver the food or ingredients. Rather, it prepares custom, on-demand meal plans and grocery lists for your unique lifestyle. As such, it can help you make delicious dinners, as well as breakfasts, lunches and even snacks.
As part of the membership, you get:
- Unlimited personalized meal plans with whichever courses you’d like (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack)
- Custom recipes tailored to your preferences
- Time-saving grocery lists optimized to reduce waste (buy only the stuff you will actually need)
- Option to change dietary preferences any time for free
- On-demand advice from your personal nutrition coach
- Full nutritional information for every meal
- Easy nutritional syncing with your Jawbone or FitBit
You start by taking Platejoy’s lifestyle quiz so that they can get to know your tastes, health goals, and time constraints. Then you’ll get a custom-designed meal plan that will “simplify your life and delight your taste buds.” Now, it’s up to you to cook healthy meals effortlessly, with custom recipes and shopping lists sent straight to your smartphone.
Platejoy’s uses 50 different data points to tailor each meal plan to your needs, goals, and lifestyle, and we are sure it can work for you… Check it out.
