Dinnerly Review 2024: All You Need to Know

Last Updated : December 22, 2023

Dinnerly

The Dinnerly meal delivery service brings affordability, diet-friendliness, and plenty of customizing capabilities to the table. You get your money’s worth as it provides a hassle-free solution for ordering home-cooked meals like clockwork.

I like how Dinnerly keeps everything from the meal selection process to placing an order quick and simple. Ordering their meals, especially for the first time, is just as exciting as eating their meals at home, catering to diverse dietary needs and preferences.

This Dinnerly review is an irresistible problem-solver because Dinnerly not only lets you choose from a varied and deliciously satisfying menu, but with its help, you can also prepare a meal in under 30 minutes –a meal that would have probably taken you more than an hour to prepare from scratch.

One look at their menu and you’ll realize that you have so much to look forward to. They have worldly cuisines like Italian, Mexican, Indian, Mediterranean, Korean, Japanese, Cuban, Lebanese, and a lot more.

If you’re intrigued to explore their offerings, continue reading to know more about how Dinnerly works, its pricing, meal plans, customizations, and a lot more.

What Is Dinnerly and How Was It Created?

Dinnerly-how-it-was-created
Launched in 2017, Dinnerly was created with a minimal and efficient meal kit delivery structure in mind. Think of it like the brainchild of Martha Stewart and Marley Spoon, which is more affordable and user-friendly.

Dinnerly delivers meal kits at the lowest prices. You get quick-to-make recipes along with pre-measured and high-quality ingredients with Dinnerly. Valuing customers more than anything else is in the lifeblood of this brand. Even after including the shipping charges, Dinnerly’s $5 per-meal-kit menu plan is something to be excited about if you’re a penny-pincher. Dinnerly takes charge of all the measures necessary to cut costs per meal kit. Select either 2- or 4-serving meal kits and up to 6 different recipes each week. There’s no excessive packaging with fewer boxes, liners, and glossy recipe cards – you’ll find information about each recipe online after logging in.

One of the core principles of Dinnerly is to replicate the process of everyday grocery shopping for meal kits that are healthy and delicious to eat. So, if you’re new to the world of meal kits, getting started with Dinnerly won’t burn a hole into your budget. The meal kits are very likable, home-inspired, and easy to cook.

One of Dinnerly’s founders, Rolf Weber, prioritized the needs of most families, implementing a cost-cutting approach for meal kits. Drawing a parallel to Ikea’s success in the furniture industry, Dinnerly expects customers to play a role in the meal preparation process in an efficient and engaging manner.

How Does Dinnerly Work?

Dinnerly is a meal kit subscription service that delivers everywhere in the continental United States. It works by providing you with preportioned ingredients, all grouped according to the recipes you choose, and all you have to do is store each meal kit in the fridge.

Since the meal kits arrive with preportioned and premeasured ingredients, you end up saving a lot of time in prepping and, instead, go straight to cooking the meal for anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes.

Just imagine you can cook as chef-like and as intricate as the Cheesy Chorizo Burrito Bowl with meat in under 30 minutes! You’d also be glad to know that this meal is gluten-free and takes only a single pot to cook.

Speaking of diets, Dinnerly is supportive of many diet plans that you may be keeping track of, such as low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.

The menu offers over 40 different types of recipes with additional labels like nutritious, kid-friendly, healthy, climate hero, seafood, meat, vegetarian, poultry, and one-pot meal.

What I found most interesting about their menu is how friendly and interactive the recipe names are. Words like No Chop, Easy Clean Up, Low-Cal, Ready Made, Keto-Friendly, and Speedy point out the special qualities of each meal.

Choose your meal plan, and get up to 6 recipes weekly, available in 2 or 4 servings each. You don’t have to worry about auto-delivery plans either because Dinnerly gives you the power to control your subscription. Also, be confident in skipping weeks or adjusting your delivery options easily for free.

After browsing their menu and exploring different options, choose the number of meals and servings you want. You can also make the box vegetarian if you like, eliminating all meat protein from your diet. The meal plans start from $6.39 to $4.99 per serving with a flat $12 shipping fee on all orders. Even so, it’s still not an expensive gourmet meal kit delivery service.

Enter your email address, delivery location, and payment. And finally, after you’ve selected the meals you want, place an order. The order will be delivered to your doorstep on the day of your choosing.

How to Order from Dinnerly Using the App/Website?

How to Order Dinnerly

With Dinnerly, you can breeze along through the meal selection process. The website can be handled without any effort, even if you consider yourself the least bit tech-savvy. The interface is well-streamlined and intuitive without bombarding you with too many options.

Step 1 – Select Your Box Size

Start with selecting a box with the help of two options: the number of people and the number of meals per week.

The 2-serving-per-meal-kit plan is ideal for singles or couples with a busy lifestyle who want to save time and money doing grocery shopping. Dinnerly lets you explore worldly cuisines more realistically, introducing meals that you probably would never cook yourself even if you had the time.

Additionally, the 2-serving-per-meal-kit plan is also useful for someone looking to hone their cooking skills and learn new techniques by incorporating varied ingredients and flavors.

The 4-serving-per-meal-kit plan is ideal for families, small gatherings, and roommates. It simplifies cooking for multiple people at a time without compromising on quality, taste, and dietary preferences. You can still eat food that’s delicious and nutritious while minimizing cost, effort, and the use of time.

On the meal plan selection page itself, Dinnerly gives you the option to make the entire meal box vegetarian. Recipes with meat will be excluded, and all your meals are delivered with fresh and high-quality plant-based proteins like tofu, beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, greens, tempeh, quinoa, nuts, and seeds.

The price per portion, total number of portions, shipping, and total cost per week will be calculated right in front of your eyes, so you know exactly how much you pay and expect before even signing up.

Step 2 – Add Your Zip Code

The next step of the process is the Set Location page where you have to enter your delivery ZIP code and email address.

Step 3 – Set Up Your Delivery

Now, this is my favorite part about Dinnerly – the Delivery Details page. Dinnerly gives you access to the tiniest detail about their meal selection process including their delivery customizations – all this before you sign up. It’s so concise and confident about its features, so you can comb through every feature before you decide to share your details.

Here is where you can select your preferred delivery day – they deliver 6 days a week, excluding Sundays.

Moving forward, choose your delivery time slot which, by default, is between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., although it may differ in certain areas.

Step 4 – Choose Your Meal Recipes

Lastly, pick the week you want the meal kits to be delivered. Dinnerly provides you with 4 upcoming weeks, starting every Monday.

Fill in your delivery details, select your preferred payment option, and then choose the meals you want to cook and eat.

Read More: Blue Apron Review

Dinnerly – How Many Meal Plans Do You Get?

Dinnerly_How many meals do you get a week
Dinnerly honestly cares about catering to diverse dietary preferences, providing an array of meal options that align with varied and the best diet plans and eating habits. Each meal is accompanied by a detailed breakdown of its nutrients and ingredients, making it easy for everyone to browse through the recipes.

There are plenty of reasons to believe that Dinnerly is a transparent and health-conscious meal service. They specifically highlight dishes that are low in carbs and calories, free of dairy, or suitable for vegetarians.

Dinnerly uses gluten-free ingredients like basil pesto, baharat spice blends, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, cheeses, steak seasoning, and more to make their delicious meat gluten-free.

It’s also worth mentioning that the availability of specific dietary options on Dinnerly may be limited, as certain diets like keto, paleo, and vegan may have fewer selections.

For example, the Pastrami Crusted Steak with Baked Potato has a gluten-free bagel seasoning and pastrami spice blend.

Keto-friendly Lemon-Pepper Pork Tenderloin, Chicken, and Salmon are seasoned with a gluten-free and low-carb turkey broth, granulated garlic, and lemon juice on the side of broccoli. You can also use gluten-free, low-carb butter while preparing the dish.

There are a good number of vegan dishes as well that take under 20 minutes to cook and are full of nutritious and healthy veggies. The recipes are dairy-free, and some come with gluten-free ingredients like white quinoa, tahini, and salted almonds.

Kid-friendly recipes that are simple but delicious and full of interesting new flavors any fussy kid would love to try are another popular category on Dinnerly’s menu.

Plus, they’re fortified with healthy veggies coated with seasonings that your kid will actually love eating, such as Chicken Quesadillas with a refreshing cucumber salad, a vegetarian Baked TortelloniParm with mozzarella, and the classic Grilled Cheeseburger served with oven fries.

What Does Dinnerly Offer in Weekly Menu?

Dinnerly-Weekly-Menu

Dinnerly offers more than 100 recipes in total including breakfast, entrees, lunch, dinner, and desserts. They even feature 3 ready-made dishes – Cheesy Chicken Penne Alfredo, Beef Stir-Fry in Garlic Sauce, and Rotini and Beef Meatballs.

The menu range is diverse, including both familiar classics like cheeseburgers, mac and cheese, salads, chicken parmesan, and meatloaf, as well as inventive and worldly cuisines like quesadillas, chicken katsu, Lebanese chicken bowl, Indian curries, tacos, caprese bowl, Panini, ravioli, and more.

I found that the seafood choices are relatively limited, typically featuring shrimp, salmon, and tilapia.

As a bonus, Dinnerly displays the menu for all the upcoming weeks of the month, so you can browse a wide array of dishes that are healthy, quick to cook, and satisfying.

Dinnerly also makes it a point of labeling meals according to dietary preferences. Some of their meals are cooked without added gluten, although not all of their meals are gluten-free. Individuals with gluten allergy or celiac disease should skip ordering Dinnerly’s meals altogether due to the risk of the potential risk of cross-contamination.

Some meal recipes are dairy-free with plant-based alternatives like coconut, nuts, and grains.

The ingredients are sourced from local suppliers that prioritize high-quality fruits and vegetables. Dinnerly does not offer organic ingredients, primarily in order to cut costs. The proteins are antibiotic- and preservative-free.

If you’re looking for more than just lunch or dinner recipes, Dinnerly also includes healthy breakfast recipes like Chia Overnight Oats and Cinnamon Waffles. Some dessert items like Plum Upside Down Cake and Chocolate Cupcakes are also included.

You can even customize some meals with a protein of your choice. You will find the same recipe but with different proteins like plant-based chicken, real chicken, salmon, or beef.

What are the top reasons to consider Dinnerly?

If you are trying to find one reason to choose Dinnerly, you will get plenty.

We have already mentioned in this review that Dinnerly is the most inexpensive meal delivery option in the industry. Budget-conscious customers will love the affordable and delicious meal kits from Dinnerly. It offers healthy and fresh ingredients and excellent recipes in half of the regular meal kit price.

The brand has kept such a low price point to attract a huge number of new customers. If you had considered other meal delivery options before but stepped back due to their high price points, try the super-affordable options of Dinnerly.

The uniqueness of Dinnerly recipes lies in the number of ingredients they use in their meal kits. Only 6 components simplify the cooking process and drastically reduce the preparation time. They always procure ingredients from highly trusted vendors. All the produce is natural, fresh, and meat is grass-fed and antibiotic-free. Dinnerly meal kits don’t contain any luxury, exotic items that would shoot up the meal price.

Another money-saving and distinguishing feature of Dinnerly is their digital recipes. You can opt for them instead of the fancy recipe cards usually delivered inside the meal kit boxes. Dinnerly offers you the flexibility to avoid any unnecessary costs and keep the overall service quality intact.

You will find it super-easy to cook their recipes. Following their online or in-app instructions don’t require you to be tech-savvy, and most of their ingredients are pre-prepped.

Occasionally you may have to add some of the ingredients from your kitchen shelf, like vinegar or eggs. They accurately label the cooking time on the meal kit. All these should make your cooking process fast and easy.

Dinnerly is an excellent option if you have a tight budget. They are a little more expensive than junk food, but with better quality. You can also never compare them to typical restaurant food as they are much cheaper.

Each portion is priced between $4.49 and $4.99, depending on the number of weekly meals you select. Opting for the family package of 5 meals a week will give you the lowest price per serving.

Dinnerly Meals - How Many Kinds of Meal Kits Do You Get

You get large meal kit varieties with Dinnerly that makes it ideal for a family of any size. With an increase or decrease in family size, you can easily tweak your weekly menu option.

You can choose one of their weekly dietary plans and change it any time you want.

As we mentioned previously in our Dinnerly review, their weekly menu has 14 different options that satisfy a wide range of preferences. You will get plenty of kid-friendly meal options with Dinnerly without having your little ones grudgingly frowning at their plates. The majority of the meals take less than 30 minutes to prepare. You will get 3 vegetarian-friendly items per week with Dinnerly. They also offer low-calorie, low-carb, dairy, and gluten-free meals quite a few times.

Their digital recipes are quite comprehensive and easy to follow with beautiful images available for every step. The best part is that you will have full information on the cooking time, allergens, essential ingredients, and difficulty level of every recipe. Based on the preparation instructions, you can arrange for pans, pots, and other kitchen utensils well in advance.

You will also get complete nutrition information on every Dinnerly meal, which includes the protein, carbs, fat, and calorie percentage in every portion. What we admire in their value proposition is complete transparency. They let you choose your meal based on your nutrition requirement and keep you healthy. The little hacks attached in the recipes help you upgrade your culinary skills by teaching how to turn any dish from good to divine.

Read More: BistroMD Review

Dinnerly Add-Ons

Dinnerly Add Ons

If you’re looking for more than just lunch or dinner, Dinnerly also includes healthy breakfast recipes like Chia Overnight Oats and Cinnamon Waffles and desserts like Plum Upside Down Cake and Chocolate Cupcakes.

Additional items – breakfasts, desserts, and appetizers – are a big and important part of the Dinnerly menu. These extras, more often than not, are seasonal and perfect for when you want to get something special for a particular occasion.

One of the most prominent factors of Dinnerly is its too-vast menu, which includes a huge assortment of additional marketplace items such as desserts and snacks. You’ll observe that the add-ons are divided into different categories:

  • Breakfast and brunch
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Bakery and dessert
  • Drinks and smoothies
  • Pantry
  • Apart from lunch, prepared meals, meal shortcuts, and sides

Sorting through a menu like this is super fun because you come across tasty treats – mini cheesecakes, wellness shakes, comforting and nourishing soups, and also various packs of premade meals.

Top 3 Best Selling Meals

Dinnerly-Top-Selling-Meals

1. Creamy Lemon-Garlic Ravioli with Snap Peas

Kid-friendly and Vegetarian

Allergen – Wheat, egg, milk

Time required to prepare – 20 to 30 minutes

Calories – 630 cal in each portion

Servings-2

You will savor this finger-licking, creamy, and lemon-flavored kid-friendly dish with Dinnerly at the comfort of your home. It’s delicious, low-on-calorie, and serves snap peas on the side. Can you really stay away now?

2. Guacamole Burger with Mexican Home fries

Kid-friendly, ideal for Meat Lovers

The time needed – 30-40 minutes

Allergen – wheat, milk, sesame

Calories – 840 cal in each serving

Servings-2

Make your dinner night special with this innovative recipe of tangy guacamole as your big burger dressing. Round out your Dinner with your favorite Netflix series and Mexican homefries on the side. Doesn’t it sounds yummy? Why not try it today.

3. Tuscan Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Parmesan Potatoes & Broccoli

Low-calorie red meat

Allergen – milk

Preparation time – 30 to 40 minutes

Servings-2

Calories – 650 cal in each serving

Have pleasure with this dinnertime treasure reclining in your comfy couch. The mouth-watering parmesan potatoes are served with charred broccoli, juicy, and soft rosemary pork tenderloin for a  joy trip to flavor town. Experience the taste that you will never forget.

Dinnerly Pricing Plans

*Last updated: Jan 2023
Veggie Plan
$5.32*
/service
Free Shipping
Family Plan
$5.37*
/service
Free Shipping
Dinnerly-Meals-Pricing

It’s an incredibly affordable meal kit delivery service that also offers prepared meals for quick-prep convenience. So, here are the low costs of Dinnerly’s different order sizes:

For 2 servings per meal For 4 servings per meal
2 meals $8.04 per portion $7.14 per portion
3 meals $7.04 per portion $6.14 per portion
4 meals $6.54 per portion $5.89 per portion
5 meals $6.44 per portion $5.59 per portion
6 meals $6.24 per portion $4.99 per portion

 

If anything, the fixed shipping fee of $11.99, irrespective of the size of your order, is a bit much and certainly eats into the weekly budget. With an inexpensive meal delivery service like Dinnerly, you expect them to offer free shipping after your order reaches a certain amount. These shipping charges stay the same, a whopping $11.99, no matter how many meals and servings you order.

Dinnerly Cost Per Week

Dinnerly Cost per Week

The cost per week for a total order of 4 meals, which is also the minimum order value, would be $32.16 + $11.99 shipping fee = $44.15.

On the other hand, if you choose to buy the maximum number of meals, which is 24 portions in total, you pay $119.76 per week + $11.99 shipping = $131.75. Based on this particular calculation, the price per serving comes down to $4.99, which does make Dinnerly one of the most affordable subscription-based meal delivery services.

Even in the case of the minimum order, the cost per serving is $8. It’s still cheaper in comparison to some other meal companies that charge $10–$15 per portion.

Price Per Serving No. of Meals and Weekly Cost

($11.99 for shipping not included)

$8.04 per serving 2 meals, 2 servings each = $32.16
$7.04 per serving 3 meals, 2 servings each = $42.24
$6.54 per serving 4 meals, 2 servings each = $52.32
$6.44 per serving 5 meals, 2 servings each = $64.40
$6.24 per serving 6 meals, 2 servings each = $74.88
$7.14 per serving 2 meals, 4 servings each = $57.12
$6.14 per serving 3 meals, 4 servings each = $73.68
$5.89 per serving 4 meals, 4 servings each = $94.24
$5.59 per serving 5 meals, 4 servings each = $111.80
$4.99 per serving 6 meals, 4 servings each = $119.76

Dinnerly Cost Per Month

Dinnerly Cost per Month

Is Dinnerly affordable? Comparatively speaking, as a strong contender in the marketplace of meal delivery services, Dinnerly is an inexpensive or budget-friendly company. The price range per serving is between $4.99 and $8.04.

Now, here’s how much you’ll be spending on Dinnerly meals on a monthly basis.

For 2-Person Meal Plans

  • 2 meals per week – $128.64 per month
  • 3 meals per week – $168.96 per month
  • 4 meals per week – $209.28 per month
  • 5 meals per week – $257.6 per month
  • 6 meals per week – $299.52 per month

For 4-Person Meal Plans

  • 2 meals per week – $228.48 per month
  • 3 meals per week – $294.72 per month
  • 4 meals per week – $376.96 per month
  • 5 meals per week – 447.2 per month
  • 6 meals per week – 479.04 per month

In addition, there’s a flat $11.99 shipping fee; the size of your order doesn’t matter here.

Dinnerly has managed to keep its costs low through the use of less packaging, digital instead of printed recipe cards, and fewer ingredients.

Dinnerly Delivery Locations

Dinnerly-Delivery-Location

Dinnerly delivers to a wide range of areas, covering most regions in the continental United States. The meal boxes are shipping from fulfillment centers located across the country – New Jersey, Texas, and California.

As for the delivery times and days, it depends entirely on where you stay. Ideally, if you want to know more about the delivery schedule, you can provide your zip code, and Dinnerly will show you all the available delivery slots to your location – all this without signing up.

On special holidays, the delivery schedule may vary, but Dinnerly will keep you updated if any major changes were to occur.

Another common query customers have with Dinnerly is whether or not they deliver to commercial addresses. Thankfully, Dinnerly does. Just change your address type to Commercial, and mention the business hours under the delivery instructions.

Before going ahead with Dinnerly, you should know the pros and cons of their services. A brief overview of it will help you decide if Dinnerly fits your bill or not.

Dinnerly Coupons, Promotions, Discounts

Dinnerly Coupon

If you’re a new Dinnerly subscriber, you should definitely look forward to exciting promotions and vouchers. They offer a special discount of $170 off on the first 6 boxes. If it’s your first time with Dinnerly, you can order 24 meals where the price per serving for each meal is only $1.99.

There are other alluring, genuine discounts as well, for instance, 60% off on the first meal kit and 20% off on the second and third meal kits. Simply choose and customize your weekly Dinnerly meal box.

Pros & Cons

Dinnerly Pros Cons
Pros
  • Most inexpensive and the best for price-sensitive customers
  • More than 100 healthy recipes to select
  • No compromise on the quality of ingredients
  • Easy-to-prepare recipes
  • 14 unique meal ideas every week
  • Kid-friendly menu
  • Preferred by picky eaters
  • Flexible subscription model
  • Eco-friendly meal options
  • Impressive discounts on first orders
  • Fewer ingredients per meal kit to reduce prep time
  • Additional items like breakfast and desserts
  • Seasonal ingredients and world-inspired recipes
  • Make your cooking experience stress-free and enjoyable with doorstep delivery of your preferred meal kits
Cons
  • Zero menu option for meals
  • Limited customization options in the pre-existing menu
  • Extra shipping charges on the box price
  • Only a handful of ready-made meals
  • $11.99 shipping charges on every order
  • Risk of cross-contamination in gluten-free recipes
  • Not suitable for people with allergies
  • Dinnerly doesn't deliver in the entire United States. Some areas in Louisiana, Alaska, and Hawaii are yet to find a place in Dinnerly's delivery network.

Is Dinnerly Good for Vegans and Vegetarians?

Dinnerly-for-Vegetarians

More vegetarian-friendly than vegan-friendly, Dinnerly offers a rich combo of meals high in fresh veggies like kale, sweet potatoes, beans, corn, olives, romaine heart, cauliflower, and an exclusive Actual Veggies black bean burger patty.

You read that right. I’m talking about Dinnerly’s Grilled Actual Veggies Black Cheeseburger with Oven Fries. It has everything that a juicy cheeseburger does – cheddar cheese, plum tomato, romaine heart salad leaves, and toasted buns. Only make it vegetarian, and it’s perfect.

Some vegan recipes are made entirely with plant-based ingredients like quinoa, almonds, beans, grains, farro, sweet potatoes, and more.

Plant Chicken Fried Rice is made entirely with plant-based chicken, scrambled eggs, scallions, and peas. It’s an appetizing meal also available in other different protein options including chicken and beef for meat lovers.

Is Dinnerly a Good Way to Lose Weight?

Dinnerly-Lose-Weight

Considering individual goals and needs, nutrition experts suggest dividing caloric intake into approximately 300–400 calories for breakfast and 500–700 calories for both lunch and dinner.

For a calorie deficit, on the other hand, which boosts weight loss, reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories per day is ideal. If your daily diet is 2,000 calories per day, reducing it to 1,500 calories might help.

Keeping this in mind, I found that Dinnerly’s meals are good for weight loss. Their meals are neither too low nor too high in calories, striking the perfect balance.

For those following a low-calorie or low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss, Dinnerly offers a flexible approach to weight loss and weight management. They label items as low carb, low calorie, keto, dairy free, vegetarian, etc., making it easier to browse the menu.

There are over 35 low-calorie meals but only 1–2 vegetarian recipes with special ingredients like gluten-free cheese ravioli and basil pesto.

Meat-eaters, on the other hand, have plenty of tempting low-calorie meals to look forward to. Chicken, beef, salmon, shrimp, and turkey recipes are seasoned and cooked with rich spices and paired with fresh veggies like French beans, spinach, broccoli, greens, and peas.

The caloric value falls between 500 and 650 calories per serving, aiding anyone on a low-calorie diet plan or a diet that’s calorie-restrictive.

Don’t think for a second that a low-calorie meal is supposed to taste bland and boring. Dinnerly truly inspires you to try new recipes every week that are easy to cook.

Are Dinnerly Meals Good?

Dinnerly doesn’t let its affordable price tag affect the quality of the ingredients. They source their ingredients from trusted suppliers, including some organic sources. While not all ingredients are organic, Dinnerly occasionally sources organic products from local suppliers.

The absence of MSG in all their ingredients is noteworthy, from the condiments, the seasonings, to the sauces that they provide. All dairy products are pasteurized, eliminating any concerns about unpasteurized or raw milk cheeses.

The meat they serve is sourced without antibiotics from the USA itself, with the exception of grass-fed beef, which is sourced straight from Australia.

Dinnerly’s menu is brimming with worldly cuisines and interesting combos of meat like chicken, turkey, beef, salmon, and shrimp with fresh and premium-quality vegetables.

Alongside are their smaller bites like breakfasts and desserts that are prepared using vegetarian ingredients and without any preservatives.

Are Dinnerly Meals Easy to Prepare?

Dinnerly easy to prepare

Your main concern is to prepare your weeknight dinners the most conveniently and quickly. That’s exactly how it is with Dinnerly meal kits, which consist of 6–7 ingredients only, although you may feel the necessity to add around 3–4 ingredients of your own to some recipes (salt, pepper, oil, garlic, ketchup, white vinegar, flour, butter, etc.).

Either way, the entire cooking process is easy and beginner-friendly, thanks to the limited inclusion of ingredients. You will never have to perform more than just 5–6 steps for any Dinnerly dish.

Dinnerly’s main target audience are those looking for noncomplex meals that don’t take a long time to prepare even from scratch. Needless to say, no grocery shopping or meal prep is involved; only 30–40 minutes and your Dinnerly meal shall be ready.

There’s a tag called “Under 30 Minutes” also that sets apart recipes for super-busy nights, for example, Smoky Pan-Roasted Steak,BBQ Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potatoes, or Shrimp Scampi.

Readymade or premade meals are on the menu too, and they’re the quickest. You just heat them in your microwave for only a few minutes (or in the oven for about 10–15 minutes).

Unfortunately, Dinnerly doesn’t give you physical recipe cards, so no written instructions or photos come with the meals. But there are digital recipe cards online for all the guidance and reference you might need, which helps the company save money, and it’s also an eco-friendly move.

Is Dinnerly Worth It for a Family?

Dinnerly for Family

Dinnerly’s flavorful meals are family-friendly, plus they cannot be categorized as “expensive.” On the one side, there’s the 2-person plan. On the other, there’s the 4-person meal plan, which is specifically created for families.

Kid-friendly dishes can be easily spotted on the Dinnerly menu:

It’s really not surprising to know that these recipes are a hit for adults as well as kids.

How to Cancel Dinnerly Orders

You do have the freedom to cancel your Dinnerly subscription whenever you wish. For cancelations, you can cancel them until the 5th or 6th day before the scheduled delivery.

  • Go to My Accounts > Settings after logging in.
  • Click Stop Subscription.
  • There will be a survey at the end that you have to quickly fill out after confirming the cancelation.

This process is quick and efficient.

Dinnerly Customer Support

Dinnerly Customer Support

Dinnerly features a separate Customer Service page with a contact form just in case you have any questions or doubts regarding your order, subscription, delivery, etc. But every question you can possibly have will already be answered on their FAQs page.

You can report an issue, ask a question, and make an account management request easily without spending more than 5 minutes on the page. The response time is quick and consistent.

Dinnerly Packaging

While you may order different meals every time and opt for different delivery slots, what stays the same with Dinnerly is their approach to packaging. Minimal and practical, the meal kits are stored using recycle materials.

One of the ways in which Dinnerly is different is how they pack their meal kits. The “less-is-more” strategy works wonders for them. With fewer ingredients per meal kit, digital recipe cards, and organized packaging, a typical Dinnerly meal box looks aesthetically minimal.

Ice packs and insulated liners are used to keep the ingredients cool. Even when the transit time is longer than usual, chilled line hauls are used to maintain optimal temperature.

Is Dinnerly Better Than Others?

When it comes down to price, Dinnerly is reasonable. Even if it’s not about the price and you just want something more convenient and hassle-free, Dinnerly’s meals use fewer ingredients per meal with premade sauces and spices that you only have to combine and cook in under 30 minutes.

The phrase “variety is the spice of life” rings true with Dinnerly because they offer an appetizing and large selection of meal kits, making your mealtime more interesting and memorable.

Dinnerly stands out as an excellent meal kit delivery service for those looking to get dinner ready in less than 30 minutes. Whether you have picky eaters at home or are one yourself, the 100+ meal options on Dinnerly’s menu across varied diets like low-calorie, low-carb, gluten-free, vegetarian, keto, and dairy-free won’t disappoint.

What Do Customers Have to Say About Dinnerly?

The minimal prep work required and high-quality ingredients make Dinnerly a practical and stress-free choice for people with a jam-packed schedule. The wide range of meal options and the portion size are ideal for singles, couples, families, or gatherings.

Although there is a slight chance that you might not prefer to look into a phone screen while cooking, knowing how effectively Dinnerly reduces the cost per serving with the help of digital recipe cards and recyclable packaging is worth the extra effort.

Customers who have been using Dinnerly for years only praise its nutritious, fresh, and easy-to-cook meals. They appreciate the affordability, generous portion sizes, and flexibility that Dinnerly provides, keeping in mind the use of fewer ingredients per meal kit, which saves time and effort in the kitchen.

Dinnerly Alternatives

Dinnerly Alternatives

Blue Apron

Dinnerly is a more affordable meal delivery service than Blue Apron. Not just that, but Dinnerly has a larger menu too. The difference between the two is that Blue Apron serves higher-quality meals. Blue Apron recipes are typically labeled as “gourmet,” and they have a more flavorful taste because of the infusion of new ingredients.

Furthermore, Blue Apron provides wine delivery service as well.

HelloFresh

Both have more in common than differences; the menus of Dinnerly and HelloFresh are vast and wide-ranging – perfect for families too! Both meal delivery services cater to almost similar dietary preferences; hence, HelloFresh could be an excellent Dinnerly alternative.

It’s just that HelloFresh is slightly more expensive. The reason for that would be the use of seasonal, exotic ingredients, printed recipe cards, and “Hall of Fame” meals such as Turkey Ragu Spaghetti, One-Pan Spiced Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Saucy Beef Burrito Bowls, and lots more.

Marley Spoon

Dinnerly’s parent company, Marley Spoon, is considered to be the upgraded version. This means that while it’s a great alternative, it’s also pricier on a per-serving basis and presents more complex dishes.

But just like Dinnerly, Marley Spoon has a huge menu too, which encompasses everything from lunches and dinners to breakfasts, desserts, and also prepared meals.

Our Verdict (Our Overall Rating is based on all reviews)

Dinnerly final verdict

People with budget constraints are the primary audience of Dinnerly. Their average price per portion is low enough not to eat away your entire food allowance.

Their menu is perfect for busy parents as it can easily cover the workweek dinner with their easy and straightforward recipes.

Dinnerly offers great meal options for people looking to improve their diet during the weekdays. They help you to cut down the expensive restaurant dinners and build your culinary skills.

The meal kit delivery service of Dinnerly is light on your pockets. Additionally, Dinnerly is considered to be “the cheapest meal delivery service provider” across the US.

You will always get a 50% discount on Dinnerly meal kits. The average payment per customer is only $4.99 for each portion, which is way lower than the full meal cost at McDonald’s.

Dinnerly meal deliveries are prepared considering your budget constraints and busy schedules. Every recipe contains 6 different components and takes less than half an hour to whip up.

Dinnerly never compromises on the quality of its ingredients. They strictly use high-quality grass-fed beef and organic veggies as essential components of their meal kits.

They may not have the most exotic recipes on the card, but that doesn’t reduce their meal quality and compromise on taste. As long as you are not from the elite class and relish delicious food, Dinnerly is ideal for you.

Dinnerly takes care of that in a budget-friendly manner. To sum up, it’s affordable, diverse, and easy to subscribe to. They don’t compromise on the quality of their ingredients despite being competitively priced. If you want to have more options to choose from, meaning more classic and inventive recipes, Dinnerly is a good choice.

We think Dinnerly meals are perfect for:

  • People who want healthy meal options at a reasonable rate
  • Working parents with a busy schedule and kids to take care
  • Those who prefer home-cooked meals over outside food.

FAQ's

Dinnerly has a straightforward sign-up process. You can easily choose the number of meals and servings you want per week. They offer a family plan with 4-servings and a 2-person box for individuals and couples. You can go for their weekly meals ranging from 3 to 5. You can also tick a checkbox to select the vegetarian menu of Dinnerly if you are a vegetarian.

In the next step, you have to input your delivery location and other details, such as selecting the exact days for weekly deliveries. Once you choose your preferred payment option, you can select the items you want to include in the package.

Their menu follows a smart rotation of 14 items every week. Despite having the same items, you will rarely find the same categories back to back. Their menu includes at least one gluten-free, one low-calorie, and different kid-friendly food items. There is a scope of adding more varieties in the vegetarian section, which usually offers around 5 items with an extra pescatarian meal option.

Dinnerly makes sure all the meal kits get delivered in insulated boxes to keep its freshness intact. After receiving the delivery, we recommend that you refrigerate the ingredients if you don’t have the plan to cook it on the same day.

Dinnerly has outsourced their delivery to many trusted delivery partners, who take care of the doorstep delivery on behalf of them. The company uses sustainable packaging. They are lauded by industry experts for their eco-friendly approach and effort to reduce carbon footprint. You can find detailed recycling instructions for Dinnerly packages on their website. With that, you will find it easy to dispose of the boxes, liners, and bags in the right manner.

You can easily receive tracking information of your active Dinnerly order once your box is shipped. You can even log in to your online dashboard in the Dinnerly account or the app to check the order history and other delivery details.

You need minimum preparation time after getting your Dinnerly box.

The majority of the ingredients inside the box are pre-pepped, which includes their spice blends, sauces, chef-curated salad dressings, and many more such items.

You only need to do some basic preparation and cooking in Dinnerly recipes. Some of the jobs which you need to do are chopping, dicing, grating, and peeling. You get a full recipe card with every recipe that has prep timings and other visual cues to get sumptuous Dinner right on your table.

Though Dinnerly doesn’t offer gift cards, it’s super easy to gift Dinnerly discount coupons and boxes to your friends and family members. Keep an eye on their promotional offers where they share coupons and gift cards in your box.

Dinnerly never binds you with any contractual obligations. There are no monthly contracts or minimum commitments once you decide to go ahead with Dinnerly. If you are traveling or not at home, you can pause the subscriptions at any time. Once you are back or as per your requirement, you can resume the service in the next 2 months.

Dinnerly highly recommends thoroughly washing all fresh produce, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, before cooking and eating them.

Any time you can customize your delivery options with Dinnerly. You can select the preferred days of the week you want to receive your meal kits between Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Choices are a bit limited, that’s why we recommend you to plan in advance. You can easily modify everything using your Dinnerly account or their app.

The preparation of the meal kits involves minimal use of cooking tools and utensils. You will face no difficulty preparing the recipe within the estimated time frame – not longer than 30 minutes per meal.

The recipes are presented in a user-friendly manner, making each step easy to comprehend and walk through.

Cooking the ingredients is a breeze with straightforward instructions that you can access at any time on their website. Beginner-friendly cooking techniques are involved like pan-frying, oven-roasting, steaming, broiling, and using the microwave from time to time.

You may have to fetch basic pantry ingredients like oil, butter, salt, pepper, and sugar, but the main ingredients are provided preportioned and as instructed.