I kept getting ads for meal delivery services in my mailbox, in-box, and pop-up ads and I’ll admit – I’ve always been curious. I really enjoy cooking for my family and I’m always looking for ways to make it easier or mix up my menu.
Oh, let’s just be honest. I love to eat.
So when my husband was gone for work for a few weeks this summer, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to test-drive a few of these meal delivery services to see how they worked, whether they reduced my workload, and – most importantly – how they tasted. I tried 3 different meals (2 servings each) from each of the companies Hello Fresh, Munchery, and Blue Apron.
{Before we begin I think it’s important to tell you that this post is not sponsored. That is, I purchased all the food packages with my own money without invitation by the companies to try out their products.}
The Similarities:
All of the companies operate on similar models. You sign up for a subscription online, your ingredients arrive on your doorstep (or to your office) in an ice-packed box, and you follow a menu card to prepare your meals.
You can see what meals are pre-selected for you in advance and if you don’t care for the options, you can change them (as long as it’s before the meal-change deadline).
They all are a subscription-type service where they will automatically choose your meals each week, charge your credit card on file, and deliver them to you. HOWEVER it’s worth noting that at the end of my trials I didn’t have any trouble canceling my subscriptions or getting charged for a second delivery (I was a little worried about this based on some other reviews I had read online). You just have to be aware of the food change/cancelation deadlines which are a bit in advance of your delivery day and you’ll be fine. I set myself some phone calendar reminders to cancel in time.
Overall I found all of the services to be really user-friendly and delicious. Ready for a breakdown of each of them? Here we go.
Hello Fresh was my first delivery, and I was SO EXCITED to start this adventure. I ordered 3 2-serving meals which typically runs $69, but I paid $29 with a trial coupon. It’s worth noting that they also have a “Family Box” with 4-serving meals that tend to be more kid-friendly.
They advertise a 30-minute preparation time. My time was a bit more (I averaged 38 minutes) but I wasn’t rushing to beat the clock, and it’s pretty typical for me to take a bit longer to cook a new recipe.
The food was very tasty, but it wasn’t the flavor winner of the bunch. However, it definitely took the trophy for the healthiest.
WINNER FOR: healthy meal option
My 3 2-serving meals cost $69.95, but I paid $35 with a new-customer discount. Like Hello Fresh, they also have some packages that are specifically more family-friendly.
Munchery promotes itself as the time-saver of the group, claiming that its meals will be ready in about 15 minutes. However, they do this by sending out more pre-prepared items than the other companies which are basically all raw ingredients. In some ways Munchery felt more like meal-assembly rather than scratch-cooking like the other companies. BUT, I noticed more ingredients labeled “organic” in the Munchery boxes than in the others.
Munchery was also the provider of the most delicious dinner in this whole culinary adventure (chicken pozole).
WINNER FOR: time-saver (RUNNER-UP FOR: flavor)
I’ll admit I was a little nervous about my Blue Apron box. Even though I customized my meals, I wasn’t terribly enthusiastic about any of the options so I wondered if I’d even like the food. The cost for my 3 2-person meals was $59.95, but I paid $29.95 with my first-order discount.
I felt that Blue Apron was the most honest and realistic with prep times. They took a little longer (around 40 minutes) but they told you that from the get-go, and prep times were customized for each individual meal so there were no surprises.
But the BIGGEST surprise was in the flavor. The menus were a little more adventurous and exotic, but it turns out that was good for me. I actually really enjoyed all the meals!
WINNER FOR: flavor
The Summary:
You’ll notice that there’s no winner for price. Obviously when using these services, the convenience factor makes them considerably more expensive than planning and shopping for your own meals. But even for this budget-minded mama, I have to admit it was actually really nice to have all my ingredients packaged in a nice little box without having to worry about whether I forgot anything at the grocery store or if I’d have to scramble and make do in my kitchen.
I found dinner prep to be super relaxing, enjoyable, and even a bit exciting as I tried new things. And even though I cook dinner for my family every single night, I learned a few new tricks. (Bake potato wedges standing up. What?!?! Yes. You should.)
Overall these services wouldn’t be a great fit for our frugal (and a little picky) family, but I can see how it could be a great option for people that eat out quite a bit but want to eat healthier, those who aren’t great cooks but want to learn, or parents who feed their kids separately and want some more adult-friendly meal options. They are also a great way to expand your culinary horizons and try new things without having to comb the internet for a winner recipe. (Because, let’s be honest, there are always loser recipes that suck us in. That’s money down the drain right there.)
Every single one of the meals I tried turned out perfectly, and I’m being completely honest when I say that they were all tasty. The recipes were super easy to follow and the food was all well-organized and well-labeled. My biggest tip is to read the entire recipe card before beginning each meal so you have a good overview of what you’re doing, because that can save you time in the cooking process. It’s also just a good tip no matter what you’re cooking.
So if you’re on the fence about trying them, I say jump in and give it a go! Yes, it’s a little more expensive. But with new-customer prices, easy menu changes (or skipped deliveries), and painless cancelations, you’re not really risking much. If you’ve been curious for awhile, try it out and see if it might work for your family!
Have you ever used a meal delivery service? What did you think?
