But on my most recent test of three meals and three market items this August, it was Green Chef’s food sourcing overall that caught my attention—meticulous enough that I received a little apology note when my plum tomatoes weren’t organic, a situation caused by an apparent shortfall of available organic Romas at the moment of shipping.
The proteins were flavorful. And even in August, the most difficult time to ship perishable food, my herbs and veggies had nary a wilted leaf—a difficult and rare achievement, especially for fresh herbs like the parsley in the gremolata for my Turkish-spiced steelhead trout.
Photograph: Matthew Korfhage
At $14 a serving, Green Chef ranks among the more expensive meal kits (HelloFresh runs around $10–$12), and the 42-deep selection of meals doesn’t match middle-of-the-market meal kits like HelloFresh and Marley Spoon, which each offer 100-plus. But the recipes are thoughtful, and the care taken with its ingredients—especially for those with eating restrictions—makes it one of the tastiest meal kit options I’ve tried, without requiring long cook times.
Here’s my experience with Green Chef, and how it works.
| Cost per meal | $14 per serving on most plans, plus $12 shipping per week |
| Meal plan options | Three to eight meals per week; sized for two, four, or six people |
| Lowest-cost plan at full price | $96 (including shipping), for three meals for two people |
| Size of weekly menu | More than 40 options, plus salad-kit, protein, and smoothie add-ons |
| Gluten-free meals? | More than half the menu is certified gluten-free |
| Plant-based meals? | About a third of dishes are vegetarian. The vegan selection is more limited. |
| Other dietary plans/restrictions | A third of meals are dairy-free. A third are listed as low-calorie or low added sugar. Five to 10 keto offerings a week. Produce and eggs are organic unless otherwise specified. Allergens are clearly marked. |
| Prep time | 20 to 45 minutes |
Like many other meal delivery services, Green Chef is subscription-based. After selecting your diet preferences, whether Mediterranean or gluten-free, you’ll be asked how many people you’re serving and how many meals a week you’d like to receive. Cost is straightforward: It’s $14 a meal, plus $12 shipping per week. Generally, for first-time customers, you’ll get 50 percent off the first week.
Also, as with HelloFresh’s other meal kits, you can choose which day of the week you want your meals delivered. On the appointed day, a well-organized green box will arrive with recipes and most of the ingredients you need to prepare the meals. The exceptions are basic staples like oil, butter, salt, and pepper. Each recipe comes clearly marked with allergens, whether sesame or tree nuts.
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