4 Best HelloFresh Alternatives to Diversify Your Lunch and Dinner Routine

HelloFresh has a lot going for it – an efficient yet quick and fun cooking process, very delicious meals, recyclable packaging materials, various meal plan options, well-balanced nutritional profile, and fresh ingredients.

HelloFresh customers leave positive feedback saying how much they enjoy cooking HelloFresh meals, how easy the meals are to prepare, how the huge selection of recipes makes mealtime more exciting, and even how utterly delicious the meals are.

You may want HelloFresh alternatives for other reasons too:

• HelloFresh does not fit your budget.
• HelloFresh isn’t catering to your dietary preferences or restrictions.
• You prefer more menu diversity, larger portion sizes, better customer service, etc.

What Is HelloFresh?

HelloFresh’s menu consists of several different meal plans and recipes that vary by taste and dietary considerations.

It consists of healthy meal kits packed with preportioned ingredients for servings of 2 or 4 people. You can order anywhere from 2 to 6 meal kit recipes per week, between 4 and 24 servings per week.

Their menu appeals to families and couples who prefer simple-to-cook recipes with not too many dietary restrictions. What HelloFresh is not is a diet-friendly meal kit delivery service for keto, paleo, Mediterranean, low-calorie, low-carb, etc. diets.

However, if your goal is to get dinner ready in less than 45 minutes, regardless of the serving size, HelloFresh is a fine choice for you as it’s very beginner-friendly.

How Much Does HelloFresh Cost?

HelloFresh is one of the top-ranking, affordable meal subscription services. They favor variety over diet, offering up to 30+ meal kits every week.

Aside from the $10 shipping fee that applies to all orders, HelloFresh’s meal kit prices are cost-effective and a good match for all.

For meal kits with 2 servings:

• 2 recipes per week: $13.99 per serving
• 3 recipes per week: $10.99 per serving
• 4 recipes per week: $10.49 per serving
• 5 recipes per week: $10.79 per serving
• 6 recipes per week: $10.79 per serving

For meal kits with 4 servings:

• 2 recipes per week: $10.79 per serving
• 3 recipes per week: $10.49 per serving
• 4 recipes per week: $10.29 per serving
• 5 recipes per week: $10.29 per serving
• 6 recipes per week: $9.99 per serving

Hello Fresh Pros

• A large variety of delicious and nutritious meals.
• Simple-to-cook recipes with beginner-friendly meal kits.
• You can skip, pause, or modify orders easily.
• Ideal fit for couples and families.
• Many kid-friendly recipes are included.
• Budget-friendly meal kits at a low cost.
• Recipes archive with many customizations.

HelloFresh Cons

• Does not cater to diets like keto, paleo, Mediterranean, etc.
• Limited vegan choices.
• $10 shipping fee on all orders.

HelloFresh Meal Options

First things first, when placing an order with HelloFresh, you have to select the kind of meal plans you want to focus on. HelloFresh asks you about your meal preference even though the whole menu is accessible regardless of what you choose.

These meal preferences are the following:

• Meat & Veggies
• Veggie
• Family Friendly
• Fit & Wholesome
• Quick & Easy
• Pescatarian

Your preferred meal preferences will be shown first before the rest of the menu. HelloFresh also gives you a choice to swap proteins on select meals if you don’t like them.

Complementing their flexible menus for the current week and upcoming 6 weeks, HelloFresh also features a cookbook full of delicious recipes inspired by world cuisines and organized by cuisines, diet, cooking difficulty, and ingredients.

On their current week’s menu, you will see numerous dietary labels such as Protein Smart, Veggie, Calorie Smart, Mediterranean, Vegan, Carb Smart, etc. HelloFresh offers a mixed blend of interesting food choices, including labels like Easy Cleanup, New, Quick, Multi-Portion, Seasonal, Easy Prep, and so on.

You will also find some meal kit recipes for breakfast, salads, and wraps that are light, satisfying, and delicious.

HelloFresh Alternative #1 – Blue Apron

Blue Apron is also one of the best meal kit delivery services, and it works just like a subscription-based meal delivery service. You enter your email address, choose your meal plan, and start selecting your weekly recipes.

On the Blue Apron menu, you’ll see lots of mouthwatering dishes. It’s a weekly rotating menu, with new recipes up for grabs! The “Signature” meal plan consists of the most number of options, whereas the “Wellness” and “Vegetarian” plans generally offer just 3–5 options each week.

The most amazing part about Blue Apron is that its meals are very simple and quick to prepare. No fancy or expert cooking skills are required either. Their complex recipes take around 40–50 minutes to cook, but the rest of the dishes take no more than 30–40 minutes.

Despite being one of the first few meal kit delivery services, the company still uses plastic for packaging although most of it is recyclable. They make use of recyclable rigid plastics used for trays, bottles, clam shells, and plastic cups and metal cans, glass bottles, and cardboard boxes.

Blue Apron Pricing

The cost of Blue Apron meals is based on how many meals you add to your weekly order and how many servings per meal you choose.

The Blue Apron menu does have specialty meals, which may increase your weekly price since the cost per serving there is usually higher.

Signature, Vegetarian, and Wellness meals plans:

• 2 recipes with 2 servings each = $40 per week
• 3 recipes with 2 servings each = $54 per week
• 4 recipes with 2 servings each = $72 per week

Signature for Four meal plan:

• 2 recipes with 4 servings each = $72 per week
• 3 recipes with 4 servings each = $96 per week
• 4 recipes with 4 servings each = $120 per week

As for the cost per serving, here it is:

The shipping charges are $10 per weekly meal box. However, if it’s your first time to order, there will be free shipping.

Blue Apron Pros

• The menu has world cuisine and traditional recipes.
• A diverse range of flavors and meals.
• Easy and quick-to-follow cooking instructions.
• Ready-to-heat meals are part of the menu too.
• Add-ons and wine pairings are also included.
• Almost all packaging materials are recyclable.
• Budget-friendly meal kit delivery service for families.

Blue Apron Cons

• Lots of plastic is used for packaging.
• Not much meal customization is possible.
• Not the best for a vegan or vegetarian diet plan.
• No free shipping.

Blue Apron Meal Options

Under the “Signature” meal plan, there are around 12 meal kit options per week. Out of the 12, 1–3 are Premium recipes, which just means they contain higher-quality seafood or meat.

Signature meals:

Seared Chicken & Dijon Pan Sauce with mashed potatoes and green beans – this one, even though a familiar recipe, is irresistible and unforgettable.

Next on the menu is this Premium Ribeye Steak & Spring Panzanella with 45 minutes prep time. Everything is fresh even though it seems like a more complex dish to cook.

As for plant-based dishes, maybe 3–4 of the meals will be veggie-only. There’s a separate “Vegetarian” meal plan that you can pick, which has no more than 3–4 recipes every week, while the “Wellness” category consists of 4–5 meals.

• Fast & Easy Pesto Gnocchi with mushrooms and pistachio breadcrumbs (Vegetarian meal)
• Chimichurri Shrimp with barley, peppers, and tomatoes (Wellness meal)

Each Blue Apron meal has a colored icon indicating its special feature – Wellness, Fast & Easy, Ready to Cook, Premium, Family Friendly, Make It Vegetarian, and more. When adding meals to your weekly order, you can easily view these icons or labels to immediately decide what fits into your diet plan and accommodates your diet or cooking preferences.

Recipes cards are also provided with detailed cooking instructions, which is just what you want to hear if you’re not the best at-home chef.

Then you get the option of adding ready-to-heat meals as well, which are even more convenient options than meal kits. But these come in a single serving, so if you’re ordering for 2 people, make sure to add 2 separate servings.

HelloFresh Alternative #2 – Home Chef

Another very popular meal kit delivery service, Home Chef, delivers preportioned, fresh ingredients with recipe cards that are super easy to follow. You simply create your Home Chef account, choose your delivery day of the week, and browse through the menu (upcoming menus included) to pick the recipes you want to add to your weekly order.

Think of Home Chef meals as homecooked-style, healthy meals. And since upcoming menus are included, you can preselect meals up to 6 weeks in advance.

Fast & Fresh meals are specially crafted for those with a more hectic work or personal schedule – or if you’re not a fan of cooking at home!

Both meal kits and prepared meals are open to customization, so you can incorporate your dietary preferences. For example, the Home Chef menu consists of filters like Calorie-Conscious, Carb-Conscious, Vegetarian, and also <30 minutes. Even certain ingredients such as common food allergens can be removed from the meals.

During sign up, you have to answer simple questions about your delivery and dietary preferences, along with the number of meals per week (between 2 and 6) and servings per meal (2, 4, or 6).

Home Chef also offers snacks, breakfasts, bread, pizzas, salads, and more. These are very common pantry items, so you don’t have to do any grocery shopping. Bulk protein purchases can also be made, also known as Protein Packs (poultry, meat, and seafood).

All because of the insulation and ice packs used for shipping, the high quality of the ingredients remains intact. Vacuum-sealed plastic bags are used for meats, and it’s all curbside-recyclable.

Home Chef Pricing

As for the cost per serving of the meals, this can be about $8.99. The family-friendly meals are cheaper – around $6.99 per serving. If you place an order of 4 meals per week, 2 servings each, then the weekly price can be anywhere between $55 and $95. That means the per-serving cost is $8–$9.

Easy lunches and salads are $7 per serving. Likewise, there are more expensive options too that are priced between $11 and $18 per serving. These are mostly higher cuts of beef, seafood, etc.

If your total bill amount goes over $45, shipping is free of cost. Otherwise, you have to pay $9.99 per meal box.

Home Chef Pros

• Meal kits and quick and easy meals.
• Highly customizable menus and meals.
• Protein substitutions are available.
• You can sort the menu based on dietary preferences.
• Extremely easy cooking and preparation instructions.
• Premixed sauces and dressings are also included.
• Shipping is free above $45 bill amount.

Home Chef Cons

• Even though it’s recyclable, the packaging is a bit excessive.
• Overpriced premium meals.
• Not too many plant-based options.
• High sodium and low fiber levels.

Home Chef Meal Options

Choosing Home Chef meals means choosing from an extensive selection of meals. There’s a new menu each week. Upcoming weeks’ menus can also be viewed, which suggests that you can order weeks in advance.

There are meal options are as many as over 25 every week. This includes meals across all the different meal plan categories – Meal Kits, Oven-Ready, Fast & Fresh, Culinary Collection, and more.

A la carte food items are also a part of the Home Chef menu – breakfasts, snacks, bread, desserts, protein add-ons, etc. Serving sizes can be customized, and proteins can be substituted.

Home Chef meals are very easy to prepare, so you don’t need to possess exceptional cooking skills or anything of the sort. Typical American diet comfort foods are included, along with unfamiliar, creative recipes (steak, pasta, tacos, and more).

• Sour Cream and Onion-Crusted Steak
• Italian Sausage and Red Pepper Pasta
• Crispy Cajun-Style Mahi-Mahi Tacos
• Creamed Spinach Pork Chop
• Garlicky Salmon with Mojo Aioli

What really stands out is the Culinary Collection – no wonder it’s priced differently! These fancy meals, for example, the Argentinian-Style Bistec Sliced Beef Sandwich, among many other options.

Home Chef’s menu can be filtered using the following tags:

• Calorie-conscious
• Carb-conscious
• Vegetarian
• <30 min

The ingredients are fresh and preportioned, so they don’t take plenty of time to prep and cook, taking less than 40–45 minutes. The best part about it all is that it’s in your hands to select what type of meals you want. There are oven-ready dishes too that require the least amount of prepping.

HelloFresh Alternative #3 – Sunbasket

On Sunbasket, you have to choose the kind of meals you want; it’s either meal kits or prepared meals, with a prep time of not more than 30–40 minutes. For meal kits, you pick your dietary preferences. There are menu filters that help you sort through the lunches and dinners:

• Paleo
• Soy-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Gluten-Free
• Vegan
• Diabetes-Friendly
• < 600 Calories
• < 20 Minutes

Sunbasket is a very flexible meal delivery subscription service, which just means that you’re allowed to combine different types of meals from different categories/plans.

You pick the number of servings per meal and meals per week. Then, you enter your email ID and zip code. The Sunbasket website and app are both incredibly user-friendly.

Sunbasket meals are delivered from Sunday to Thursday. They’re delivered in well-insulated boxes so the food inside doesn’t go bad. Meal kits and premade meals are packed separately and labeled properly; you can tell which is which. The cooking/heating instructions are to be found on the backside of the packaging.

All ingredients arrive fresh and plump. Nothing is in bad shape. The Recycle page tells you all you need to know about the company’s dedication to reducing carbon footprint. Boxes are recyclable, paper liners are recyclable, and meal bags are also recyclable.

Sunkbasket is big on quality and flavor as well, even when it comes to Fresh & Ready meals. As for meal kits, they include organic produce (USDA-certified) and detailed cooking instructions too.

Sunbasket Pricing

Here’s all you need to know about how much Sunbasket meals cost.

Sunbasket for 2 people:

• 2 meal kits, 2 servings each = $13.99 per serving
• 3 meal kits, 2 servings each = $11.99 per serving
• 4 meal kits, 2 servings each = $10.99 per serving

Sunbasket for 4 people:

• 2 meals kits, 4 servings each = $10.99 per serving
• 3 meal kits, 4 servings each = $10.99 per serving
• 4 meal kits, 4 servings each = $10.99 per serving

Sunbasket Fresh & Ready Meals (single serving only):

• 4 meals per week = $11.99 per serving
• 5 meals per week = $11.99 per serving
• 6 meals per week = $9.99 per serving
• 7 meals per week = $9.99 per serving
• 8 meals per week = $8.99 per serving

The shipping fee per order is $9.99, but new customers get free shipping and a $90 discount.

Regardless, there’s no denying that Sunbasket is a slightly more expensive meal delivery service. The cost per serving is somewhat pricey.

On top of that, these prices mentioned don’t include the add-on items, such as snacks, breakfasts, etc., which will further increase the cost.

Sunbasket Pros

• Very healthy classic and creative recipes.
• Mostly organic produce with all fresh ingredients.
• The menu features many filters for dietary preferences.
• Enough options for plant-based and pescatarian diet plans.
• Mostly recyclable and reusable packaging.

Sunbasket Cons

• An expensive meal delivery service.
• A la carte items are also priced higher.
• Shipping charges are separately added.

Sunbasket Meal Options

Sunbasket has a very versatile and healthy menu, that’s for sure!

Just have a look at the various meal plan options:

• Carb-Conscious
• Gluten-Free
• Paleo
• Diabetes-Friendly
• Vegetarian
• Pescatarian
• Mediterranean
• Lean & Clean
• Fresh & Ready
• Chef’s Choice

If you want your meals to be below 600 calories, select Lean & Clean. Or if you’re fond of international cuisine, pick Chef’s Choice. Just like that, there are other meal plans that cater to specific dietary preferences and demands.

You can order anywhere between 1 and 16 servings of any one particular meal kit. On the other hand, the Fresh & Ready meals come only in a single serving.

Additionally, there are protein packs, homemade-style snacks, breakfast options, and even desserts:

• Smoked Atlantic Salmon
• Honey Mama’s Cocoa Truffle Bar
• Vicolo Cornmeal Crust Hand Pie, Plant-Based Sausage Scramble

As for Sunbasket’s flexibility, that takes the form of multiple protein choices – pork, beef, poultry, and lamb, with plant-based alternatives such as tofu and other meat-free substitutes.

HelloFresh Alternative #4 – Green Chef

Any meal delivery service worth its salt should offer organic, plant-based ingredients that are easy to prep and cook, even for a beginner. Green Chef surpasses all expectations by offering not only delicious and nutritious meal kits but also add-ons like breakfast, desserts, a la carte proteins, salads, and more.

Green Chef is a certified organic meal kit delivery service that helps you prepare meals with a lot more confidence and less stress.

Diet-wise, Green Chef’s meals are organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free, antibiotic-free, and preservative-free. All the meals on the menu are displayed together, but they do offer some diets like gluten-free, keto, low calorie, vegetarian, high protein, paleo, and Mediterranean.

The majority of recipes on HelloFresh’s menu take around 30 minutes to prepare and serve. Some recipes, however, with premium ingredients might take longer, close to 40 minutes to fully cook.

To get started, you can view their menus beforehand without subscribing to the service. HelloFresh’s menu features around 30 different meal options including add-ons that suit many dietary preferences.

Their eco-friendly packaging comprises recyclable and reusable materials, which include cardboard, plastic, and other compostable materials. They are packed using insulation, liners, and ice packs to preserve freshness and flavor during transit.

Green Chef Pricing

The price of Green Chef falls between $11.99 and $13.49 per serving.

The diet preferences are Protein Packed, Keto, Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, Fast & Fit, and Gluten-Free.

For a boost of proteins, their menu also offers a la carte proteins for an additional cost, less than the per-serving pricing. Meal kit recipes with premium ingredients like beef or salmon may cost $2–$10 more for each serving.

As for their shipping charges, Green Chef’s fees are $10 for every meal order.

Here is the price breakdown depending on the number of meals you order:

Green Chef Pros

• Healthy and delicious meal plans.
• Keto-friendly, gluten-free, and vegan meals are included.
• The meal kits do not need a lot of time to prepare.
• Some ingredients are USDA-certified organic and gluten-free.
• Homemade sauces and spice blends are used in all meals.
• Extra proteins can be added at an additional cost.
• The packaging is minimal and sustainable.

Green Chef Cons

• The shipping is not free.
• There are chances of some repetitive meals.
• No meal customizations.
• The meal portion size may be too small.

Green Chef Meal Options

Green Chef offers up to 6–8 different meal plans that are divided between nonvegetarian and vegetarian cuisines.

• Keto – A Keto diet comprises carb-conscious meals that are high in healthy fats.On their Keto menu, they offer meals like Cheesy Pesto Chicken Bowl and Organic Chicken with Goat Cheese & Pesto, which are not only keto but also protein-packed and gluten-free.
• Paleo – A Paleo diet is similar to a ketogenic diet but with a few alterations in the kind of ingredients you consume. The Chili-Ginger Pork Tenderloin is the only paleo-friendly meal on their menu. In addition to being paleo, it’s also suitable for people on a ketogenic diet and contains zero gluten.
• Vegetarian & Vegan – A vegetarian and vegan diet focuses on just plant-based foods and no meat and no animal by-products. Green Chef offers very many vegan/vegetarian meals like the Peanut Udon Noodle Bowl, Breaded Cauliflower & Peanut Sauce Tacos, and the Chickpea Salad Sandwich.
• Fast & Fit – This diet plan combines two incredible features in a single meal kit: fewer calories and convenient prep time. Fat & Fit meals like the Garlic Honey Chicken and Ancho Chicken Soup are hearty meals to cook. They contain fewer carbs and calories, which is ideal for the perfect lunch.
• Gluten Free – Similar to eating whole foods, a gluten-free diet mainly consists of unprocessed foods. Gluten, to put it briefly, is a protein strain commonly found in wheat and grains. Naturally, gluten-free ingredients include not only fruits and vegetables but also meat and eggs.

Why Choose These Alternatives Over HelloFresh?

For More Affordable Options

Home Chef: Home Chef’s meals fall within the range of $10–$7 per serving. Some premium meals with ingredients like beef or salmon cost around $13–$14 per serving, but those are limited in number.

Home Chef also charges a shipping fee of $9.99 per order, but the shipping charges fluctuate depending on the location and size of the order.

Blue Apron: The cost per serving for a Blue Apron meal kit starts from $7.5 to $10. The higher number of meals you add to your cart, the lesser you pay per serving.

Plus, subscribers have to pay a shipping fee of $10 when they order the minimum order value, which is 2 recipes per week for 2 people.

For Allergy -Safe Meals

Sunbasket: Sunbasket’s personalized menu features multiple dietary filters that you can make use of to simplify and streamline the menu. They offer gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan meal options.

Green Chef: Green features a certified gluten-free menu. It also has a separate paleo and keto diet plan with gluten-free meal options.

For High-Quality Organic Ingredients

Sunbasket: Sunbasket sources its ingredients from local farms, trustworthy meat suppliers, and fisheries. All of the products on Sunbasket’s menu are antibiotic-free, hormone-free, and organic. It means that they are grown and raised ethically and sustainably, along with fresh produce, eggs, and dairy products which are also USDA-certified organic.

Green Chef: Allof Green Chef’s ingredients are organic unless specified otherwise by Green Chef. The organic ingredients are recognized by the US Department of Agriculture as an organic meal delivery service company. Additionally, Green Chef is also accredited by the California Certified Organic Farmers.

For Add-Ons

Blue Apron: Blue Apron offers a weekly assortment of appetizers and sweets. Their add-ons menu also includes Heat & Eat meals that take less than 5 minutes to prepare. A la carte proteins like shrimp, chicken, bacon, beef, and pork are also included.

The additional four categories on Blue Apron’s Market menu are kitchen tools, pantry, wine, and bundles.On top of everything, for an extra $66 per month, you can purchase 6 bottles of wine that complement your Blue Apron dishes.

Home Chef: Home Chef offers bundles like a chopped salad with grilled chicken, coffee with breakfast, soup with garlic bread, etc. and additional items like desserts, coffee, smoothie, croissant, cheese spreads, etc.

A la carte proteins are also part of their weekly meal plan. You can even opt for the protein bundle that includes a few extra servings of beef with chicken breast, fish with steak, and steak, chicken breast, and shrimp.

Sunbasket: Along with premade dinners and meal kits, Sunbasket offers additional types of meat and a variety of healthy prepared snacks. You can customize your weekly meal box with a wide range of desserts, breakfasts, and snacks.

What to Know About Meal Kit Delivery Services Like HelloFresh

1. They Save Money

When you have no other option but to cook your meals from scratch, what’s the first thing on the list you need to do? You go to the grocery store, right?

This means frequent grocery store visits in a month to purchase ingredients for your meals. About these ingredients, you have to buy them whole which means spending more money per item.

You also avoid spending unnecessary money on outside food. Hence, no eating out, no junk food, no fast food, and no takeout either.

2. They Save Time

Well, meal kits take less than 30–40 minutes to prepare. With HelloFresh, this can be anywhere between 15–20 minutes and 40–50 minutes, depending on the complexity of the dishes.

Even the task of cleanup post-cooking becomes easier and quicker. Meal kits are well-organized and come with proper step-by-step cooking instructions. And if even this seems too much, then you can just pick HelloFresh’s “Easy Cleanup” recipes.

Final Say

These are all of the best meal delivery services, just like HelloFresh. Important factors such as flavor, quality, diversity, pricing, sustainability, etc. are prioritized, no matter which meal kit delivery service you opt for.

Be it Blue Apron, Home Chef, Sunbasket, or Green Chef, all are best HelloFresh alternatives. But each meal delivery service offers its own set of unique features. So, it all depends on which one accommodates your dietary preferences and restrictions, along with your budget.