This post is in partnership with HelloFresh. We only endorse products we believe in.
Searching for recipes, shopping for ingredients, chopping and prepping, then finally cooking can be overwhelming for anyone. Fortunately, meal kits offer a convenient solution. They're designed to help busy individuals save lots of time and stress.
But which meal kit truly stands out? Our Food & Beverage editors tested the most popular services: Home Chef and HelloFresh. Read to find out which one we recommend.
Key Similarities:
- Both deliver fresh, pre-portioned ingredients right to your door
- Both offer chef-designed recipes
- Both offer a rotating menu with a range of recipes—from quick meals to more elaborate dishes
- Both operate on a weekly subscription model, with flexible delivery options
- Both use recyclable packaging
Key Differences:
- HelloFresh offers a range of plans that satisfy diverse dietary needs | Home Chef has fewer options for stricter diets like vegan or keto
- HelloFresh has 100+ weekly rotating meals | Home Chef offers 30 meals and 18 extras each week
- HelloFresh is perfect for anyone looking for easy prep meals | Home Chef meals tend to take longer to prepare
HelloFresh Overview:
HelloFresh offers plans for everyone, whether you're into Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Family-Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Under 20 Minutes, or Pescatarian dishes. They've got you covered no matter what your diet looks like.
Once you select your plan, it's all about customization. Pick the number of people (2,4,6) and the number of meals you’d like a week (2-6). All the ingredients arrive at your door perfectly portioned and individually packaged for each dish. Plus, every box comes with an easy-to-follow recipe card—making cooking a breeze.
HelloFresh allows you to choose from 100+ options on their weekly rotating menu, featuring mouth-watering cuisines from around the globe. Explore a variety of classic and exotic meals, such as the Herb Chicken with Roasted Carrots & Buttery Couscous. Mediterranean-inspired Creamy Mushroom Spaghetti with Burrata and Lemony Toasted Panko. Or Asian delights like Coconut Chicken Curry with Chicken Thighs & Bell Pepper over Basmati Rice.
The best part? HelloFresh has a terrific offer now (scroll down to collect👇).
Home Chef Overview:
Home Chef has 30 meals and 18 extras each week. You can use the Customize It tool to personalize some meals by upgrading or swapping proteins. Although there are a few different dietary options, their meals tend to be a little more time consuming and can entail a few more steps compared to HelloFresh meals.
They do have some pretty good meals like their Japanese Steakhouse-Style Teriyaki Steak. Or their Oven-Ready Bacon and Cheddar-Jack Chicken with garlic green beans. But, we have seen a few users question the quality of ingredients and the freshness of the produce.
And then Home Chef price-per-meals are a bit higher than HelloFresh.
Final Thoughts:
While Home Chef has some variety, HelloFresh's diverse menu and affordable prices truly give them the competitive edge, making them our top choice.
From the chef-driven menu selection to delivery and meal prep HelloFresh is a fun cooking experience that makes you feel unstoppable in the kitchen.
And how could we forget mentioning that HelloFresh is the first global carbon-neutral meal kit company? It's true! They offset 100% of their direct CO₂ emissions and use sustainable packaging. So it's good for you and good for the planet.
If you’re ready to simplify meal time and explore delicious, healthy recipes, we highly recommend you sign up to HelloFresh today!