After Testing Dozens of Meal Kits, We Found 7 Costly Mistakes You’ll Want to Avoid
Meal kits became the love child of “I want to eat something that doesn’t come from a drive-thru” and “I wouldn’t know a good recipe if it kissed me on the mouth.” Meal kits are perfect for health-conscious people who have realized that ordering Thai food five nights a week isn’t a nutrition plan and for cooking newbies who think “stir-fry” is a French dance move.
Here’s the plot twist: meal kits actually costs about the same as regular groceries these days. Yes, you read that correctly. Thanks to grocery price inflation, your weekly meal kit subscription might actually be cheaper – and it’s certainly less of a hassle – than wandering the aisles of your local supermarket.
But here’s where things get interesting (and where most people go wrong): Signing up for a meal kit is like buying a gym membership: The real magic happens when you actually know how to use it. At CNET, we’ve tested, chopped, diced, and sometimes burned every major meal kit service known to mankind over the years, and we’ve cracked the code to getting maximum deliciousness for your dollar.
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Whether you are already Team Blue apronriding the HelloFresh practice, keeping it simple with Postman or want to Marley spoonchances are you’re leaving money (and flavor) on the table. The good news? A few insider tips can transform you from meal kit lover to subscription pro, getting the most out of your weekly deliveries.
Ready to become the meal kit master your kitchen deserves? Let’s move on to the seven main mistakes to avoid.
1. Missing a deal or meal kit deal
EveryPlate has some of the most affordable connection deals.
First and foremost, you’ll want to take advantage of new customer signup offers. Most meal kit services allow you to try their products at deep discounts, up to 70% off and often for several weeks’ worth of meals. I rounded the best meal delivery deals now to help you choose.
If you’re already a meal kit subscriber, there’s no rule against pausing or canceling it so you can try another service at one of these super-cheap new customer rates.
Learn more: Blue Apron vs HelloFresh: Which Meal Kit is Best for You?
2. Choosing the wrong size plan
This Marley Spoon meal was spiced up with the caper sauce and Brussels sprout salad.
Meal kit costs vary greatly depending on how many meals and servings you order per week and the delta between them can be huge. Marley spoonfor example, comes to only $9 per serving if you order the most quantity of meals – six recipes of four servings each – but that increases to $13 per serving if you only get the least – two recipes of two servings per week.
My suggestion is to order a larger meal plan than you think you’ll need and choose recipes that keep in the refrigerator or freeze well. Do this and you will have lunch and dinner planned for the next day or two. You’re already putting effort into cooking, so you might as well put in more miles and save money too.
HelloFresh pricing (left) and Blue Apron pricing (right) for six servings. These prices include shipping and taxes, plus the 5% autoship discount built into the Blue Apron price.
“Meal Kit Meal Planning” you heard it here first. What recipes are good for cooking in large quantities and eating later? Just about anything other than seafood and salad recipes, which are not good for freezing after preparation.
Speaking of which…
3. Forgetting to cook seafood first
Always cook seafood recipes first. If you can’t make it within a day, freeze the raw fish for later.
It’s always best to cook seafood recipes first, as they will also spoil first. The same goes for other recipes that contain ingredients that can turn upside down when uneaten or raw, including vegetables, leafy greens, cheese, and fresh dairy products.
Potatoes and other dense vegetables usually last between four or five days and a full week. Steak is also quite hearty and can be kept for several days in the refrigerator without its quality being compromised.
4. Skip the steak and fish
Blue Apron’s steak recipes are included in the basic meal plan.
These days, when you browse a weekly meal kit menu, you’ll usually find dozens of recipes to choose from, sometimes as many as 100 or more. While you should certainly choose recipes that suit you and your nutritional goals, some recipes will give you more bang for your buck. Steak and seafood recipes top the list, but anything with protein (chicken, pork, fish) is usually a better deal.
I I’ve already dove deep in the price of meal kits to see how much they cost compared to buying all the ingredients yourself. Unsurprisingly, the most expensive recipes to make from scratch (i.e., the best deals for a meal kit subscriber) were those based on steak and seafood. Some meal kit services charge extra for certain recipes, but many include steak, shrimp, salmon, and other seafood as part of the standard plan, making them a great investment.
On the other hand, avoid recipes with cheap, store-bought ingredients, like simple pasta dishes without protein or basic soups. If you eat mainly vegetarian, I recommend Purple carrotbecause this 100% plant-based meal kit service offers the most interesting meat-free recipes prepared with high-quality ingredients.
5. Not trusting your instincts when cooking
Trust your instincts and opt for less when it comes to adding salt and spices. You can always put more in, but you can’t take it out.
Recipes aren’t one-size-fits-all, so trust your instincts. If it seems like the recipe calls for too much salt in the sauce, it probably is. You can always add more, but you can’t take away, so proceed with caution. The same goes for heat and spice: if you can’t stand big whiffs of habanero or spicy curries, remove these items until you’ve tasted the finished dish.
6. Ignore Favorite Tags
Some recipes receive a Customer Favorite badge and there is usually a reason for that.
Most meal kit manufacturers will label certain recipes as a “fan favorite” option. More often than not, I have enjoyed these dishes and appreciate the recommendation. Services such as HelloFresh And Chef at home use lots of aggregated user reviews and subscriber comments, so you can be sure these markers have some validity. After all, they want you to enjoy the meals as much as you do.
7. Taking it too seriously
Cooking is fun and meal kits help you become a better cook. Lean into it!
It’s true: Meal kits are a good way to feed you and your family at a reasonable price, but they can also be a lot of fun and a good way to hone your cooking skills. Have you never made risotto before? Jump on these recipes when they appear on the menu. You might be surprised how easy it is.
When you open a meal kit, open a bottle of wine also, or do you pour a beer, cocktail Or non-alcoholic cocktail and put on some music or a favorite podcast. Cooking can be fun and even calm your nerves if you’re in the right headspace.
If you’re not in the right headspace, well, you can always have the kids cook instead.
