If your goal is to improve your daily eating habits, services like HelloFresh and Hungryroot can help you. HelloFresh is a direct meal kit service that helps you save money on groceries by delivering healthy meal kits right to your doorstep. It has plenty of traditional and family-friendly meal plans if you want a personalized and popular meal service.
Hungryroot lets you select specific ingredients and recipes that are backed by nutrition. It is more diet-specific for vegans, vegetarians, keto, paleo, and other specialty diet followers. Likewise, the brand is finely tuned for health-conscious and fussy eaters who don’t mind paying a few dollars more for nutrition and wholesomeness.
I gave both these incredible services a chance to compete against each other. According to most, their features are convenient, effective, and worth every penny. Today, we’re going to discuss each brand’s unique offers!
All You Need to Know About Meal Delivery Services
What Is A Meal Kit Delivery Service?
A meal kit delivery service can be best defined as the most effective way of saving you money and time!
Weekly meal kits are very convenient and affordable for those who don’t have time for time-consuming, arduous meal prepping and cooking as well as meal planning and grocery shopping. These guys take care of nearly everything, so all you need to do is just cook!
You select which meal kits and/or prepared meals you want to add to your weekly order,and then, the meal delivery service sends a weekly meal box to your address on the day of your choosing.
Therefore, the cumbersome task of meal planning, shopping for groceries, or prepping the ingredients is eliminated.
At the same time, these meal delivery companies let you customize the meals. Thus, you can opt for a meal plan or recipes that fit your dietary and lifestyle needs, preferences, etc.
Why Choose the Best Meal Kit Delivery Service?
The advantages of picking the best meal delivery service scream comfort, convenience, affordability, and also high nutrition. Meal kits add both value and well-balanced nutrition to your weekly diet. You can customize the meals you select, which allows you to choose ingredients and recipes that support your diet-specific food preferences.
Compared to restaurants and takeout food, a meal delivery service is a lot more budget-friendly. So that’s another huge benefit!
As regards nutritional value, food companies such as HelloFresh and Hungryroot give a lot of importance to the quality, standard, and freshness to the ingredients they use.
Their meals are well-rounded as far as their nutrition profile goes. Likewise, they have all kinds of meal offerings – low-calorie, high-protein, low-carb, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, and so much more!
Is Meal Delivery Service a Healthy and Safe Choice?
Surely, we sometimes spend a lot of money on food we know is not good for our health. Junk food, fast food, takeout food, and the like are certainly much less healthy alternatives to meals designed by top meal delivery services like HelloFresh and Hungryroot.
Honestly, it’s all based on what you want and expect from meal kits. Is it a more well-balanced nutritional value, a lower calorie count, more protein, fewer carbs, keto- or paleo-friendly meals, etc.? Hence, when you choose a service based on your dietary requirements, that meal delivery will then be a healthy and safe option.
At the time of choosing:
- Make sure you check the ingredients list.
- Make sure the meal kits suit your diet restrictions and preferences.
- Make sure the veggies and even meats are fresh and authentic.
- Make sure the serving sizes and prepping/cooking instructions are properly stated.
Proper, thorough research is essential indeed!
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Meal Selection
HelloFresh
HelloFresh functions as a meal kit delivery service. With pre-portioned ingredients organized by recipe, you don’t have to measure or figure out the ingredients yourself once the meal kit arrives.
Services like HelloFresh take away grocery shopping, meal planning, and meal prepping out of your hands. For starters, you can order as many meals as you like, and once the meals arrive, most of the ingredients are already prepped and ready to cook. Just follow the instructions provided by HelloFresh, and you’re all set.
HelloFresh caters to different lifestyles and dietary preferences, like a vegetarian diet, a family-friendly menu, fit and wholesome, quick and easy meals, and pescatarians. Their recipes are designed to maximize health, so they have fewer calories and are very flavorful without being a hassle to prepare in any kitchen.
You can select meals from different diet plans since you have the entire menu at your disposal as soon as you sign up. All the meals are backed by nutrition facts, ingredient lists, and other important details. Preparation and cooking instructions are mentioned on the recipe page, which you can access easily before and after signing up.
Having said that, the HelloFresh meal kits include clear and handy recipe cards with all the preparation instructions, ingredients, and nutrition facts, along with a recipe image, which makes it easier to locate the recipes while unpacking.
Hungryroot
Hungry works as both a meal kit delivery service and a grocery delivery service. Hungryroot suggests different recipes based on the grocery items you add to your cart from their menu. The recipes may not cover all of the grocery items you order from Hungryroot, but you will receive a bunch of appropriate recipes to complement the groceries in your weekly cart.
Another important point of difference between HelloFresh andHungryroot is that the latter does not prep or pre-portion the groceries. So, Hungryroot is just like grocery shopping where you receive all the ingredients in packets without prepping unless the item is sold pre-prepped.
I would recommend Hungryroot to someone who craves a bit more control over what goes in every meal. If you are meticulous about your meals and prefer to curate a grocery or meal planning list on your own every week, Hungryroot is the best service to match your diet style.
You must answer a few questions regarding your food preferences and likes and dislikes. Hungryroot suggests a good, appropriate list of groceries and recipes that you might prefer over others. The personalized list is very accurate and accessible, but the entire menu is at your disposal should you need to try out something experimental and new.
Once you select the groceries you want, you must add your delivery address and payment details. The meal box will include all the groceries you’ve ordered alongside suggested recipes for those items.
Despite including both meal kits and grocery items, Hungryroot offers dietary customizations. So,if you have preferences like vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, pescatarian, vegan, or any other special diet, you can edit your meals accordingly.
You can also easily filter groceries by ingredients and specialty diets, you won’t find this very easily in a supermarket, which gives Hungryroot an advantage over traditional grocery shopping.
The abundant selection of meals you can mix and match based on the groceries you select is impressive. I found over 3,000 meals to pick from across various meal categories. Hungryroot makes the entire grocery and meal menu easy and quick to access.With so many options, you won’t get tired of trying new recipes within your dietary preferences.
In addition, all the groceries come with nutrition facts and additional information such as ingredients, dietary labels, tips on improving flavor, and suggested recipes.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Menu
HelloFresh
HelloFresh has an extensive menu for each new week, starting from the current week and going up to 5 weeks in progression. More than a month’s worth of meals is at your disposal. Each week features around 30 or more recipes from different dietary preferences, such as the following:
- Meat & Veggies
- Veggie
- Family Friendly
- Fit & Wholesome
- Quick and Easy
- Pescatarian
Before you dive into the menu, you can select your ideal dietary preferences from the abovementioned list, but even then, the entire menu will be accessible to you. You can mix and match between several categories without any limitations.
The categories are self-explanatory, starting with the Meat & Veggies and Veggie diet plans. The latter includes recipes specific to a vegetarian diet, not vegan. Unfortunately, HelloFresh does not include a vegan diet plan.
The Family Friendly meal plan includes meals that people from all age groups will love,especially children because they can be quite fussy when it comes to trying new recipes. Besides, the Family Friendly meals are all nutritious and easy to prepare.
Fit & Wholesome meals boast of a low-caloric value with meal kits that have fewer than 650 calories per serving. In Pescatarian meals, the primary protein source is seafood, not meat. It’s a great dietary preference for someone looking for a light and healthy dinner.
Lastly, the Quick and Easy meal plan caters to recipes with the easiest preparation time, anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, not more. The meals have fewer steps, too, so the meal prep and cooking take less effort and aren’t very complicated.
Included in HelloFresh menu are different cuisines, such as the following:
- Lebanese
- Italian
- Mexican
- Mediterranean
- Indian
- Turkish
- Korean
- Vietnamese
- Greek
- One-Pot meals
- Burgers
- Salads
- Sandwiches
The menu changes weekly, so you don’t have to worry about repeating the same dish twice a row.
To make things easier, HelloFresh offers dietary and popularity labels that let you know which meal is good for what.
For example, their One-Pot Chicken Sausage & Bean Soup with Kale and Carrot has a “Hall of Fame” tag alongside very specific dietary labels such as Easy Cleanup, Easy Prep, and Quick. The total cooking time of this recipe is 20 minutes, with 690 calories per serving and an Easy cooking level.
All the meals of HelloFresh are categorized in this manner, so you can select the ones that suit your personal preferences more easily. Plus, if you’re running short on recipe ideas, you can head over to their Recipes menu to see the type of meals that HelloFresh has offered in the past and is most likely to offer again to new customers.
Hungryroot
Hungryroot features two menus for Groceries and Recipes. You can select the groceries from either one depending on how you want to approach the meal planning.
Their Groceries menu lets you select individual grocery items like a supermarket. The grocery categories are endless, and you can filter by type of grocery, protein, spice level, and dietary needs.
Types of Groceries
- Produce– Handpicked vegetables and fruits with some pre-prepped and packed mixes such as chopped salad, Caesar salad kit, Rainbow veggie mix, cauliflower florets, freshly cut watermelon, or the Classic fruit salad.
- Sauces + Condiments– All the sauces are homemade and packed carefully to avoid spills or leaks. Sauces and condiments for salads, sandwiches, wraps, dips, etc. are included, such as sweet chili lime dipping, Jamaican jerk seasoning sauce, creamy tomato marinara, plant-based creams for pastas, hummus, coconut curry, Thai sauce, etc.
- Meat + Seafood– Servings of different types of protein, including marinated meats, seasoned seafood fillets, prepped and ready-to-cook meats, or plain, upgraded portions of meat such as beef patties, sirloin steaks, minced meats, fish steaks and fillets, and shredded chicken.
- Plant-Based Proteins– For vegans and vegetarians, you can upgrade your protein intake in various meat-inspired ways but without the meat. Ingredients like beans, legumes, chickpeas, peas, and various other fresh produce make these meatless protein items. This includes plant-based ground beef, breakfast patties, green veggie burger patty, different varieties of prepped beans, and tofu bites.
- Grains + Pastas– Different types of grains and plant-based pastas, such as lentil quinoa rice, riced broccoli, lentil noodles, chickpea rotini, shells, and mushroom risotto, are a few included.
- Bread + Bakery– More than 30 different types of bread and baked foods, such as plant-based flatbreads, wraps, bagels, tortillas, pretzel buns, pancake mixes, baguettes, and ciabatta rolls, are included.
- Snacks– Nourishing and healthy snacks made with plant-based ingredients, most of which are vegan and soy-free, are included in this category. The snack items are all precooked and packaged, so you don’t have to make them from scratch at home yourself.
- Dairy + Eggs – Cheese and dairy products that are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free are included in this category. You can select different cuts of cheese, two portions of eggs, feta bites, scrambled eggs, nonfat yogurts, and plant-based milk such as almond milk, pumpkin spice creamer, oat milk, and vanilla creamer for coffees and smoothies.
- Sweets– Desserts that are vegan, soy-free, and nutritionally balanced are included. Cookie dough, brownie batter, and packaged cookies are made with various naturallysweetened ingredients like coconuts and superfoods. Even the chocolate bars are made with natural sweeteners, so there are no artificial sugars or preservatives.
- Pantry– A whole variety of pantry items that you can buy, such as seasonings, herbs, beans, ramen, produce, meat cubes, butter, oil, cereal, granola, etc., in comfortable servings are included.You’d be pleased to know that all the pantry items are vegan and 100% unprocessed!
- Beverages– A meal isn’t complete without a few beverages.Hungryroot provides you with a few different options depending on your dietary preferences likesuperfood smoothies, coffee, plant-based milks, coffee creamers, protein shakes, cold brew, healthy fruit and veggie juices, and teas.
- Ready-To-Eat– Ready-to-eat meals are already cooked and packed.They make incredible upgrades for boosting the protein content of your meal. Salads, chicken dishes, chickpea curry, split peas, soups, sauteed veggies, and many more are included.
Great for a light lunch meal to curb the hunger pangs, the Ready-To-Eat meals are easy and deliciousbecause you have plenty of options to pick from.
Dietary Filters
Alongside picking from your most preferred grocery category, you can filter your groceries by dietary needs. Plus, if you prefer cooking meals that are less or more spicy, you can also filter the items based on those taste preferences.
Hungryroot lets you pick groceries that are:
- Organic
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Pescatarian
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Tree nut-free
- Peanut-free
- Egg-free
- Shellfish-free
To complement this incredibly versatile diet palette, you can also select ingredients that have the following:
- No heat
- Mild spicy
- Medium spicy
- Hot/very spicy
To customize the source of protein, Hungryroot lets you choose and alter meals by specific ingredients. This is a great feature of customization for people on a special diet, such as vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, pescatarian, keto, paleo, Mediterranean, and family-friendly:
- Beef + bison
- Poultry
- Pork
- Fresh fish
- Lamb
- Shellfish
- Smoked fish
- Tofu + tempeh (plant-based)
- Beans + lentils (plant-based)
- Plant-based “meat”alternatives (plant-based)
You can also choose what you want to eat according to the recipe. Hungryroot automatically adds the ingredient required to cook your preferred recipe to the cart.
For example, you select the Buffalo Shrimp Tacos recipe from Hungryroot’sRecipes menu. From this recipe, you can quickly see the different ingredients that get added to your cart, such as the Superblend Salad, Organic White Flour Tortillas, Wild Caught Gulf Shrimp, and Organic Buffalo Ranch Dressing Cup.
The recipe card includes a list of all the ingredients, instructions on how to cook the recipe, and nutrition facts (such as calories, protein, carbs, fats, and other values).
In this manner, you can select your ideal recipes and add all the ingredients to the cart without getting confused. Hungryroot features several different options for selecting different cuisines and diets.
You can filter the recipes according to the following categories:
- Type of Recipe: Main + Sides, Grain Bowls, Pastas, Tacos, Stir-Fries, Salads, Wraps, Sandwiches, Burgers, Bakes, Flatbreads, Soups, Stews, Roasts, Veggie Bowls, and Ready to Cook
- Serving Size: 2 or 4 servings
- Protein: Beef, Bison, Poultry, Pork, Fresh fish, Lamb, Shellfish, Smoked Fish, Tempeh, Tofu, Beans, Lentils, and Plant-Based Meat
- Spice Level: No heat, Mild, Medium, and Hot (which means Very Spicy)
- Cooking Time: 5 Minutes or less and 10 Minutes or less
- Nutrition: 500 Calories or less
- Dietary Needs: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Tree Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Egg-Free, and Shellfish-Free
The best thing about Hungryroot is that you can mix and match as many preferences as you want and apply those changes while selecting the groceries and recipes you want.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Price
HelloFresh
Subscribing to a meal kit delivery service like HelloFresh couldn’t get any simpler because their boxes start from $7.49 per meal. Each meal box is more affordable as you increase the number of servings.
You can see the proof of their Plans where you have the option to see the price per meal according to the number of people and number of recipes you select per week.
This is the breakdown of their cost for all the meal plans on the menu. Whether you pick Meat & Veggie, Veggie, Family-Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Quick and Easy, or Pescatarian, the starting prices are the same for all.
For 2 people (2 servings each):
- For 2 recipes per week: $11.99 per serving
- For 3 recipes per week: $9.99 per serving
- For 4 recipes per week: $9.49 per serving
- For 5 recipes per week: $8.99 per serving
- For 6 recipes per week: $8.49 per serving
For 4 people (4 servings each):
- For 2 recipes per week: $9.49 per serving
- For 3 recipes per week: $8.49 per serving
- For 4 recipes per week: $7.99 per serving
- For 5 recipes per week: $7.99 per serving
- For 6 recipes per week: $7.99 per serving
The highest price per serving is $11.99 per serving and the lowest is $7.99. The shipping fee on all orders is $8.99, even on the largest order.
Considering the high cost incurred by you for takeout meals or even the competing prices of grocery items nowadays, HelloFresh is significantly cheaper, particularly for people who don’t have the time to cook meals on their own. Hence, you want to find a reasonable and practical way of eating healthy meals without spending too much money.
Hungryroot
The starting price of Hungryroot is $65 for a minimum of 6 meal kits per week. The cost per serving decreases as you increase the number of meal kits you select.
The pricing structure of Hungryroot may be a little complicated for some people to understand since it combines the offerings of a meal kit delivery service and a grocery delivery service. Thankfully, Hungryroot makes it easier by offering you credits based on the number of meals you order in each week’s box.
The more you order, the more credits get added to your account, which you can later redeem for a discounted price on grocery items like proteins and pantry items. The number of credits for each individual grocery item differs. For example, meat costs more credits than a common pantry item like butter or milk.
The highest you pay per serving with Hungryroot is $10 per serving for 6 servings per week, and the lowest you pay is $8.49 per serving for 12 servings in total per week.
Fortunately, Hungryroot does not charge a shipping fee on orders above $70. It’s a great relief because you can add one or more servings to your cart without paying extra for shipping.
Is HungryrootAffordable?
To calculate the costs of buying grocery and takeout food, a Hungryroot subscription is definitely practical because it saves time and you’re in control of what you eat. Hungryroot prioritizes nutritious and vegan food with fewer calories and zero processed ingredients.
Due to this, the groceries that Hungryroot provides are slightly more expensive than those you see shelved in supermarkets. It’s worth mentioning that Hungryroot serves vegan and wholesome ingredients that are generally expensive to buy, even from a supermarket.
What you’re paying extra for is the convenience of ordering recipe-based ingredients right from home. Plus, the meal kit gets delivered straight to your doorstep without any extra charges. The food is backed up by nutrition facts, which promote 100% transparency in quality control and nutrition for health-conscious eaters.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Cooking Time
HelloFresh
With HelloFresh, you can easily see the cooking time of each recipe before adding them to your cart. They have all types of meals for playing around with the cooking time, starting from 10 minutes to 45 minutes per recipe. Meat-heavy meals generally take a longer time to cook than vegetarian and seafood recipes.
Having said that, HelloFresh’s cooking instructions, even for a meat-heavy recipe, are very straightforward and beginner-friendly. It’s definitely faster and easier than cooking that same meal from scratch without the help of a meal kit.
You can also fall back on the HelloFresh mobile app to help guide you when you are in a hurry. The meal kits, once they arrive, are fairly organized to save time during unpacking and structuring your meal prep time.
Since most of the ingredients are already prepped, you can even multitask easily to save more time.
Hungryroot
You cannot customize the meals you select on Hungryroot like HelloFresh. The ingredients on their menu may be designed to make several meals, not just one. So, you have to make room for the ingredients even after you’ve used them for a single meal.
Hungryroot categorizes the ingredients by meal but doesn’t necessarily alter the portion size of each individual recipe like a typical meal kit service does.
Having said that, I still consider Hungryroot one of the easiest and most straightforward services. Their meals are so simple to follow. In fact, most of the fresh produce is already cut and marinated depending on the groceries you select.
Sauces, dressings, marinades, curries, creams, and others are premade and packed, so all that is required to do is to add them to the recipe during cooking.
On average, a Hungryroot meal shouldn’t take longer than 20-30 minutes to cook and serve. Some recipes that aren’t meat-heavy take 15 minutes to prep and cook.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Packaging
HelloFresh
Each meal box provided by HelloFresh features a sturdy and high-quality cardboard box. The meal kits are divided by recipe with the help of insulated liners, ice packs, and other insulation materials. Sometimes, even denim is used to ensure the food doesn’t spoil during delivery.
Unless the recipe states otherwise, you have to transfer all the ingredients from the box to the refrigerator. If you want to prolong the shelf life of some ingredients, such as sauces or meat marinades, you can keep them in the freezer to stay fresh for weeks and months.
The packaging is fairly straightforward to unpack. Each meal kit is organized, which makes unpacking easier and faster, no matter how many meals you order each week.
Hungryroot
The same can be said for how Hungryroot packs its weekly meal boxes, but with a few upgraded features. The insulated box and the insulation that Hungryroot provides are biodegradable and recyclable.
All the ingredients come with proper labels to specify their storage needs. Meat ingredients have to be kept in the freezer.
Since the meal boxes are packed and delivered according to location, there may be more plastic wrappers and liners than a meal kit delivery service. But thankfully, Hungryroot uses only recyclable plastic.
The box size of a Hungryroot meal kit is slightly larger since the ingredients are not pre-portioned according to the number of servings you select. Some ingredients may have more content than you require, which you can store in the refrigerator to use at any other time for a different recipe.
The ingredient quality and firmness are superior and take less than a few minutes to unpack.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Vegetarian/Vegan Menu
With Hungryroot, you can select your dietary preferences, such as vegetarian, vegan, etc., through the filters. Besides vegetarian and vegan, Hungryroot’s menu filters include dairy, egg, and gluten-free. On the other hand, there’s HelloFresh with its different types of meal plans – “Veggie” being a part of that list!
Additionally, HelloFresh’s meals are labeled with specific diet tags that help with extra sorting or narrowing down recipes based on your preferences. Nevertheless, Hungryroot seems like a better option for those looking for a more vegetarian- or vegan-oriented menu. Hungryroot’s many filters make way for customizing the orders!
Also equally important to note is that Hungryroot’s menu offers more vegetarian/vegan options, whereas HelloFresh has on its weekly menu a limited meat-free selection. When you combine Hungryroot’s wider range of vegetarian and vegan meals with their plant-based grocery items as well, the greater variety is quite impressive.
You should also know that even though HelloFresh provides a smaller vegetarian/vegan menu than Hungryroot, the former’s no-meat recipes appear to be fresh, high quality, and exceptionally delicious! They have Calorie Smart, Easy Cleanup “Veggie” meals that, in my opinion, are super convenient.
At the same time, I would also like to add that HelloFresh is not the most suitable choice for those on a veggies-only, dairy-free, or vegan diet plan. They do have a few plant-based meals every week, but not all of these vegetarian recipes are always vegan.
Moreover, the “Veggie” meal plan of HelloFresh gives you limited weekly options. This applies to their “Pescatarian” meal plan too, which simply means that the narrower the plan, the fewer the meal choices per week.
Overall, the HelloFresh menu consists of a good number of meals or recipes weekly,and on every week’s menu, at least one plant-based option always appears. Here are a few examples:
- Vegan Turkish-Spiced Chickpea Bowls (week1 menu)
- Vegan Fried Tofu with Loaded Garden Rice (on the menu of week 2)
- Mushroom & Soy Ramen (on the menu of week 3)
- One-Pot Vegan Cauliflower & Bean Soup (on the menu of week 4)
Therefore, HelloFresh seems like a fine choice as a meal kit delivery service for those who want to start cooking some plant-based, vegetarian, or vegan meals. These recipes can be quite convenient add-ons to a meat-based weekly diet. However, if your diet plan is mainly or completely plant-based, very few meal delivery services beat Hungryroot.
Hungryroot has plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans! The simplicity of this works in their favor, which means that Hungryroot meals are packed with fresh, flavorful vegetables.
Be it an ingredient or grocery item, almost everything on Hungryroot has a vegan, whole grain, vegetable-based alternative. For instance, there are sauces made with cashews, chickpea-based pasta, grain flatbreads, etc. The meals and groceries are all labeled accordingly, so it’s easier and more convenient to select what you want.
Hungryroot’s food, no denying it, has a vegetable-based backbone! While this naturally applies to all of their vegan and vegetarian meals, it is also a part of recipes that contain meat. Even the latter is delightfully veggie-forward!
Through Hungryroot’s menu filters, you can choose Vegetarian and Vegan-only meals. At the same time, common food allergens can also be checked off (such as gluten, soy, dairy, shellfish, etc.).
The mere fact that Hungryroot recipes are primarily made up of vegetables and that almost all of their ingredients, by default, revolve around lean proteins, legumes, and whole grains suffices to prove that Hungryroot is better than HelloFresh for vegans and vegetarians.
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot – Nutritional Profile/Content of the Meals
If you’ve experienced HelloFresh firsthand, then you already know that this meal kit and prepared meal delivery service is all about quick, easy cooking with simple ingredients. However, don’t mistake that for an even remotely basic taste or result. Every HelloFresh meal/recipe is loaded with delectable flavors and fresh, healthy ingredients.
Some veggie or plant-based meals of HelloFresh contain about 30-40 grams of protein in a single serving, thus a testament that you don’t necessarily have to consume chicken, beef, or any other meat to get your daily protein intake. (Also, check out the effects of plant proteins on health.)
HelloFresh’s dishes, both meat and no-meat options are protein-heavy and well-balanced, and this works for fitness-oriented or active people who want to boost muscle and strength growth.
Speaking from a calorie perspective, the per-serving size of most meals is mainly between 600 and 800 calories. Once again, it’s perfect for those with a moderately active lifestyle.
Then we have the nutritional value of Hungryroot meals, which is not disappointing. Their meals and groceries can be filtered depending on your dietary needs and preferences.
On top of that, the selection for both meals and groceries is quite vast, and based on my thorough research and evaluation, the calorie range here doesn’t exceed 700 calories per serving.
Add to that Hungryroot’s menu that accommodates a host of specialty diets (vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, and more), along with so many dietary restrictions as well (gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, 500 calories or less, and the like).
Hungryroot meals are centered around fresh and hearty vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins. Hence, the overall nutrition profile of the food feels very strong. This is also because Hungryroot prioritizes calorie counts and accommodates various diet plans.
Now it’s time to show some proof through the nutritional breakdown of the different types of meals offered by both HelloFresh and Hungryroot. So here they are, compared side-by-side!
HelloFresh vs Hungryroot Recipes: How Much of Everything Is in There?
Comparatively speaking, Hungryroot has a more extensive menu for both meat lovers and plant-based food enthusiasts. While that is true, it doesn’t mean that HelloFresh is any less competitive. As far as the quality of ingredients, nutrition value, and flavor/taste and texture of the food are concerned, even HelloFresh meals hit the mark.
Veggie Meals
Nutritional Profile | HelloFresh:
Curry-Spiced Chickpea Bowls |
Hungryroot:
Hearty Vegan Chorizo, Black Bean + Butternut Plate |
Calories per serving | 640 calories | 740 calories |
Protein per serving | 19 grams | 32 grams |
Carbs per serving | 106 grams | 62 grams |
Fats per serving | 16 grams | 31 grams |
Dietary fiber per serving | 13 grams | 23 grams |
Sugar per serving | 19 grams | 8 grams |
Cooking time | 35 minutes | 30 minutes |
Chicken Meals
Nutritional Profile | HelloFresh:
Toasted Sesame-Panko Chicken |
Hungryroot:
Chicken ‘n Guac Rainbow Jasmine Rice Bowl |
Calories per serving | 870 calories | 600 calories |
Protein per serving | 35 grams | 28 grams |
Carbs per serving | 64 grams | 70 grams |
Fats per serving | 51 grams | 14 grams |
Dietary fiber per serving | 4 grams | 6 grams |
Sugar per serving | 4 grams | 5 grams |
Cooking time | 35 minutes | 16 minutes |
Steak Meals
Nutritional Profile | HelloFresh:
Yakitori-Style Steak Skewers |
Hungryroot:
Low-Carb Philly Cheesesteak Skillet |
Calories per serving | 1,100 calories | 550 calories |
Protein per serving | 53 grams | 44 grams |
Carbs per serving | 116 grams | 15 grams |
Fats per serving | 47 grams | 21 grams |
Dietary fiber per serving | 8 grams | 4 grams |
Sugar per serving | 34 grams | 5 grams |
Cooking time | 40 minutes | 22 minutes |
Pork Meals
Nutritional Profile | HelloFresh:
Brown Sugar Bourbon Pork Chops |
Hungryroot:
Grilled Pork Chops with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes |
Calories per serving | 650 calories | 410 calories |
Protein per serving | 35 grams | 27 grams |
Carbs per serving | 60 grams | 36 grams |
Fats per serving | 32 grams | 10 grams |
Dietary fiber per serving | 9 grams | 4 grams |
Sugar per serving | 18 grams | 5 grams |
Cooking time | 35 minutes | 30 minutes |
Seafood Meals
Nutritional Profile | HelloFresh:
Hoisin Salmon & Sweet Potato Bowls |
Hungryroot:
Roasted Salmon + Asparagus Over Rice |
Calories per serving | 1,090 calories | 730 calories |
Protein per serving | 37 grams | 36 grams |
Carbs per serving | 113 grams | 66 grams |
Fats per serving | 53 grams | 29 grams |
Dietary fiber per serving | 5 grams | 3 grams |
Sugar per serving | 26 grams | 8 grams |
Cooking time | 35 minutes | 13 minutes |
Needless to say, all of these meals listed for comparison were randomly selected based on the protein source type. So, there are plenty of other options you can browse through on the HelloFresh and Hungryroot menu.
Just because I’ve mentioned a comparatively lower-protein, higher-carb dish by HelloFresh doesn’t automatically imply that they don’t have high-protein options. An example of that is the One-Pan Tuscan Tomato & White Beans (with 25 grams of protein).
Likewise, the calorie count of Hungryroot meals is relatively much less than that of HelloFresh meals. Nonetheless, the menu of the former also includes high-calorie recipes like the Creamy Butternut Mac ‘n Cheese.
It’s got 850 calories, thus perfect for those on a high-calorie consumption diet (e.g., for weight gain). In much the same way, you can view the nutritional information. This means if you’re strictly following a low-calorie or weight-loss diet plan, you’ll know which types of recipes to choose based on their nutritional breakdown.
Can You Cancel, Skip, or Edit HelloFresh and Hungryroot Orders?
On the FAQs page of HelloFresh, you get multiple options, like editing deliveries and changing your delivery address and date. Adding, editing, and even canceling meals can be done through the HelloFresh app too. In fact, the app experience is better than the limited website experience.
Even though you can make changes and cancel your weekly HelloFresh meal box, this must be done before the deadline,so that’s 5 days before the scheduled delivery day and just before midnight (Pacific Time). Just log in to your HelloFresh account, and open the dashboard to get to know all your upcoming shipment/order details.
Hungryroot also lets you change and cancel weekly meal boxes so long as you make the edits before the cutoff time – Monday or Thursday by 7 in the evening (EST) before the scheduled delivery date.
Before this deadline, you can change just about everything about your Hungryroot order. This includes editing the size of the meal plan, items or ingredients in the meals, the meals or recipes themselves, and more.
The Hungryroot Help Center page is very helpful in tracking deliveries, managing delivery schedules, etc.
Where Do HelloFresh and Hungryroot Deliver?
Delivery and shipping of HelloFresh are incredibly convenient characteristics. HelloFresh deliveries are made once a week and usually arrive 1-2 days post-shipping.
The weekly meal box is thoroughly insulated, which means ice packs are put in place to keep all the delicious, healthy ingredients fresh. So, no worries even if your delivery sits outside your house door for a few hours until you get home.
HelloFresh deliveries are made to all the contiguous states of the USA. Thus, Hawaii and Alaska are not a part of that list). The same goes for Hungryroot.
Even their meals are packed in large, well-insulated cardboard boxes with cold gel packs to keep everything fresh, cool, and in good condition for several hours.
How Is the Customer Service of HelloFresh and Hungryroot?
The brand reputation of HelloFresh as one of the top meal delivery services is unparalleled. HelloFresh has a more traditional approach to delivering meal kits, which actually works in their favor, given their popularity.
Nevertheless, complaints are an inevitable part of the whole process of meal deliveries. In scenarios where order, meal, or ingredient issues are concerned, the customer service of HelloFresh is very responsive and helpful.
HelloFresh’s FAQs section itself proves how much the subscription-based food company genuinely cares about resolving your queries/complaints.
I would also like to add that even Hungryroot customer service is extremely efficient and friendly. Most importantly, the team is solution-oriented, be it via email, text, call, or any other form of communication.
How do I contact Hungryroot? The number you can send text messages to is 855-222-5704. They’re available throughout the week, including Sundays, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (barring New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and 4th of July).
Summing It Up
Quick HelloFresh Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Easy-to-prepare, budget-friendly meals.
- Affordable meal delivery for a higher number of servings.
- Both recipes and groceries are available.
- Low-calorie, pescatarian, and vegetarian meal plans.
- Nutritional breakdown and accurate cooking time.
Cons:
- Additional $10.99 shipping fee
- No room for special diets or food allergies
- Comparatively smaller serving sizes
Quick Hungryroot Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Meal delivery service for meal kits and grocery items.
- Plenty of meal choices for vegetarians and vegans.
- The cooking process is quick and easy.
- Very accommodating of specialty diet plans.
Cons:
- Not the most inexpensive meal delivery.
- It has a slightly complicated credit-based purchase system.
An almost limitless range of delicious, healthy meals, including vegetarian/vegan recipes is the best and most accurate way to summarize the Hungryroot experience. Add to that grocery item, most of which have a plant-based alternative as well.
As for HelloFresh, they have easy-to-prepare, calorie-smart meal kits and premade meals. They, too, have pretty diverse meals, albeit the limited options available.
Based on my research and point of view, I think HelloFresh is the most suitable for couples and families. It’s a very simple and traditional meal delivery service. On the other hand, Hungryroot is a better pick for more diet-specific meal planning, like weight loss, veganism, etc.