Food For Net

  • [BLOG]
  • Beer
  • Cheese
  • Cocktails
  • Meal Kits
  • Grills
  • Whiskey
  • Boxes
  • Wine
  • Outdoors
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Delivery
FoodForNet.com is a member of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, plus other affiliate programs, meaning we earn commissions from qualifying purchases through affiliate links. We strive to make all reviews honest (albeit opinionated!), so you can make the best buying decision.

7 Of The Cheapest Meal Kit Services To Keep You Fed

July 16, 2020 by Food For Net 19 Comments

Share this with friends!

12shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Meal kits are a fantastic way to save time with planning and meal prep. They also provide you with a variety of meals, ones that are healthy and packed full of veggies. Even so, meal kits can seem underwhelmingly simple because they can be expensive. You’ll normally be paying way more for your meals than you would if you picked up the same ingredients locally.

Of course, that doesn't factor in the cost of gas, time spent at the grocery store, unloading groceries, and food waste. Still, some meal kits cost as much as $30+ per “meal” (two servings), which is almost as much as you'd pay at a restaurant. That's why I wanted to organize this list of the cheapest meal kits out there.

Most of them will still not compare with how cheap you can eat by sourcing local, in-season, or bulk ingredients from the store. Still, using an inexpensive meal kit a few times a week can help you save time, gas money, and personal energy.

Of the list below, my clear favorite is Blue Apron. However, it's not the cheapest, and once you start adding on all the extras they offer, it probably shouldn't belong on this list! (their wine club is amazing).

The cheapest of the cheap is Dinnerly, at just $4.49 per serving, but I've received word that they are running into problems with supplies. For now, EveryPlate, will be your cheapest and best choices, at $4.99 per serving.

ATTN April 2020: Meal kits services are being overwhelmed with orders right now. If you see a service you like, and they have items in stock, my advice is to order ASAP.

Make sure you keep an eye out for specials too. Many companies provide deep discounts for your first order, to try and entice you in. Those discounts are often recurring, with “We want you back” style promotions.

Those discounts can be a great way to try out different meal kit services and get a sense of which ones you enjoy the most. After all, everyone has their own flavor preferences and the ideal meal kit will vary based on the individual.  My advice is to sign up for a bunch of them, even if they are expensive, then wait for those discount promotions to roll in.

Some companies offer between $20 and $80 off your order!

Meal kits are perfect during self-quarantine, and also reduce your family's risk because you have to go to the grocery store less often!

Table of Contents

  • Cheapest Meal Kits
    • Home Chef 
    • Hello Fresh 
    • Blue Apron 
    • Martha & Marley Spoon 
    • Platejoy  
    • Dinnerly 
    • Every Plate

Cheapest Meal Kits

  • Home Chef
  • Hello Fresh
  • Blue Apron
  • Martha & Marley Spoon
  • Platejoy
  • Dinnerly
  • Every Plate

Home Chef 

Home Chef website screenshot showing an open box on the counter along with various fresh meats and vegetables
This meal kit company provides a range of inexpensive meals to choose from.

Home Chef is an especially good choice for anyone who loves variety. The company provides a weekly rotating menu that offers around 15 different meals for you to choose from. There are also some interesting add-ons each week, like a smoothie and a fruit basket.  

Most of the available meals are perfect for dinner. There are also some 5-minute lunches included for $7.99 a serving, which could be ideal for many situations. The range of meals alone makes Home Chef appealing. Most services have a very limited menu to choose from. That can make it difficult to find foods that you like.  

The menu is also useful for people with allergies. Home Chef doesn’t specifically offer allergen-friendly meals. However, the company does use tags to show the allergens present in each meal. This makes it easy to only choose meals that you can eat. You’re also able to select your meals for up to 5 weeks at a time – making planning a breeze.  

Then there’s the price. Most of the meals from Home Chef cost $9.95 per serving. This is much cheaper than many other services. It’s also a simple pricing structure. You don’t need to choose your meals carefully to make sure that they aren’t too expensive. Instead, your price will normally remain the same, regardless of the meals that you select. You can check out my experience with Home Chef to find out how the service stacks up.  

Hello Fresh 

A white table with cooked food, chives and plenty of limes
Here’s a popular meal kit service that meets many dietary needs.

Hello Fresh is one of the most ambitious meal kit companies. They offer services in a number of different countries, providing high-quality and amazing food each time. Their approach to selling dinners involves a meal plan model.  

There are 3 different plans: the Veggie Plan, the Classic Plan and the Family Plan. Each of these operates off a separate weekly menu. People on the Classic Plan have the most choice, with around 15 different meals to select from each week. Meals for the Veggie Plan and Family Plan are more limited, with 3 to 6 meals each week.  

Allergen information is provided for each of the weekly dishes. You can click through to find full details, including the ingredients list, preparation time, nutritional information and even the recipe. I’ve tried out the subscription myself. Take a look at my experiences to see what you can expect with the subscription.  

With Hello Fresh, the price you pay is influenced by the plan you choose and how many people you’re feeding. You might be paying anywhere from $6.99 to $9.99 per serving (plus $5.99 shipping). Even at $9.99, the meals are reasonably priced and better than many other services.  

Blue Apron 

Blue Apron Website Screenshot showing a meal with potatoes, steak and Brussels sprouts
This is the meal kit service that started it all – and continues to be a popular choice.

Blue Apron isn’t the only meal kit service in the market anymore, but it was the first one. The service is clearly doing something right, as they’ve been able to retain a market share, despite all of the newcomers selling meal kits. I’ve used Blue Apron multiple times myself and haven’t been disappointed. It isn’t my favorite meal kit service, but I have re-subscribed multiple times, which says something about what they have to offer.  

Don’t expect an extensive range of meals from Blue Apron or any allergen considerations. The company has started to develop some more interesting meals recently, but you’re typically just choosing between 8 2-person recipes or 5 4-person recipes. That’s not a lot of variety.  

The price depends on the plan and number of servings. You're normally paying between $7.49 and $9.99 per serving. You might need to pay for shipping too, like the $7.99 shipping fee for the 2-person plan with 2 recipes per week. Still, many of the plans do have free shipping.  

Martha & Marley Spoon 

Marley Spoon Website Screenshot showing Martha Stewart holding a box from the company
The price of this service depends on the plan you select, but there are some inexpensive choices.

One of the nice things about Martha & Marley Spoon is the flexibility. You’re not forced to receive 4 meals per week if you don’t want to. You can choose between 2, 3 and 4 meals each week, either for 2 people or for 3-4 people. The prices start at $12 per serving, but that’s only for 2 people with 2 meals per week.  

As long as you’re choosing more food than that, the price per serving is very reasonable. For example, the 2-person plan with 4 meals per week costs $9.50 per serving. On the 3-4 person version, you’re paying $9.50 per serving if you want 2 meals per week or $8.20 per serving for 4 meals each week.  

I’ve tried this company myself and I was generally pleased with the food and the pricing. It is a fantastic service for many situations, giving you the chance to try a variety of meals.  

Still, it’s not all fantastic. The ordering process is a little frustrating. You don’t get to look at the meals before you order. The company chooses for you and then gives you the option to swap items out as you need to. The style does still give you plenty of control, but it isn’t the most appealing design. Some people (myself included) are likely to find it pretty frustrating.  

Platejoy  

Plate Joy website screenshot showing four different meals from the company.
While this isn’t a traditional meal kit company, Platejoy has advantages that you won’t see elsewhere.

Platejoy isn’t really a meal kit service at all, but it is an inexpensive service that is seriously worth considering. The difference is that Platejoy focuses on meal plans, rather than providing you all of the ingredients ready to go in a box.  

There are 2 main advantages of this style. First, there is considerable flexibility. You get custom recipes that focus on your needs. You can even include your own personal recipes. Dietary preferences can be changed whenever you want to. There is even syncing to Fitbit and nutritional details for each recipe.  

The other advantage is the price. The planning service costs around $8 to $9 per month. That’s a low price to receive customized meal plans. You can also sign up for Instacart for $6 to $8 per month, which is a way to get your groceries delivered to you. You can also just shop for the ingredients yourself. Platejoy will give you a list of everything you need.  

Regardless of your approach, you will still need to pay for the ingredients. The price per meal will vary depending on the recipes in question. Still, the style is a viable way to get many of the benefits of a meal kit, without paying too much.  

Dinnerly 

A peach background with a box of veggies and pasta
This inexpensive meal kit company also has great choices for kids.

Dinnerly (discount link) was specifically developed as a cheap meal kit service. Their site boasts a price of $4.99 per person. That claim is slightly misleading, as there is an $8.99 shipping fee per order. Even then, you’re still paying less for Dinnerly than any other service (except for discounts and sales).  

There are limitations, of course. The meals from Dinnerly just use 6 ingredients and there are no options for people on specific diets or those with ingredients that they need to avoid. The meals are also pretty simple. You’re looking at options like Shephard’s Pie, Broccoli Cheddar Soup or Mediterranean Chicken Penne. You could find similar recipes in most cookbooks.  

Simple or not, the meals do taste good. You’re not getting cheap and nasty meals. The service provides you with delicious and simple meals, for a much lower price than other companies.  

The other aspect to mention is the plans. There are 2 of these to choose from. The first is the Two-Person Box. It contains 3 recipes per week, with 2 servings for each. You’re paying a total of $38.93 for this one. The other plan is the Family Box. This one has 4 servings for each recipe, with 3 recipes per week. It costs $68.87. You are able to choose which recipes are present, but you will always end up with 6 portions/week for the Two-Person Box and 12 portions/week for the Family Box.  

Every Plate

Every Plate is a newcomer to the list of cheap meal kits – I just saw them on Instagram. Actually, despite being the second cheapest on this list, they are one of the better ones.

I'm eating a couple weeks worth of food from Every Plate as I type this (not in the same day, obviously LOL).

The meals are interesting enough to not fall into the “boring” category most of the time. I did have some boring stuff like chicken and mashed potatoes, but I also got some super interesting food like chili-cherry pork chops and roasted veggies, or steak with chimichurri sauce (my favorite!).

The best part is that the simple meals are easy to cook, so I can glance at the card once or twice and basically understand what the recipe calls for.

I'll update this portion with a full review after it gets written.

Filed Under: Meal Delivery Services Tagged With: Meal Kits

Comments

  1. Pat says

    November 23, 2019 at 12:53 pm

    Thank you this was very helpful and insightful.

    Reply
    • Marcus Edwards says

      July 30, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      I as a parent had the hardest time trying to make dinner. My kids are fairly picky and I would put in the effort and they wouldn’t eat it. Well….for the reason why I myself and going through the meal services to see which offered the best tasting meals for the price. Of course price is also a factor and one of the most important ones in my opinion. Fortunately, none of the ones on this list our out of my budget. I have been enjoying the promotions so far and have limited myself to three weeks on each meal. I wish I would have quit Dinnerly a lot earlier but we stuck it out.
      Having my kids choose the meals usually ensures that food will be eaten. Even if its something they don’t like the look of I always ask them to try it. For my family, there is definitely a lot less food waste.
      I did receive a Hello Fresh packaged scallions in my EveryPlate order. Wondering if they are the same company with two different price points?

      Reply
      • Food For Net says

        July 30, 2020 at 10:51 pm

        They probably bulk order and pack ingredients in the same facility to save on cost.

        Reply
  2. Melanie Connell says

    January 21, 2020 at 5:47 am

    Thank you very much for taking the time to write this. My daughter and I are looking at hello fresh but after reading your reviews I’m going to try a couple of the others.
    Thank you again for being so open, honest and taking up your valuable time.
    Mel

    Reply
    • Food For Net says

      January 21, 2020 at 7:40 am

      Happy to help Melanie. I know Hello Fresh is one of the most popular, but it’s just not one of my favorites. Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  3. Deborah says

    February 1, 2020 at 10:17 am

    I had heard high recommendations for Hello Fresh, and signed up to try it out. I was frustrated by my inability to find out what my meals would cost once my initial discount was over.
    I “chatted” with a representative. The most interesting thing I learned was that Every Plate is a sister company of Hello Fresh. So, if you like the quality of H.F., you could give E.P. a try.

    Reply
  4. Tara Kerby says

    February 2, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    Thank you. Was very helpful with so many choices out there.

    Reply
  5. Kayla says

    March 20, 2020 at 6:18 pm

    It’s worth noting that HelloFresh has a surcharge (anywhere from 5.99-7.99 per serving) for pretty much any meal that isn’t pork, chicken, or veggie-only.

    Reply
  6. Kelly says

    March 28, 2020 at 11:11 pm

    I use both Everyplate and Dinnerly. It therefore gives me three meals a week for two people for each service. They both run about $38.00 a week. Occasionally they have specials. If you recommend a friend then your friend gets several free meals and you get a discount week if they sign up!

    Since I live alone that also gives me plenty of leftovers. I usually alternate each week but sometimes get both. Meat can be frozen but you have to use the vegetables fairly quickly or they will spoil of course. The recipes are easy to follow (Everyplate includes the recipe cards while you have to get Dinnerly recipes on their website.) There are about eight to ten meals a week to pick from.

    I used Hello Fresh for a couple of months at first but it is much more expensive per week and you only get two meals a week! I think it was about $55 a week. Hello Fresh owns Everyplate and the only difference I can see honestly is that Hello Fresh has more choices to pick from and bags all the ingredients for each meal in separate paper bags while the other two come all together and you have to separate the food items for each meal yourself.

    To me the cost savings is substantial for just having to separate your own groceries! Food taste is exactly the same! If you don’t like any of the menu options for a particular week you just skip it for that week. There is no penalty even if you skip several weeks at a time. I’ve had two occasions over four months with both companies where an ingredient or two were missing.

    When I contacted both companies about it they gave me a full credit for the following week for the entire meal which is exceptional customer service in my opinion! I would recommend Everyplate over Dinnerly simply because they have more choices! They are both inexpensive and quality of food is excellent for the most part! Definitely try them out!

    Reply
  7. Skye MacAllister says

    May 20, 2020 at 2:20 pm

    I started with Blue Apron and loved it. I still do. Then I got Home Chef and LOVE it! I tried Dinnerly and after about 4 boxes (several weeks between boxes ordered) I quit. The food was not always fresh, always something missing and just generally disappointing meals. I think I got 1 box that was complete, but vegs were bad. ☹

    I’m looking into others now, I love the new customer discounts. Great article! Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • Food For Net says

      May 22, 2020 at 9:40 am

      Thank you for letting us know your experience Skye!

      Reply
  8. Jennifer Alexander says

    May 25, 2020 at 11:07 am

    I have tried a couple of these. Martha and Marley spoon was my favorite but I do understand how it can be frustrating with the meal choices. I also tried every plate and I was not impressed with them, although the food was delicious there would be random items in the Box when I opened it. Last month it was a can of Redbull. I contacted customer service and they explained to me that it was a promotion which I never saw on the website when I went to sign up that month. Red Bull is not something I use or want because to me it is poisonous and can kill people.

    Reply
    • Food For Net says

      May 25, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      Yeah that’s weird they added a Red Bull, but it sounds like a good deal to me. I love that stuff. Poison me up!

      Reply
  9. Jenine says

    May 28, 2020 at 9:49 am

    I started using Every Plate just before the lockdown and have been really happy. There is a bit of redundancy with vegetable choices, everything is either potatoes, zucchini, or carrots, but the food is tasty, simple to cook, and the recipes are easy to follow. I feel like it has made me a better cook by teaching me simple sauces and easy short cuts. The 2 person meals feed 3 adults easily. The only thing I am asked to provide is oil, salt & pepper, and occasionally butter.
    There is $8.99 shipping charge each week. 5 meals per week for 2 people cost me about $65.00 per week without upgrades.

    Reply
  10. anita wilson says

    June 17, 2020 at 2:40 pm

    Tried Every Plate family didn’t like the food because of the spices and the weird food combine. Tried to contact Every Plate by chat online. Waited and waited no response
    They need recipes that ate noy spicy and weird food combo recipes. What happened to plain recipes that taste good. Thumbs down on Every Plate

    Reply
    • anita wilson says

      June 17, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      Sorry typo. Everyplate needs non spicy hot foods and plain good combo recipes for family.

      Reply
  11. Christa B says

    August 7, 2020 at 11:21 am

    Every Plate offers a 20% off discount for college students. Once confirmed meals are 3.99/ea for a year. We relied on them for a few weeks into the quarantine when food was otherwise scarce in our small town, it saved us a 3 hour commute to the nearest city

    Reply
    • Food For Net says

      August 9, 2020 at 9:55 pm

      Great find!

      Reply
  12. G&L says

    January 7, 2021 at 5:50 am

    We have just tried Gobble. Our first week. They text you to make sure everything is okay. Food arrived with recipes. Very little prep.
    It’s sort of like take out. a lot of Asian and Indian dinner choices. It’s not a budget plan but it’s is easy to moderate work to go from package to plate quickly.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




About The Owner 🍕🍺🥩🥃!

cooking bbq outside

Hi! My name is Rick and FoodForNet.com is just a website about food and drink that I like. That includes sous vide, slow cooking, grilling, smoking, and homemade pizzas.

I also make my own beer, wine, cider, kombucha, and sake… and am a whiskey enthusiast!

Subscription Boxes

  • Weight Loss Subscription Boxes
  • Baking Subscription Boxes
  • International Snack Subscription Boxes
  • Manly Food Subscription Boxes
  • Japanese Snack Subscription Boxes
  • Kid Friendly Subscription Boxes
  • Keto Subscription Boxes
  • Diabetic Subscription Boxes
  • Korean Snack Subscription Boxes
  • European Snack Subscription Boxes
  • Tea Subscription Boxes
  • Wine Subscription Boxes
  • Paleo Snack Subscription Boxes
  • Coffee Subscription Boxes
  • Gluten Free Subscription Boxes
  • Chocolate Subscription Boxes
  • Hot Sauce Subscription Boxes

Meal Kits By Category

  • Diabetic Meal Kits
  • Family Meal Kits
  • Weight Loss Meal Kits
  • Senior Meal Kits
  • Vegan Meal Kits
  • Dairy Free Meal Kits
  • Organic Meal Kits
  • Vegetarian Meal Kits
  • Gluten Free Meal Kits
  • Paleo Meal Kits
  • Keto Meal Kits
  • Cheapest Meal Kits
  • Low Carb Meal Kits
  • Eco Friendly Meal Kits
  • Soy Free Meal Kits
  • Nut Free Meal Kits
  • Kid Friendly Meal Kits

Food of the Month Clubs

  • Cheesecake of the Month Clubs
  • Macaron of the Month Clubs
  • Candy of the Month Clubs
  • Bacon of the Month Clubs
  • Olive Oil of the Month Clubs
  • Cupcake of the Month Clubs
  • Spice of the Month Clubs
  • Meat of the Month Clubs
  • Cookie of the Month Clubs
  • Gourmet Food of the Month Clubs
  • Cake of the Month Clubs
  • Fruit of the Month Clubs
  • Pie of the Month Clubs
  • Balsamic Vinegar of the Month Clubs
  • Charcuterie of the Month Clubs
  • Salami of the Month Clubs
  • Pizza of the Month Clubs
  • Steak of the Month Clubs

Copyright © 2021 · Food For Net

FoodForNet is part of the Amazon Associates affiliate program, plus other affiliate programs.
When you click links to Amazon.com and other websites, we earn a commission.

  • All Recipes
  • Recipe Roundups
  • All Product Reviews
  • Slow Cooker Reviews
  • Pressure Cooker Reviews
  • Sous Vide Reviews
  • Rice Cooker Reviews
  • Vacuum Sealer Reviews
  • Cookbook Reviews
  • Meal Kit Reviews
  • Keto Diet
  • Privacy Policy