Affordable Meal Delivery Options Available
For those looking to save time and money on meals, affordable meal delivery services have become a popular choice. Here's a breakdown of four such services – EveryPlate, Marley Spoon, Home Chef, and Dinnerly – and their key differences.
EveryPlate
EveryPlate, one of the cheapest weekly meal delivery options, offers three recipes with two servings each. The price per serving starts at $4.99 to $5.99, plus a $10.99 shipping fee. New users can enjoy meals for just $1.99 each in their first box. EveryPlate delivers to most of the contiguous US; a zip code check is available to confirm availability. The service is budget-friendly but offers limited menu options.
Marley Spoon
Marley Spoon, with a starting price of $4.99 per serving, offers six meals for four people in its largest box. Availability depends on your ZIP code, and the service does not require a subscription. Marley Spoon does not specify details on discounts and promotions, but it does offer a single-household introductory offer providing 55% off the first box.
Home Chef
Home Chef, starting around $5.00 to $9.99 per serving, offers meal kits with more flexibility and quality options. It caters to various dietary preferences, including gluten-free, dairy-free, and heart-healthy meals. Home Chef is nationwide, with flexible ordering and subscription options, and it is owned by Kroger. New customers can enjoy up to 40% off their first order.
Dinnerly (for Comparison)
Dinnerly, mentioned for comparison, offers meal kits starting around $4.99 to $5.99 per serving. Its family box costs $76.06 per week and features three recipes with four servings each. Dinnerly's menu offerings are similar to EveryPlate's, with package and menu adjustments for affordability.
Key Differences
- Price per Serving: EveryPlate and Marley Spoon start as low as $4.99 per serving, making them among the cheapest. Home Chef is slightly higher but offers more flexibility and quality options.
- Availability: Most services deliver to the contiguous US, but exact availability depends on your ZIP code. Home Chef’s widespread presence is enhanced by its association with Kroger grocery stores.
- Discounts: EveryPlate offers a notable introductory price of $1.99 per meal for new customers, and Home Chef offers up to 40% off the first order. Marley Spoon and others may have promotions but less specific data in the sources.
- Meal Types & Dietary Options: Affordable options like EveryPlate tend to have limited dietary accommodations, while Home Chef features a broader range including gluten-free, dairy-free, and heart-healthy meals.
Choosing the Right Service
- Choose EveryPlate if budget is the highest priority and package simplicity is acceptable.
- Choose Marley Spoon for large family meals at very low per-serving cost with some no-subscription flexibility.
- Choose Home Chef for more variety, dietary options, and flexible ordering, at a slightly higher but still affordable price.
These differences reflect trade-offs among cost, menu flexibility, and availability to fit various budget and dietary needs.
In addition to meal delivery services, other options include community-supported agriculture (CSA) baskets and meat shares, which provide customers with quality, local ingredients. Preparing meals in advance can also make it easier to provide individual meals throughout the week. Many grocery stores sell precut vegetables and other ingredients to help reduce meal preparation time.
It is unlikely that meal delivery services will save people money compared to grocery shopping in-store, as shipping costs and lack of breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks can add to the cost. However, meal deliveries can be cheaper than eating out, especially if people take advantage of introductory and special offers.
Lastly, PlateJoy is an online meal planning service that provides customers with shopping lists and recipes to help streamline meal preparation.
- For budget-conscious individuals, EveryPlate offers an affordable option with meal kits starting at $4.99 per serving.
- New users can enjoy EveryPlate's meal kits for just $1.99 each in their first box, making it a cost-effective choice.
- In terms of meal variety, Home Chef caters to different dietary preferences with options for gluten-free, dairy-free, and heart-healthy meals.
- These meal delivery services can be beneficial for those seeking to save time in their cooking lifestyle, with precut vegetables and other ingredients available at many grocery stores.
- While meal deliveries can be cheaper than dining out, especially with promotional offers, it's essential to consider the shipping costs and the lack of options like breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks compared to in-store grocery shopping.
- For those looking to streamline their meal preparation process, PlateJoy provides an online meal planning service with shopping lists and recipes to optimize their personal-finance and healthy-cooking habits.
