The long-standing Dinnerly vs Blue Apron, amongst other brands, has not ended yet. So, what does everyone see in meal kit services like Dinnerly and Blue Apron? Are meal delivery services better than takeout food? Why are they on the best meal kit delivery service list for new and experienced cooks?
Dinnerly and Blue Apron serve meal kits with all the ingredients you need to prepare a dish. Plus, they offer so many different types of cuisines that you can eat every day of the week. The meals are nutritionally balanced, health-conscious, and easy to make.
The difference between meal kits and cooking on your own is that meal kits take as little as 25-30 minutes to prepare from start to finish, whereas if you cook on your own, the same recipe might take you more than 60 minutes to do so.
Meal kits arrive with premeasured ingredients and cooking instructions. All you need to get started on a meal kit is to have the basic cooking equipment. You’ll be able to prepare an exquisite dish in around 30 minutes without fussing over prepping or measuring the ingredients.
(Read our complete Dinnerly review here)
(Read our complete Blue Apron review here)
Why Choose Convenient Meal Subscription Services Like Dinnerly and Blue Apron?
Meal subscription services like Dinnerly, Blue Apron, Home Chef, EveryPlate, and HelloFresh are the first names that come to mind when considering meal kits.
They are the ideal services to subscribe to when you want to eat healthier without spending too much time in the kitchen. Not only does it save you time in the kitchen, but it also keeps you from shopping for groceries and meal planning every day of the week.
Let’s go point by point and look at all the benefits of subscribing to a meal kit service.
1. It Takes Care of Meal Planning
You don’t have to research recipes online to find the easiest ones that you can make by yourself. Services like Dinnerly and Blue Apron provide you with an entire menu of a variety of meal recipes. It’s just like online shopping where you buy what you like but for meal kits with healthy and preportioned ingredients.
2. The Meal Portions Are Serving-Based
This means that you won’t have to deal with leftovers. Whatever ingredients are present in a particular meal box are preportioned according to serving size. You can select how many servings you want for a particular meal. Usually, it’s between 2 and 4 servings per meal every week.
3. The Meals Are Beginner-Friendly and Quick
The meal kits are designed to be as beginner-friendly as possible. They are multipurpose in that they can satisfy the needs of experienced cooks and those who are new to the world of cooking.
You can easily select meals with a shorter estimated cooking time if you don’t want to whip up a complicated meal. Dinnerly and Blue Apron offer you dozens of quick and efficient meal kits that take fewer steps to prepare. Also, if you feel like sprucing up your cooking skills now and then, you will have plenty of recipes to choose from.
4. You Can Select Meals According to Your Diet Preferences
Another great thing about subscribing to meal services like Dinnerly and Blue Apron is that you can find meals that cater to different diet plans. You can keep track of everything you eat from breakfasts to desserts and snacks.
Each meal kit comes with nutrition information and an ingredients list. You can see how many calories a recipe has per serving and its carb, fat, protein, fiber, sodium, and sugar values. You can read the ingredients list to eliminate the ones that you don’t like.
Diet preferences like keto, paleo, low-carb, low-calorie, plant-based, vegan, Mediterranean, diabetic-friendly, and weight loss-friendly are also accessible to you. You can search for recipes with special diet labels and avoid meals that you think do not fit your health goals.
Factors to Consider in Choosing Meal Subscription Services
In today’s extremely busy world, meal subscription services have gained immense popularity. These services offer a convenient and time-saving solution for individuals and families who want to enjoy delicious, home-cooked meals without the hassle of planning, shopping, and cooking. With the plethora of options available, choosing the right meal subscription service can be overwhelming. To help you make an informed decision, let’s explore the key factors you should consider when selecting a meal subscription service.
1. Dietary Preferences and Restrictions:
One of the most crucial factors to consider is whether the meal subscription service caters to your dietary preferences and restrictions. Whether you follow a specific diet like vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have allergies to certain ingredients, it’s essential to choose a service that offers customizable meal plans to meet your unique needs. Look for a provider that provides a diverse range of options and clearly labels their meals for dietary requirements.
2. Variety and Menu Options:
Mealtime should be an enjoyable experience, and having a variety of menu options is vital to prevent monotony. Look for a meal subscription service that offers a wide range of dishes and regularly updates their menu. This ensures that you have access to diverse flavors and cuisines, allowing you to explore new tastes and keep your meals exciting. Some services even allow you to personalize your menu by selecting specific meals from a weekly selection.
3. Ingredient Quality and Sourcing:
When it comes to meal subscription services, the quality of ingredients used directly impacts the taste and nutritional value of your meals. Research the sourcing practices of the service you’re considering. Look for providers that prioritize fresh, locally sourced, and organic ingredients, as these often result in healthier and more flavorful meals. Transparent information about their ingredient suppliers can also help you make an informed decision.
4. Meal Preparation and Cooking Time:
One of the main reasons people turn to meal subscription services is to save time in the kitchen. However, it’s important to consider the level of meal preparation and cooking time required. Some services offer fully prepared meals that only need to be reheated, while others provide pre-portioned ingredients and detailed recipes for you to cook from scratch. Assess your cooking skills, available time, and desired level of involvement to find a service that aligns with your preferences.
5. Flexibility and Subscription Options:
Flexibility in terms of subscription plans is another crucial aspect to consider. Look for a meal subscription service that allows you to customize your delivery frequency, skip weeks when needed, and easily modify your subscription to accommodate changes in your schedule. The ability to pause or cancel your subscription without hassle is also important, as it ensures you have control over your commitment and can adapt your meal plan according to your needs.
6. Pricing and Value for Money:
Compare the pricing structures of different meal subscription services to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money. Take into account the number of meals provided per week, portion sizes, and any additional fees such as delivery charges. Some services offer introductory discounts or promotions, so keep an eye out for special offers. Remember, while affordability is important, prioritizing quality ingredients and convenient service is equally crucial for a satisfying experience.
Benefits of High-Quality Meal Subscription Services
Curious about the health benefits of high-quality meal subscription services? Look no further! Meal subscription services have revolutionized the way we approach our diets, making it easier than ever to enjoy nutritious, home-cooked meals without the stress and time commitment of meal planning and grocery shopping. But did you know that these services offer more than just convenience? In this article, we will explore the proven health benefits of opting for a high-quality meal subscription service. Get ready to discover how these services can positively impact your well-being!
1. Balanced and Nutritious Meals:
High-quality meal subscription services prioritize the use of fresh, wholesome ingredients to create balanced and nutritious meals. These services often employ professional chefs and nutritionists who carefully curate menus that include a variety of nutrient-rich foods. By choosing a meal subscription service, you can ensure that your meals are well-balanced and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients, supporting your overall health and well-being.
2. Portion Control and Calorie Management:
Maintaining portion control and managing calorie intake can be challenging, especially in today’s food-centric culture. A key advantage of meal subscription services is that they typically provide pre-portioned meals, eliminating the guesswork and temptation to overeat. This feature is particularly beneficial for individuals looking to manage their weight or adhere to specific dietary goals. With portion-controlled meals, you can enjoy satisfying and nutritionally balanced dishes without worrying about excessive calorie consumption.
3. Time-Saving and Stress Reduction:
The demands of modern life often leave us with little time and energy to prepare healthy meals from scratch. High-quality meal subscription services alleviate this burden by handling the meal planning, grocery shopping, and recipe preparation for you. By entrusting these tasks to professionals, you can reclaim precious time and reduce the stress associated with meal preparation. This newfound time can be dedicated to self-care, exercise, or spending quality moments with loved ones, all of which contribute to improved overall well-being.
4. Variety and Exploration of New Foods:
One of the most exciting aspects of high-quality meal subscription services is the opportunity to explore a wide variety of foods and flavors. These services often offer diverse menus that encompass different cuisines and ingredients. By introducing new and unfamiliar foods into your diet, you can broaden your palate and expand your nutritional intake. This culinary adventure not only keeps your meals interesting and enjoyable but also exposes you to a plethora of health-boosting nutrients.
5. Enhanced Food Safety and Quality:
Food safety and quality are paramount when it comes to maintaining good health. Reputable meal subscription services adhere to strict food safety standards, ensuring that the ingredients used in their meals are sourced from reliable suppliers. Additionally, the meals are often prepared and packaged in controlled environments to minimize the risk of contamination. By choosing a high-quality meal subscription service, you can have peace of mind knowing that your meals are safe, hygienic, and meet stringent quality standards.
6. Support for Special Dietary Needs:
For individuals with specific dietary needs or restrictions, finding suitable meal options can be challenging. High-quality meal subscription services understand this concern and often offer specialized meal plans to cater to various dietary requirements, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or low-carb. These services provide a convenient solution for individuals who may struggle to find appropriate and delicious meals elsewhere. By subscribing to a service that supports your dietary needs, you can maintain a healthy and enjoyable eating routine.
Why Choose Dinnerly?
Are you searching for a meal subscription service that offers simplicity, affordability, and delicious meals? Look no further than Dinnerly! With its unique approach to meal delivery, Dinnerly has quickly become a popular choice for individuals and families looking for a hassle-free and budget-friendly solution.
Dinnerly prides itself on offering simplicity and convenience without compromising on flavor or quality. With Dinnerly, you’ll receive a weekly delivery of pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes straight to your doorstep. The recipes are designed to be straightforward, making them accessible even to those with minimal cooking experience. Whether you’re a busy professional, a parent juggling multiple responsibilities, or simply someone who prefers spending less time in the kitchen, Dinnerly’s streamlined approach makes it incredibly convenient to whip up delicious meals in no time.
One of the standout features of Dinnerly is its commitment to affordability. Dinnerly understands that enjoying high-quality meals shouldn’t break the bank. With this in mind, they offer some of the most competitive prices in the meal subscription market. By simplifying their packaging and utilizing digital recipe cards, Dinnerly is able to pass on significant cost savings to their customers. This means you can enjoy the convenience of a meal subscription service without straining your budget. With Dinnerly, eating well and saving money go hand in hand.
Dinnerly understands that everyone has unique tastes and preferences when it comes to food. That’s why they provide a level of flexibility and customization that caters to your specific needs. With a diverse menu that changes weekly, you have the opportunity to choose from a wide array of flavorful dishes inspired by various cuisines. Additionally, Dinnerly offers options for dietary preferences, such as vegetarian and kid-friendly meals, allowing you to tailor your meal plan accordingly. This flexibility ensures that you and your family can enjoy meals that suit your individual preferences and dietary requirements.
Why Choose Blue Apron?
If you’re looking for a meal subscription service that combines culinary expertise, high-quality ingredients, and a focus on sustainability, look no further than Blue Apron. With its commitment to providing exceptional meals and supporting responsible farming practices, Blue Apron has established itself as a leading name in the industry.
Blue Apron takes pride in its chef-inspired recipes that are designed to help you discover new flavors and expand your culinary repertoire. Each week, you can expect a thoughtfully curated menu featuring a diverse range of dishes inspired by global cuisines. With step-by-step instructions and pre-portioned ingredients, Blue Apron makes it easy for home cooks of all skill levels to create impressive, restaurant-quality meals. Whether you’re an adventurous foodie or simply looking to broaden your palate, Blue Apron’s recipes offer a delightful opportunity for culinary exploration.
When it comes to creating exceptional meals, the quality of ingredients is paramount. Blue Apron understands this, which is why they prioritize sourcing high-quality, fresh ingredients. From sustainably caught seafood to responsibly raised meats and organic produce, Blue Apron is committed to supporting responsible farming practices and minimizing environmental impact. By choosing Blue Apron, you not only enjoy delicious meals but also contribute to a more sustainable food system.
Blue Apron recognizes that everyone has unique preferences and dietary needs. That’s why they offer flexibility and customization options to accommodate a variety of lifestyles. With Blue Apron, you can choose from different meal plans, such as vegetarian or wellness-focused options, to align with your dietary goals. Additionally, Blue Apron allows you to customize your weekly menu by swapping out recipes to ensure you’re getting meals that suit your taste preferences. This level of flexibility ensures that you have control over your culinary journey and can enjoy meals tailored to your specific needs.
How Dinnerly and Blue Apron Works
Dinnerly and Blue Apron are meal kit delivery services with a weekly rotating menu and an interesting blend of vegetarian and non-vegetarian meal kit recipes. When you compare, Dinnerly charges much less per serving than Blue Apron, even on the minimum order value.
Dinnerly’s meal plan costs as low as $4.99 per serving for a meal plan of 4 people, and the highest price per serving is $6.39 for 2 people. The average cost per serving falls between $4.99 and $6.39.
Blue Apron’s meal plan starts from $7.99 per serving for 4 people and goes up to $11.99 per serving for 2 people. The average cost per serving falls between $7.99 and $11.99.
Both Dinnerly and Blue Apron charge a flat shipping fee of $9.99 on all orders.
Affordability-wise, Dinnerly offers more flexibility than Blue Apron. You might consider subscribing to Dinnerly if you want to save more money in the long run. Both Dinnerly and Blue Apron serve high-quality ingredients with no added preservatives, additives, and GMOs.
With both services, you can choose a 2-person or 4-person meal plan. But Dinnerly offers a wider meal-per-person plan with 3, 4, 5, and 6 meals per week, while Blue Apron serves 2, 3, and 4 meals per week.
Customization-wise, Blue Apron offers better flexibility in the type of meal you want to order. You can choose meals that are created by nutritionists for weight management, family-friendly meals, vegetarian meals, and fast and easy meal kits.
Dinnerly, on the other hand, gives you the option to make your meal box vegetarian. There are no dietary preferences and subcategories for selecting meals. It’s as straightforward as selecting meals and placing an order.
But Dinnerly does provide you with dietary labels on every recipe. You can quickly tell which meal kit is vegetarian, healthy, gluten-free, nutritious, dairy-free, kid-friendly, low-carb, quick and easy, and meat. You cannot filter the menu with these dietary labels.
The Dinnerly Menu
Dinnerly’s menu features over 55 different meal kits and some heat-and-serve prepared meals. The meal kits include main course meals, breakfast, snacks, and light lunches. You can also view the menu from last week and the upcoming menus for the next 2 weeks.
The menu features recipe cards with a picture of the cooked meal along with specific dietary labels and Veggie or Meat protein options.
Dinnerly is one of the top meal services that offer a larger variety of vegetarian options including low-carb and healthy pasta dishes, flatbreads, soups, pan-seared dishes, pies, burgers, and tacos. The meals with meat are a blend of home-inspired and modern recipes that everyone would love to try.
The meal kits have different titles such as low-carb, low-cal, speedy, and no chop to highlight the meal’s nutrition and ease of prep making it easier for newcomers to add exciting meals to their weekly cart without wasting too much time on research.
Dinnerly also offers special meals for festivals and holidays like Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day, alongside à la carte proteins, snacks, desserts, and other sides.
The Blue Apron Menu
On Blue Apron’s menu, you can go back and forth between several diet-based categories such as Signature, Vegetarian, Wellness, Signature for Four, and Add-Ons. This allows you to customize your weekly meal box according to your diet and serving size.
Variety-wise, Blue Apron features 20 meals in total which includes meal kits and prepared meals. This includes vegetarian meals and non-vegetarian meals which are divided into a large number of 2-person meal kits and a few 4-person meal kits for larger families.
The number of meals is enough for you to never get bored or find the meals too repetitive. Classic dishes, pan-seared, noodles, tacos, pasta, pizza, and rice bowls are included. Each recipe caters to a specific diet category which you can immediately see on the recipe card.
The Signature meal plan offers a blend of healthy and delicious meals with meat, fish, plant-based protein, and WW-recommended meals.
The Vegetarian meal plan serves only vegetarian meals with no animal by-products. These are all meat-inspired but meat-free recipes for pure vegetarians.
The Wellness meal plan includes low-carb and low-calorie meal kits that are designed by nutritionists to be diabetic- and weight-loss-friendly. If you’re on a carb-conscious diet, these are the meals you should add to your weekly cart.
Add-Ons include à la carte proteins, salads, sweet items, and other appetizers. They don’t cost as much as meal kits and prepared meals, and there’s no limit to how many you can add to your weekly cart.
Lastly, Blue Apron also features prepared meals that take less than 5 minutes to heat and serve. Blue Apron offers the current’s weeks menu as well as several menus for the upcoming weeks.
How to Prepare Dinnerly and Blue Apron Meals
Unlike many meal delivery services, Dinnerly does not include a paper recipe card in its weekly meal kits. But you can download their mobile app or log in via the web to view the cooking instructions and helpful tips for all your meal recipes.
Having a whole bundle of ingredients on the table with no physical recipe card to guide you may pose a slight inconvenience, but as long as you have a computer or mobile right there with you, unpacking and organizing the meal kits won’t be a problem at all.
About the recipe instructions itself, it’s clear and straightforward to understand. Dinnerly provides you with pictures wherever necessary of the ingredients and the cooking process.
On their recipe page, everything you need including the necessary cooking equipment are also mentioned. Basic pantry ingredients like cooking oil, salt, pepper, and butter are the household items you will need to have with you. The cookware necessary for preparing the meals is not very fancy – just beginner-friendly equipment like a pot, saucepan, baking sheets, etc.
I found very few photographs of the actual cooking steps, so you will have to rely on the step-by-step written instructions. But that’s not going to be a problem because the cooking steps of all Dinnerly meals are very easy and user-friendly.
The actual cooking time of Dinnerly’s meals matches the estimated cooking time that’s mentioned on the recipe page. The majority of the meals are quick and easy to make, taking 30 minutes or less per serving.
The cooking process of Blue Apron’s meals is slightly varied and intermediate, starting with the fact that they are most likely going to challenge you but in a good way. The result is a delicious meal that you prepared just by yourself.
The meal kits come with a recipe card that displays all the information you need to get started – the step-by-step instructions, estimated cooking time, and ingredient information.
You can also sign in to your account via the web or phone to learn interesting techniques for cooking various recipes.
I recommend Blue Apron’s meal kits to someone who wants to learn a bit more about cooking. I would also recommend it to someone with a bit more experience in the kitchen since they will take slightly longer to cook for entry-level home cooks.
The goal here is to improve your cooking skills without the use of fancy equipment or ingredients. And that’s exactly what Blue Apron is. It does not require fancy or complicated cookware. The ingredients and equipment are typically found in most households.
The estimated cooking time takes anywhere between 25 and 45 minutes depending on the type of meal kit you choose. Once you get the hang of preparing Blue Apron’s meals, there’s no turning back.
Are Dinnerly and Blue Apron Diet-Friendly?
Dinnerly is both a vegetarian and vegan meal kit delivery service. Blue Apron serves only vegetarian meals, not vegan. So, dietary consideration is a necessary factor if you want meals that are both vegetarian and vegan. Thus, Dinnerly is your go-to choice.
Neither Dinnerly nor Blue Apron support diets like paleo, keto, and Whole30. But Blue Apron does serve some Mediterranean diet-friendly meals, while Dinnerly doesn’t.
Moving forward, I also found that Dinnerly serves gluten-free meals, while some of Blue Apron’s meals are dairy-free and diabetic-friendly. Both meal delivery services serve weight loss-friendly meals with balanced calories and sufficient stamina.
Based on these dietary considerations, you can add or subtract meals from either Dinnerly or Blue Apron meal subscription services. If you plan to follow a strict keto, paleo, or Whole30 diet plan, none of these services are for you.
Dinnerly offers multiple dietary labels for you to guide you through the meal selection process. You can select meals that are lower in calories, gluten-free, healthy, dairy-free, and vegetarian without checking the nutrition label.
Dinnerly sources ingredients that are high quality and sustainable. The meats do not contain any antibiotics. The beef is grass-fed from Australia.
In condiments, seasonings, and sauces, no MSG or artificial sugar is added. The fresh produce is sourced from local farms, and some of the ingredients are organic but not all due to location availability.
While Dinnerly displays the entire week’s menu, Blue Apron has something more unique and diet-tailored in their mind.
Their diet considerations are very health-focused with Signature meals that are a blend of veg and non veg meals. All the meals are health-conscious with sufficient calories, healthy fats, and energy-boosting carbs along with other vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients.
The Vegetarian meal plan caters to a plant-based diet plan with plant-based proteins, a mix of healthy fats, and lower carbs in every meal kit. Healthy offerings of all varieties of fresh produce are included like spinach paired with raisins in a Couscous-Stuffed Poblano Peppers recipe.
The Wellness category features super nutritious meals that are low in carbs and WW-recommended for a holistic and science-based lifestyle. The nutrition palate of this meal plan is more health-conscious than all the other meal plans on Blue Apron’s menu.
Blue Apron also supports non-GMO ingredients and grass-fed meat that is humanely raised with no artificial proteins, sugars, salt, MSG, and additives.
The meat is also antibiotic-, hormone-, and filler-free. None of the condiments, spices, and sauces have artificial ingredients or salt.
Not all of Blue Apron’s meals are organic, but they do have some organic ingredients based on availability. The fresh produce is shipped from sustainable local farms.
It is specified on Dinnerly and Blue Apron’s FAQs that their meal kits are prepped and packed in a kitchen facility that handles all the major food allergens like gluten, nuts, soy, dairy, etc.
Even if the meal you choose doesn’t have the ingredient you want to avoid, there is still a slight chance of cross-contamination that people with severe allergies should be aware of.
How are Dinnerly and Blue Apron Meals Packed?
Dinnerly and Blue Apron are meal kits that require lots of plastic packaging to individually store the ingredients. All the ingredients are packed separately and grouped by recipes. It all comes inside a large cardboard box with the necessary labels.
To keep the ingredients fresh during transit, they are packed alongside thermal insulation and ice packs. Fresh produce like whole fruits and vegetables are not wrapped in any kind of plastic wrapping. They are kept as is with the rest of the ingredients.
Meat proteins are kept on one side of the cardboard box with the help of a piece of cardboard separating the meat from the fresh produce and another plastic packaging.
Recycling-wise, the majority of plastic wrappers, cardboard liners, and other plastics are eligible for curbside pickup. There may be some plastics that you will have to physically drop off at a recycling facility, something that’s local and closer to your home.
Dinnerly ships to the majority area of the United States, a total of 48 states. They also make use of other delivery services to ship to New Jersey, Texas, and California.
Speaking of delivery location, Dinnerly also delivers to commercial or business addresses. You can change the Address Type to Commercial while placing an order and the correct delivery slots will be available to you for delivery.
The delivery day and time vary according to your zip location. Once you sign up and finalize your order, you will be required to enter your zip code to view the delivery slots. Shipping, unfortunately, is not free. The charges are $11.99 per order.
Blue Apron uses standard packaging to pack all their meal kits inside a single large cardboard box. The box is equipped with liners for insulation and frozen gel packs for keeping the meal kits fresh.
Because it’s a meal kit, it requires a lot of plastic packaging to store the individual ingredients. Each meal recipe contains all the ingredients you need to make that recipe. This way, you won’t be confused about what to use, and unpacking gets very comfortable and quick.
Dry ingredients are also packed in plastic to prevent any damage. Thankfully, all the plastic that Blue Apron uses is recyclable. You can discard each plastic wrapping or packet according to the recycling instructions that Blue Apron provides you with.
In comparison to Dinnerly, Blue Apron uses more plastic to store each meal kit. This is a serious disappointment for someone who cares about the environment and wants to limit the use of plastic wherever possible.
So, the excess use of plastic may shock you, especially considering that some of the plastic you have to throw away in the trash as it is not recyclable.
Blue Apron delivers to all the contiguous parts of the United States. To check whether they deliver to your area or not, you have to sign up and choose a meal plan.
To choose the delivery date, Blue Apron provides you with several options depending on your zip location. You can also go back and change the delivery day as long as it’s before the cutoff time.
Blue Apron’s shipping fee is relatively cheaper than Dinnerly. It comes to about $9.99 for every order. Blue Apron charges $3 less on every order, which makes it more budget-friendly in the long run.
Recipes
Do both Dinnerly and Blue Apron offer accurate recipe information, allergy details, and nutrition value? Yes, they do.
Dinnerly lets you take more than a peek inside every recipe’s serving time, nutrition per serving, allergen information, and ingredient information. The recipe page includes all this plus information about what you will need to prepare, what utensils you will require, and a list of the fresh ingredients that Dinnerly sends in its meal kit.
All the ingredients are preportioned according to the serving size you select. The recipe card also provides you with easy cooking steps and images wherever necessary.
The same information is provided by Blue Apron when you click on the recipe you like. The recipe page features the serving size, dietary information, nutrition information, and cooking instructions with large pictures to help you cook better.
The ingredients are preportioned so you won’t require anything else besides what Blue Apron sends you to cook the recipe. You can add more proteins to a meal by selecting extra servings of meat or veggies from their Add-Ons menu. These are easy meal prep bundles that you can tag along with your meal kits to spruce up your daily meals.
Dinnerly does not offer any add-ons or extras on its menu. They do, however, serve some sweet dishes like cookies, doughnuts, cupcakes, cheesecake, and other similar recipes on the main menu. These items work well as snacks and are very healthy and family-friendly to include in your daily diet.
Blue Apron, on the other hand, features 2 new menus for Wine and Market that includes different purchases such as pantry items, kitchen tools, and meal bundles. You can buy different kinds of wine, spices, pots, pans, and other essential kitchen equipment from under Blue Apron’s domain.
The wine pairings go very well with the food menu. The cost of including wine is around $66 per month, which includes shipping. Blue Apron does recommend select wines to be paired with the meal kit recipes you’ve chosen.
The pantry items cost $9.99 for 1.3 oz of different spice blends like Cajun, Smoky, Barbecue, Tuscan, Mexican, Za’atar, etc. that you can use to marinate chicken and stir-fry vegetables with.
Kitchen tools are so many that you won’t know where to begin- nonstick grill pans, frying pans with a lid, aprons, cookbooks, spatulas, cooking spoons, different types of cutting knives, cutting boards, garlic peelers, measuring spoons, etc. Bundles are also available if you want to buy a collection of special kitchen utensils and cooking sets.
The cost varies depending on the equipment you select. Premium products like a saucepan, pasta bundle set, stockpot, and skillet cost more than $200, while relatively cheaper items like measuring spoons, measuring cups, vegetable peelers, colander, a baking dish, and grater cost between $10 and $20.
Vegetarian Recipes
| Dinnerly | Blue Apron | |
| Creamy Skillet Alfredo Pizza | Oven-Baked Korean Eggs & Rice | |
| Calories | 1000 kcal | 650 kcal |
| Protein | 11 g | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 121 g | 66 g |
| Fats | 48 g | 35 g |
Chicken Recipes
| Dinnerly | Blue Apron | |
| Italian Chicken & Rice Stuffed Peppers | Garlic-Caper Chicken | |
| Calories | 650 kcal | 600 kcal |
| Protein | 40 g | 51 g |
| Carbohydrates | 74 g | 49 g |
| Fats | 23 g | 21 g |
Beef Recipes
| Dinnerly | Blue Apron | |
| Oven-Fried Beef Taquitos | Flank Steak Tacos | |
| Calories | 760 kcal | 780 kcal |
| Protein | 39 g | 46 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g | 56 g |
| Fats | 37 g | 41 g |
Seafood Recipes
| Dinnerly | Blue Apron | |
| Low-Cal Shrimp Boil Packets with Corn & Potatoes | Chimichurri Salmon with Barley, Pepper & Tomatoes | |
| Calories | 470 kcal | 720 kcal |
| Protein | 25 g | 29 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g | 54 g |
| Fats | 20 g | 43 g |
Dessert Recipes
| Dinnerly | Blue Apron | |
| Baked Gingerbread Doughnuts | Spiced Date Cakes with Miso Caramel Sauce | |
| Calories | 220 kcal | 360 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g | 48 g |
| Fats | 8 g | 17 g |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dinnerly and Blue Apron
1. How Responsive and Useful Is the Customer Service?
Dinnerly’s customer service comes with email, chat, phone number, and an FAQ section. You can also fill out their online submission form to ask questions. And the chat is a chatbot to answer commonly asked questions quickly and easily.
The FAQs section provides you with quick and useful answers for everything you need to know about the meal selection process, account, modifications, delivery, packaging, allergen information, and so on.
The response time for all Dinnerly is between 24 and 72 hours. Direct email responses are quicker, while submission forms take a bit longer. If you plan on calling customer service via the phone number, you will be able to talk to a customer care executive immediately.
Blue Apron’s Support page offers different query sections starting with information about Blue Apron, recipe selection, meal deliveries, account information and billing, ingredient standard, and other relevant information about how it works, meal plans, and recipes.
They also offer a phone number and a submission form if you have any specific queries. You can ask your questions and get a response asap via email and the submission form. If you want a more personalized experience, you can call them during working hours and speak to a customer care agent immediately.
2. Can You Make Changes to An Order After Paying?
Modifying an order after paying, which includes changing meal plans, dietary restrictions, pausing the delivery, and making changes to the delivery day are all possible with Dinnerly. Everything you need to move forward can be found under the “Settings” tab.
To pause for a specific date or cancel your order completely, you don’t have to contact customer service. Dinnerly offers all the features under the “Settings” tab so you can do anything to modify your order easily without any delay.
After you make the changes, Dinnerly will also send you a confirmation email regarding your changes.
Once an order is under process and out for delivery, you cannot make any more changes to that particular one. You can contact customer service in case of emergencies or for feedback.
The average cutoff date is 5-7 business days before the order is out for delivery or on the scheduled delivery date. You can pause, cancel, and modify the order as much as you want before then.
Altering your meal preferences for future orders can also be done easily. You may have to wait for a pending order to get delivered, and the changes will apply to all future orders.
Blue Apron’s mobile app and web interface feature several options for changing, skipping, or canceling upcoming orders. The cutoff is 6 days before the scheduled delivery date.
Just like it is with Dinnerly, you don’t have to contact the customer service of Blue Apron to modify the number of meals, skip, pause, or cancel a particular order. You can easily swap meals. Blue Apron makes it very easy and user-friendly.
Every modification comes with a confirmation email to notify you of all the changes you’ve made to a particular order. You will also be notified when the order is out for delivery. Blue Apron allows you to skip weeks easily without paying any extra charges.
3. Can You Choose A Specific Delivery Day?
Dinnerly lets you choose a specific delivery day while placing an order. Delivery day and time are set based on your location, so it’s not going to be the same for two people living in different localities.
The “Settings” tabs will have all the information you need to select a delivery day. Selecting delivery time, however, is not possible. But Dinnerly mostly delivers all their meals within working hours.
You can select a preferred time slot for the delivery of your orders, and Dinnerly tries its best to deliver within that time frame. You will be notified about any last-minute changes or updates regarding your active orders.
Unfortunately, Blue Apron adjusts the delivery time and day according to the location. You cannot choose your ideal delivery day or time. But you can enter your zip code to be able to see the time and day slots available to you on the “Upcoming” page setting. You will also be notified via email of any changes in delivery.
Dinnerly Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Affordable meals with an interesting variety of recipes.
- Sustainable meal delivery service with digital recipe cards.
- Minimal packaging is used with recyclable plastics.
- Vegetarian and vegan meals are included.
- Choosing meals is pretty straightforward and quick.
- It’s a great choice for a beginner to try out.
- Gluten-free and low-calorie meals are included.
- You can choose the delivery date based on your location.
Cons:
- It does not accommodate special diets like keto and paleo.
- Very limited meal customization.
- Some of the meals may feel bland or too simplistic.
- The meals are not allergen-free.
Blue Apron Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Better variety of meals with several diet categories.
- You can select from a different vegetarian menu.
- Low-calorie and carb-conscious diet plans are included.
- The ingredients are non-GMO, additive-free, and preservative-free.
- Offers some diabetic and weight loss-friendly meals.
Cons:
- High use of plastic in packaging.
- The portion size of some meals is less.
- Fewer meal recipes to select from.
- Not the ideal choice for restrictive diets.
- It is not an allergy-friendly meal service.
Dinnerly vs Blue Apron – Final Verdict
Dinnerly and Blue Apron are affordable meal kit delivery services. Both offer an incredible variety of meals, but Dinnerly has more meal options for you to select from than Blue Apron. Blue Apron caters to different menu options for weight watchers and picky eaters.
You can expect a lot of comfort food from Blue Apron as every recipe they offer is customized to suit the needs of large families and children. Dinnerly, on the other hand, features a mix of crafty and home-inspired meals for singles and families.
Meals with fewer than 600 calories, and diabetes-friendly, carb-conscious, Mediterranean, and plant-forward meals are Blue Apron’s special qualities. Dinnerly boasts of a wider selection of meals with many preferences such as low-calorie, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, kid-friendly, healthy, nutritious, and one-pot meals.
Both meal kit services offer convenient features and a smooth meal selection process. The choice to select between these two top-ranked meal services is yours, which has become a lot easier for you with the help of this comparison review.
