Ever wonder why food tastes so good when someone else makes it for you? I’m convinced it’s because you aren’t worried about preparing the food or dealing with cleaning up the kitchen. But eating out isn’t always feasible or budget-friendly. That’s where meal kit delivery services could solve both problems – or at least make cooking, cleaning, and budgeting a little easier for you. Meal kits have become a powerful force in the food industry. Nearly 20% of Americans have subscribed to a meal kit delivery service at some point in the last few years. And, if you’ve been online at all in the past couple of years, you’re bound to see an ad or review for one of the two most popular meal kits – HelloFresh and EveryPlate. Both deliver pre-portioned ingredients that are individually packed (think groceries in an eco-friendly ice-packed cardboard box). It comes with easy-to-follow picture recipe cards that guide every step for every plate (gotta love a good pun name). Let’s dive into each and learn whether EveryPlate or HelloFresh is the best meal kit for you.
First things first…
We love transparency here at Wishlisted, so it’s essential that we highlight a few important points when comparing EveryPlate vs. HelloFresh. Because there are so many meal kits to choose from, there are always questions about similar companies. Here are some answers to some common questions and then we’ll dive into a comparison so you can determine which meal kit could work for you.
Is EveryPlate owned by HelloFresh?
The short answer: Yes. The longer answer: HelloFresh founded Every Plate in 2018 because they wanted to reach a market that wanted more comfortable price options for their subscription services. Though there are similarities in their offerings, they are distinctive in other ways (which we’ll get to below).
Where is EveryPlate located?
The company headquarters for EveryPlate is located in New York, New York with nationwide delivery.
What are the benefits of meal kit delivery?
Meal kits have different subscription options that you can tailor to your schedule, lifestyle, diet, and budget. The benefits include:
- Less time on preparing food
- Saving money by reducing food waste
- Customizable diet-specific meal plans
- Easy decision-making (because we all dread figuring out what’s for dinner)
- Healthier portions to reduce overeating
- Trying new foods with easy-to-make recipes
Packaging
Known as “America’s best-value meal kit,” EveryPlate focuses on affordable meals that are great for the whole family and easy to use. It is a bit challenging to organize once you get the box. The vegetables are typically loose in the box and separated by cardboard liners. The food is stored in an eco-pack with biodegradable gel and recyclable packaging. You do need to organize your refrigerator so everything has a place. I put my vegetables in the veggie bin and have a separate tray in my cupboard for all the spices, grains, or other dry ingredients. It keeps everything organized, and I can just grab and cook. If you like seeing all the ingredients neatly in your fridge, EveryPlate may be your meal kit.
HelloFresh packaging is much more straightforward. The recipes are in their bags and labeled, so you can grab the one you want from the refrigerator, pick up the recipe card, and start cooking. It also means you won’t have to figure out which ingredient, or how many, go into a recipe and make preparing to make a quick and delicious meal that much faster. I appreciate this aspect of HelloFresh so much because it saves me time in prep work (even if it’s just a few minutes), space in my fridge, and it makes me feel like someone else did the heavy lifting. Hot Tip: Use the bags to throw away discarded peels as you cook. That way, clean-up is the fastest part of mealtime. If you prefer to keep your fridge uber-organized with more space to use and an easier way to prep, HelloFresh may be the meal kit for you.
Nutrition
EveryPlate’s nutrition facts are on each recipe card and on their website. The meal plans seem balanced and are customizable to meal plans like Meat & Veggies, Veggies, Family Friendly, and Quick & Easy. There are quite a few options to change it from week to week. Though the recipes are delicious, I’ve found the ingredients to be about the same from week to week. EveryPlate’s calories have a range but are not necessarily calorie-conscious. If you are gluten-free, lactose intolerant, low carb, vegetarian, or vegan, EveryPlate may not have many options that fit your specific diet.
HelloFresh meal plans are customizable before delivery and offer great substitutions for most recipes like rice to cauliflower rice or ground beef to plant-based ground. I believe the nutrition facts have a good balance for all kinds of diets, including Meat & Veggies, Veggies, Family Friendly, Fit & Wholesome, Quick & Easy, Pork Free, and Pescatarian (which is my personal favorite). If you need a meal kit with more variety in both nutrition and recipes, Hello Fresh may be a good place to start.
Cost
The cost of EveryPlate is a more affordable option in the meal kit delivery world. You can choose from plans made for two or four people and meals for 3, 4, or 5 days. The price per serving starts at around $4.99 and goes up from there; however, you may get some free boxes (their version of a discount) or referral bonuses to get a lower price per box with the larger meal plans. EveryPlate is one of the most affordable, so it can be an excellent place to start if you’re wary of the cost of your first meal kit.
Is HelloFresh expensive? It depends on who you ask. HelloFresh is probably one of the more middle-ground price points. However, that could mean affordable, depending on your income and the meal plan you choose. You have a wider number of meal plans, from 2 to 6 per week, with 2 or 4 people in mind. The price per serving could be as low as $7.99 with the larger plan, but they also have free boxes and referral discounts to add to your account. HelloFresh is a great meal kit to start with if you want variety in your meals and don’t mind paying a bit more for more quality food and options.
Recipes
The recipes are suitable for families and anyone who likes more of the average dinner ideas. Some delicious offerings include Crispy Chickpea Couscous Bowls, Loaded Pork Potato Wedges, Dijon Mushroom Pork Chops with Crispy Roasted Potatoes, and veggie Firehouse Mac ‘n’ Cheese. I don’t think there was a recipe I disliked, but the recipes are familiar and more or less the same every other week or so. You can customize them every week, but I found myself subbing more greens for fewer carbs or craving a different cuisine, and the only meals available were the previous week’s meals. If you don’t mind similar tasty meals every week or so, EveryPlate is a great option.
Depending on your preferences, you can mix and match a good variety of ingredients. The cuisines offered per week are different enough not to feel like you’re just eating the same thing over and over. I love that it’s easy to switch your menu preferences to their many options and find something for a pescatarian or a vegan in equal measure. If you need variety in your weekly menu, HelloFresh is your best option here.
Delivery
Delivery dates for EveryPlate are Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, depending on your location, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. However, the cut-off for changing or pausing your delivery date is mid-week on Wednesday, which I’ve found gets lost on my calendar if I don’t catch it to change the delivery date. If you have more time mid-week to get your weekly box, then EveryPlate’s simple delivery process may work for you.
I’ve found I prefer HelloFresh’s more flexible delivery schedule on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with some areas available for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday delivery. I like to use my weekend to prepare my meal schedule for the week and have more time for their delivery window between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. You can also add special directions for the driver and change the delivery date online or in-app up to 5 days before your next week’s delivery. If you prefer to prepare and organize your meal kit at the end of the week, HelloFresh would be a better option.
Cancellation Policy
The EveryPlate cancellation policy allows subscribers to make changes through the website or in-app, including pausing or canceling directly. Under your Account settings, you can choose “Deactivate My Plan” to stop all boxes indefinitely. It is a relatively easy setup and doesn’t take a lot of time at all. The questions that appear before you finish deactivating your account are there to help them understand why you’re leaving and what they could do better. EveryPlate’s cancellation process is user-friendly and easy for anyone to make changes roughly one month in advance.
HelloFresh has a “Cancel Plan” option at the bottom of your Account settings page. You’ll get a couple of questions before the cancellation is complete, and you can do it without reaching out to customer service. You can cancel your account or skip a couple of weeks ahead by clicking on “My Menu” at any time. HelloFresh has one of the most simple cancellation settings, making it easy to change your menu nearly six weeks in advance.
