Blue Apron vs HelloFresh and more: Best meal kit delivery services in the US

 

(Pocket-lint) - Meal kits have quite a bit of engineering behind them, actually.

After all they are utilities that you subscribe to using an app on your computer. There's also all the back-end stuff, from inventory and order management to distribution logistics, that customers never think about. But, chances are none of that matters to you. In a frozen box outside your house, you want to get home deliveries of food waiting for you so that you can easily make and eat your meal and get to Netflixing.

Or you might love to cook and want to better your abilities and try new foods. Either way, the hassle of grocery shopping is a thing of the past with meal kits. All of them are for ease and comfort. Deciding which one to try is the hardest part. There are various meal kit delivery options, from Blue Apron to HelloFresh, with new ones popping up all the time. Here is a peek at the top ones that are available right now in the US.

Best meal kit delivery services in the US 

Blue Apron

Blue Apron was one of the first delivery services for meal kits and is among the most common. This promises to provide boxes in pre-measured quantities of new, locally grown ingredients, so all you have to do is cook and enjoy. It includes four different plans, with the starter plan consisting of two or three recipes for two individuals per week. There's also a vegetarian edition and a four-person option for this subscription package.

You get to choose the meals that you like. You can view the recipes and pick your meal kits for delivery each week using the Blue Apron app or website. At any time, you can also miss or delay deliveries. No secret fees or shipping charges are present. And the Blue Apron is nationally accessible.

Blue Apron has a companion delivery service for wine that you can also try out.

Gobble

Although it's almost similar to Blue Apron, Gobble is unique in that it claims to do all the preparation work for you - such as peeling, slicing, and marinating - so you can prepare a homemade dinner in just 15 minutes" This could be the package to try if you're a parent who doesn't have a lot of time in the evening to cook up gourmet meals for your family. For either two people or four people, there are two subscription plans available.

The two-person start-up plan involves six meals a week. Again from a weekly menu that also contains gluten-free, dairy-free, low carb, and vegetarian options, you can choose your meals. There's even a choice for breakfast. At any time, you can also miss weeks, change dishes, and cancel. The primary drawback is that you must use the website to do this; there is no app. Gobble is sold nationwide.

Dinnerly

This is a no-frills, budget service where a two-person box or a four-person box can be selected. There are few diet choices other than making your box vegetarian, and you get to choose your meals for the week, like most programmes (16 different choices). It also advertises that there are fewer ingredients per dish, because there are fewer dishes to clean: "Because an hour of chopping and slicing and mixing is crazy."

A household of two adults is fed by a two-person box, while the family box serves four individuals. Both plans contain three, four, or five recipes per week. Upon checkout, you can change out your recipes. To change the amount of portions in your package, fully miss the order, or upgrade your delivery preferences, you have up to six days until your delivery date.

HelloFresh

You'll get a delivery each week consisting of new pre-measured ingredients and clear step-by-step recipes, just like BlueApron and Gobble, with Hello Fresh. Three weekly subscriptions are available: a classic two to four-person package that provides up to four meals; a four-person family plan that offers up to three meals; and a veggie plan for up to four people with three all-vegetarian recipes.

You can use the app or website to change meals, miss a week, cancel, etc. And, using only recyclable products, deliveries are available nationally.

Home Chef

The Home Chef has regular packages for two or four servings of meals. You can however, order five-minute lunch kits for two servings as well. You may add a smoothie or a fruit bowl, all of which have two servings, to your order too. At market price, there are also so-called "premium meals" available.

Home Chef kits are also sold, obviously, at various price points in some Kroger stores. See if you have a store near you that uses this application. Home Chef offers 15 recipes per week, including vegetarian choices. Only pick what you want, and it'll be delivered with easy-to-follow recipe cards in an insulated box. Like other providers, you can miss weeks or cancel at any moment using the app, and delivery is available nationwide.

Martha and Marley Spoon

Consider this package if you're a Martha Stewart fan. Every week the menu includes 10 new recipes, including vegetarian and gluten-free choices. With ingredients from the best manufacturers, the kits are delivered nationwide. Stuff like grass-fed beef, Berkshire pork, American-caught seafood, artisanal cheeses, and more are what you might expect. It is easy to follow the recipes, although some testers claim they need a little more knowledge of cooking.

For two to four people, you can get two, three, or four meals a week with the option of adding up to 12 extra portions. You will receive your kit automatically every week, but you can miss a week or delay your subscription, or even change the amount of portions you would like to receive through the app at any time.

Peachdish

Peachdish has a Southern theme and more options for ordering than the competition. For certain recipes, you can order kits for as little as two servings and up to 24. Flexible delivery days also exist; you can order weeks in advance or "wait until Sunday" Vegetarian and omnivore options, gluten-free and "superfood" menus, and a la carte items such as sweets and meats are available on the market in terms of food.

Four portions of meals are included in the daily Peachdish delivery, but you can absolutely customize your order again. The price of each meal and item on the market is displayed in the overview when you order online (sorry, no app).

Sun Basket

The Sun Basket is all about living cleanly. It ensures that your package will contain antibiotics and hormones-free organic, non-GMO products and responsibly sourced meats and seafood. For paleo, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and Mediterranean eaters, there are also 'Dietitian-approved' choices. Choose any recipe out of 18 weekly choices using the app. In recyclable and compostable packaging, they'll come to your door, too.

There is a subscription plan for the classic meal kit that fits two to four people, three days a week. For up to four individuals and up to four recipes a week, there is also a family subscription package. The only thing that you'll have to verify is if your zip code is being delivered by Sun Basket. It supposedly serves much of the US, with the exception of Arkansas, Montana, Hawaii, and New Mexico.

Every Plate

Every Plate is pared-down and cost-effective compared to other meal kits out there. There are no add-ons to buy, you can't access locked recipes, excessively complex cooking skills needed, or odd meals that will turn away children. Nevertheless it provides a strong combination of simple recipes. You can need to supply more of your own ingredients, such as butter, flour, and milk, claim critics.

For everyday individuals, Every Plate has regular dinners. It provides up to eight meals on a weekly basis to choose from. You may select three, four, or five meals a week for two individuals. But you can only get three meals a week for four people.  

Purple Carrot

This meal kit online-only service is for all the vegans out there. You can choose from a 30-minute or less meal plan, a high protein recipe plan, or the recipe plan of a chef's choosing. You get to pick three meals each week and each meal serves two. There are also some extras that you can get.

On and weekly menu, we even like that there are distinct diet choices, such as high-protein, soy-free, and gluten-free.