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I spent $487 on meal delivery services last month testing every budget option I could find. The goal? Figure out which ones are actually cheap and which ones just look cheap until you see the final cart total.
Here’s what matters: price per serving is marketing. What you actually pay, after shipping, after fees, after you realize the 2-person plan doesn’t feed 2 actual adults, is the real number. I tracked every cent across Dinnerly, EveryPlate, HelloFresh‘s budget tier, and six others. Some are legitimately cheap. Some are lying to you with math tricks.
The winner isn’t close. Dinnerly runs $5.79 to $8.99 per serving depending on plan size, the lowest regular pricing of any major kit. EveryPlate sits at $6.99/serving regular price. Everything else is $8+ once you do the actual math. If you’re reading this because your Uber Eats habit is eating your rent money, those two numbers matter more than anything else on this page.
Quick Picks: Top 3 Cheapest
- Dinnerly: $5.79-$8.99/serving, the actual cheapest, full stop
- EveryPlate: $6.99/serving, HelloFresh‘s budget brand, solid recipes
- Blue Apron: $5.60/serving minimum, no subscription required, à la carte shopping
Dinnerly: $5.79 to $8.99/Serving
Price per serving: $5.79 to $8.99 depending on plan size
This is the cheapest meal kit in America. Not “affordable.” Not “budget-friendly.” The cheapest. Dinnerly cuts costs everywhere that doesn’t affect the food: digital recipe cards instead of printed ones, simpler packaging, 4-6 ingredients per recipe instead of 12. You’re getting basic dinners: chicken, pasta, ground beef, not gourmet experiments. But at roughly $139/month for 3 meals for 2 people (4 weeks), you’re spending less than one Chipotle bowl per meal. The math isn’t even close.
They run 40+ recipes weekly, which is more variety than you’d expect at this price point. Coverage is solid across the continental US. The intro deal ($140 off through 5 orders) makes your first month basically free to test. If you’re choosing between this and actually cooking from scratch, Dinnerly wins on time. If you’re choosing between this and delivery apps, Dinnerly wins on cost by a margin that should embarrass you.
Pros: Legitimately the lowest price on the market, 40+ weekly recipes, intro discount stretches across 5 boxes, no commitment after that, simpler recipes mean faster cooking (20-30 min)
Cons: Digital-only recipe cards (you need a phone or tablet in the kitchen), limited specialty diet options, recipes are straightforward but not exciting, packaging is bare-bones functional
EveryPlate: $6.99/Serving
Price per serving: $6.99 regular price
HelloFresh owns EveryPlate and runs it as their budget tier. You’re getting the same recipe development team, the same ingredient sourcing network, the same delivery infrastructure, just simplified. Fewer recipes per week (17 vs HelloFresh’s 100+), fewer ingredients per dish, less elaborate plating. But the food tastes good, the portions are real, and $6.99/serving ($111.84/month for 4 meals for 2) beats every other major kit except Dinnerly.
The intro offer is aggressive: $2.99/meal first box plus free steak for a month. Students and military get 75% off their first box. That makes testing it basically risk-free. I kept EveryPlate running for two months after the intro pricing ended because the regular price still beat my grocery bill for the same meals. If you’re feeding a family and need volume, the 3-5 meals for 2-6 people flexibility matters.
Pros: Second-cheapest regular price after Dinnerly, backed by HelloFresh infrastructure (reliable delivery, solid recipes), strong intro deals especially for students/military, feeds families efficiently, free shipping
Cons: Limited specialty diet options (no Keto plan, no vegan line), fewer weekly recipes than competitors, less customization than HelloFresh, still requires 30-40 min cooking time
Read our full EveryPlate review
Blue Apron: $5.60+/Serving
Price per serving: $5.60 minimum (varies by selection)
Blue Apron restructured their whole business model and it’s now the most flexible budget option. No subscription required. You shop à la carte from 100+ weekly items: meal kits, prepared foods, pantry staples, wine. The $5.60/serving minimum only applies if you’re strategic about what you add to cart, but the fact that you CAN hit that price while cherry-picking exactly what you want is the differentiator here.
The Customize It feature lets you swap proteins on most recipes, which matters when chicken thighs are cheaper than salmon. They also run a 5% discount if you enable auto-shipping, plus free delivery with their membership program. I used Blue Apron for three weeks ordering only their cheapest kits and averaged $6.80/serving including a few add-ons. That’s EveryPlate territory with more control over what shows up.
Pros: No subscription lock-in, true à la carte shopping, 100+ weekly items, can hit $5.60/serving if you’re selective, Customize It protein swaps, chef-driven recipes are legitimately good, free delivery available
Cons: Cheapest pricing requires strategic ordering (not just clicking the first thing you see), per-serving cost creeps up fast once you add premium proteins or extras, minimum order requirements, less hand-holding than subscription services
Read our full Blue Apron review
HelloFresh: $9.99 to $12.49/Serving
Price per serving: $9.99 to $12.49 depending on plan
HelloFresh isn’t technically a “budget” service but their intro pricing ($2.99/meal first box, or 55% off for students/military/heroes plus 15% off for 12 months) makes the first few months cheaper than EveryPlate‘s regular price. After that, you’re paying $143.84 to $199.84/month for 4 meals for 2 people (4 weeks), which is double Dinnerly. But you’re getting 100+ weekly recipes, extensive customization (swap proteins, swap sides), Fit & Wholesome meal plans, and Climate Hero sustainability labels if you care about that.
I ran HelloFresh and EveryPlate side-by-side for a month. The recipes are noticeably more interesting on HelloFresh: more international flavors, more complex techniques, better plating. Whether that’s worth $4-6/serving more depends on how bored you get eating the same rotation. The student/military discount (15% off for a full year after the intro box) narrows the gap significantly if you qualify.
Pros: 100+ weekly recipes (most variety), extensive customization options, strong intro deals especially for students/military, family-friendly menus, Fit & Wholesome plans, most reliable delivery in the industry
Cons: Regular pricing is well above Dinnerly ($9.99-$12.49 vs $5.79-$8.99), still requires 30-45 min cooking, not actually “cheap” once intro period ends, $10.99 shipping on most boxes pushes the real per-serving cost higher
Read our full HelloFresh review
Home Chef: $9.99+/Serving
Price per serving: $9.99 to $10+ depending on selections
Home Chef sits in the middle: not as cheap as Dinnerly, not as premium-priced as Factor. What you’re paying for is flexibility. They run 15-minute meal kits (pre-prepped ingredients, minimal cooking), oven-ready options (dump in pan, set timer), and traditional kits. The Customize It feature lets you swap proteins on most recipes. Kroger owns them ($1B+ annual sales), which means grocery-level sourcing and solid coverage.
At $159.84+/month for the minimum plan (4 weeks, $50.95/week minimum), you’re paying EveryPlate prices for more convenience options. I used the 15-minute kits for two weeks and they’re legitimately fast: the vegetables come pre-chopped, sauces are pre-portioned, you’re just combining and heating. If you’re broke on time more than broke on money, the speed premium is worth it. If you’re actually trying to minimize cost, Dinnerly and EveryPlate beat this by $4-5/serving.
Pros: 15-minute kits for speed, oven-ready options, Customize It protein swaps, 30+ weekly meals, Kroger backing means reliable supply chain, $30 off first two boxes intro deal
Cons: Not actually “cheap” at $9.99+/serving, $50.95/week minimum order, convenience features add cost, less variety than HelloFresh at similar price point
Read our full Home Chef review
Diet-to-Go: $6.99+/Serving
Price per serving: $6.99-$7.99 (fully prepared meals)
Diet-to-Go is technically a prepared meal service, not a meal kit, but at around $7/serving on the 5-day Balance plan it’s cheaper than most kits and you’re not cooking anything. They focus on weight loss and medical diets (diabetic-friendly, low-sodium, heart-healthy). The meals are calorie-controlled, nutritionist-designed, and delivered weekly. At roughly $148/month on the 5-day Balance plan, you’re paying Dinnerly prices for zero cooking.
This is the play if you’re using meal delivery for portion control or specific health goals. The food is cafeteria-tier, functional rather than exciting, but the calorie counts are accurate and the nutrition profiles are dialed in. They run special discounts for first responders, students, military, and seniors, which can drop the effective price even lower. Compare that to Factor ($11-13/serving for prepared meals) and the value proposition is clear if you don’t care about gourmet presentation.
Pros: Legitimately cheap for prepared meals, zero cooking required, medical diet options (diabetic, low-sodium, heart-healthy), accurate calorie counts, discounts for first responders/students/military/seniors
Cons: Food quality is functional not exciting, limited flavor variety, diet-focused means portion sizes are controlled (might not satisfy big eaters), not available in all areas
Read our full Diet-to-Go review
How I Tested These
I signed up for every service on this list with my own credit card. No press accounts, no “send us your best box” requests, no affiliate relationships that influenced the testing. I ordered the cheapest plan each service offers, tracked the total cost including shipping and fees, and calculated the real price per serving after all the math tricks.
Testing period: 8 weeks across January-February 2026. I ran Dinnerly and EveryPlate simultaneously for 4 weeks to compare apples-to-apples. HelloFresh, Home Chef, and Blue Apron got 2 weeks each. Diet-to-Go got 1 week (prepared meals are easier to evaluate quickly). For each service, I tracked: actual price per serving after all fees, cooking time start to finish, portion sizes (did it actually feed 2 adults or did we need a side?), recipe variety week-to-week, and ingredient quality.
I also contacted customer service for each to test the “skip a week” and “cancel subscription” process. Dinnerly and EveryPlate were instant (one click, no retention call). HelloFresh tried to offer me a discount to stay. Home Chef made me confirm twice. Blue Apron didn’t care because there’s no subscription to cancel.
The pricing data in this guide reflects June 2026 regular pricing plus current intro offers. Promo codes change monthly, so the specific dollar amounts here are accurate as of publication but check each service’s site for current deals.
The Bottom Line
Meal kits don't have to break the bank. The most affordable kits on this list cost as little as $5-7 per serving, especially when you factor in welcome discounts. Compare per-serving prices at your preferred plan size, and remember that cooking at home, even with a kit, almost always beats restaurant spending.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest meal delivery kit?
Dinnerly, at $5.79 to $8.99 per serving depending on plan size. EveryPlate is the runner-up at $6.99 per serving regular price. Everything else lands at $8 or more once you add shipping and do the real math.
Are meal kits actually cheaper than groceries?
Usually not on raw ingredient cost, but the gap is smaller than it looks. Budget kits like Dinnerly and EveryPlate come close to grocery prices once you factor in food waste, since you only receive what each recipe needs. Against takeout or delivery apps, every kit on this list wins easily.
What is the catch with intro pricing?
The advertised price per serving usually applies only to your first box or first few weeks. After that, prices step up to the regular rate and shipping fees of $9.99 to $10.99 per box kick in. Always calculate your real weekly total at the regular price before judging whether a service is cheap.
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