Who hasn’t experienced mealtime mayhem? Between meal planning, grocery shopping, prepping and cooking, the family dinner ritual can be a very stressful time. For busy families like mine, a meal subscription service can be a lifesaver. But with so many meal kit options in the market, it’s difficult to choose one that suits our needs. Home Chef is an ideal meal-subscription service for the novice chef who’s willing to cook more than just the basics — and wants to put a healthy, fresh dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. Every delivery comes with everything you need to prepare the recipes that come in the box. There are a few staples you’ll need to have on hand (such as olive or vegetable oil, salt and pepper), but everything else comes in pre-measured amounts. I’ve also found that if you need to track essential vitamins and minerals — for weight management or other health concerns — you’ll love Home Chef. Every recipe card includes a calorie count, plus the amount of grams/milligrams of carbohydrates, fat, protein, and sodium in each serving. With Home Chef, you have the option to choose your recipes every Monday morning. You receive an email that includes up to 13 meal options to choose from, and you have until Friday to make your decisions. The meal options take the chaos out of meal planning, making this meal subscription a lifesaver on busy weeknights. Learn more about the Everyday Health Wellness Code used for all products and services reviews.)
How It Helps Boost Wellness
Home Chef recipes can be helpful for people who aren’t necessarily interested in expanding their culinary chops but want to avoid the chaos of putting a quick, healthy, fresh, family-friendly meal on the table. That’s not to say there aren’t some creative interpretations of family dinner staples. People who love taco salad, for example, will also love Home Chef’s Tex-Mex Turkey Taco Salad with Corn and Tomatoes.” If cheeseburgers are your jam, you’ll want to check out the “Umami Burger with Parmesan Sweet Potato Fries.” When you land on Home Chef’s website, you’re greeted by a very simple message: “Pick Your Meals.” From there, Home Chef will ask you to select how many meals you want to cook and how many people you’re cooking for. Then you can specify if you prefer to eat meat, seafood or vegetables, and whether you have dietary preferences (such as low-calorie or low-carb recipes). Finally, you’re given the choice to avoid ingredients including pork, soy, red meat, nuts, wheat, milk, mushrooms, and shellfish.
How It Helps Make Wellness Possible
With Home Chef meals, all the ingredients are portioned, which is convenient for those who are following a specific diet — whether it’s low calorie, low fat or low sodium. And because you get 10 meals weekly, you get plenty of options. Home Chef’s website, where you can see which meals suit your dietary needs (vegetarian, low calorie or a combination), also gives you more control of what you’re eating and gives you the peace of mind that you’re serving your family a healthier option.
How Much Does It Cost?
The majority of Home Chef meals are a set price: $9.95 per meal. and if your order is $45 or more for a given week, shipping is free. So let’s say you want to cook three meals this week for four people? You’ll spend $119.40. Home Chef has a premium category with meals like “Filet Mignon with Smoked Gouda” which run $19.95 a meal (premium meals are not available every week, check the website for menu options). Home Chef also offers Smoothies and Fruit Baskets, which are $4.95 per serving. Home Chef offers students 50% off of their first order.
The Bottom Line
With Home Chef, you can customize your weekly delivery so you receive what you want on the day you want it. Having so many choices for meals also gives you plenty of control over what you eat. And if you’re looking to boost wellness, Home Chef’s recipe cards help with providing information on calorie counts and ingredients. Home Chef shares menus five weeks in advance, making it a cinch to plan ahead. Home Chef has a roundup of helpful technique tips, like “How to Achieve Perfectly Cooked Chicken Every Time” and short videos like “How to Slice an Avocado.” Learn more at HomeChef.com.
The Competition
Blue Apron was one of the first meal delivery services to launch, so it’s one of the most well-known meal kits of the bunch. The service puts a huge emphasis on the quality and source of its ingredients. You’ll find only sustainable seafood, antibiotic- and hormone-free meats, and non-GMO foods in these boxes. HelloFresh relies on revamping a lot family dinner classics. You’ll see pasta dishes, meatloaf, burgers, tacos, stir fries, soups, pork chops, and more — with a twist. Sun Basket focuses on organic, non-GMO produce; hormone- and antibiotic-free meats; sustainably sourced, wild-caught seafood; and tailored meal plans, like paleo, gluten free, lean and clean, vegan, and more.
