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Everything You Need to Know About Meal Kits

What are meal kits? How do meal kits work? Are meal
kits worth it? Get ready to learn everything
you've ever wanted to know about meal kits!
What are meal kits? How do meal kits work? Are meal kits worth it? Get ready to learn everything you've ever wanted to know about meal kits!

Meal Kits

Curious about meal kits? You’ve come to the right place! The following is everything you ever wanted to know about how meal kits work, what they offer, and why HelloFresh is #1 for every household, appetite, and schedule. Sure, we may be a bit biased, but HelloFresh is America’s most popular meal kit for a reason! First things first, here's a breakdown of what we're going to cover today:



  1. What Are Meal Kits?
  2. Why Are Meal Kits So Popular?
  3. How Do Meal Kits Work?
  4. Who Offers Meal Kits?
  5. What Types of Meal Plans and Meal Kits Are Out There
  6. Are Meal Kits Worth the Money?
  7. Are Meal Kits Healthy?
  8. Are Meal Kits Sustainable?
1. What Are Meal Kits?

1. What Are Meal Kits?

Delivered through a subscription service, meal kits provide pre-measured ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes so home cooks can prepare chef-crafted meals from the comfort of their own kitchens. Subscribers can customize their meal plan settings based on dietary preference and desired number of meals. For example, HelloFresh offers 100+ weekly menu and market items every week, featuring a wide variety of meat, fish, and seasonal produce. A box containing the selected meals is delivered straight to your door on the day of your choosing.
2. Why Are Meal Kits So Popular?

2. Why Are Meal Kits So Popular?

Meal kits have become increasingly popular as an easy alternative to grocery shopping that takes the guesswork out of meal planning. They’re affordable, convenient, and offer the opportunity to make delicious, restaurant-worthy meals right in your own home. At the end of the day, meal kits not only feed people but also teach them how to cook with confidence, so that maneuvering in the kitchen becomes second nature. They allow you to spend less time worrying, planning, cooking, and cleaning, and devote more quality time to your loved ones.

For the environmentally conscious, you can also feel good because pre-measured ingredients help prevent food waste. As a bonus, having boxes delivered directly to your door saves time and trips to the grocery store.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Meal Kit Subscription Service?

Using a meal kit delivery service like HelloFresh also comes with many benefits, including:
  • Less Stress: Forget meal planning on your own and navigating the crowded supermarket—we deliver everything straight to your doorstep!

  • More Choice: Each week, you can choose from 100+ weekly menu and market items across dinners, sides, desserts, and more

  • Flexibility: With plenty of meal preferences and order sizes, plus the ability to choose your delivery day, skip a week, or cancel any time, HelloFresh offers maximum choice.

  • Fresh Food: You’ll find pre-measured ingredients and seasonal fruits and veggies in every meal kit.

  • Money Saved: With a streamlined supply chain, meal kits save you serious money compared to grocery shopping and dining out.

  • Sustainability: Smarter packaging and less food waste translate to a greener footprint you can feel good about.

  • Meal Planning & Prepping: Meal kits also come in handy when it comes to meal planning and meal prepping. Meal planning requires big-picture thinking about what to cook over the course of the week. Meal prepping, on the other hand, involves gathering ingredients and tools ahead of time to get food on the table faster. HelloFresh meal kits make both of those tasks easy and convenient. Welcome to a world where dinner is always planned, simple, and delicious.

3. How Do Meal Kits Work?

Make your plan the most “you”
Cooking for a crew? Going vegan? Pick your preferences from 100+ weekly menu and market items and customize your box size, delivery schedule, and more.
Get deliciousness delivered
Every week, we deliver pre-portioned ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes complete with nutritional information right to your door.
Cook, eat, and enjoy!
Savor all of the home-cooked deliciousness, none of the meal planning, grocery trips, or food waste.

Once you’ve chosen your meal plan and weekly recipes, you’ll choose a delivery day that works best for you. Each week on that day, you HelloFresh box will be conveniently delivered right to your doorstep! The day before your delivery, you’ll receive an email letting you know that your delicious meals are on their way.

In addition to perfectly portioned ingredients in your box, you’ll receive corresponding recipe cards with clear and simple instructions, plus expert tips and tricks to help you whip up delectable dinners with ease. On the photo-guided recipe cards—which also exist digitally in our recipe archive, in case you misplace yours—you’ll also find nutritional and allergy information. Be sure to save your favorite recipe cards to easily recreate those meals in the future!

4. Who Offers Meal Kits?

4. Who Offers Meal Kits?

Let’s start with a fact: HelloFresh is America’s #1 meal kit, with the most 5-star reviews of any meal kit brand. It’s true—more meal kit users say they love HelloFresh than users of leading competitor meal kit brands. Compared to grocery chains, takeout restaurants, and other meal kits, HelloFresh is an incredible value because we save you serious money. Not only that, we save you time with planning, cooking, cleaning, and fewer trips to the grocery store. With HelloFresh, cooking is an easy and enjoyable experience thanks to photo-guided, step-by-step instructions peppered with handy tips and tricks.
HelloFresh’s 100+ weekly menu and market items are also designed by professional chefs and nutrition experts. Along with delicious dinners, we offer a wide variety of meal additions, such as quick lunches, tasty appetizers, desserts, and more. Our seasonally focused ingredients are picked at the peak of ripeness so they’re bursting with flavor. Plus, they’re perfectly portioned to create less food waste than retail grocery stores (and less prep for you). Our focus on the environment doesn’t stop there; the packaging we use to ship your food is made almost entirely from recyclable and/or already recycled content. On top of this, 100% of our delivery emissions are offset! With millions of boxes sent, it’s no wonder HelloFresh is the market leader.
5. What Types of Meal Plans and Meal Kits Are Out There?

5. What Types of Meal Plans and Meal Kits Are Out There?

HelloFresh provides six meal plans tailored to meet diverse dietary preferences and lifestyles. Whether you're an omnivore seeking variety in the Meat & Veggies plan, a vegetarian looking for fresh produce and meatless proteins in the Veggie plan, or a family in need of quick and kid-friendly meals with the Family Friendly option, HelloFresh has you covered. For those prioritizing health, the Fit & Wholesome plan offers Calorie and Carb Smart meals. Busy individuals can enjoy the convenience of the Under 20 Minutes plan, while seafood enthusiasts can indulge in the flavors of the Pescatarian plan.

Depending on which plan you opt into, presets will be automatically chosen as soon as the latest weekly menu is released. For example, if you selected the Low Calorie meal plan, you’ll be automatically slotted into that week’s “Calorie Smart” recipes. Remember, you are by no means locked into these defaults and can easily change those meals based on what looks the most delicious to you that week!
Regardless of your meal plan, HelloFresh offers several recipe categories to complement your lifestyle. Meals labeled “Gourmet” feature premium proteins like duck breast and beef tenderloin, or luxe surf-and-turf pairings such as steak and lobster tail. Looking to eat healthy? We’ve made it effortless with our “Carb Smart” and “Calorie Smart” meals! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by never-ending dishes (we’ve all been there), keep an eye out for meals labeled “One Pot” or “One Pan.” Yes, that’s all you’ll need to cook and clean. We also offer “Quick Meals” for when you’re extra short on time. Thinking beyond dinner? Check out our Breakfast and Brunch options, plus a variety of other meal additions like high-quality proteins, decadent desserts, and tasty sides. It’s so easy—all you have to do is look for the tag below the recipe title!

Still wondering if HelloFresh is right for you and your family? HelloFresh offers meal plans for households of all sizes. Our standard plans are for two or four people at three, four, or five meals per week. However, we know that all households aren’t cookie-cutter-sized. We have many single-person households who choose the three-meal plan for two people! Not only are the meals perfect for sharing with friends, they also make for a delicious lunch the next day. Families bigger than two or four can also create more than one subscription to have multiple boxes per week, or order multiple meal kits for each recipe. We’re all about customization.
6. Are Meal Kits Healthy?

6. Are Meal Kits Healthy?

Because we’re dedicated to giving our customers the nutritious, healthful meals they’re looking for, we also offer delicious low-calorie, low-carb, and vegetarian options every week, all meeting the same standards of creativity, ease of preparation, and satisfaction as the rest of our menu. For example, our Calorie Smart recipes spotlights the most wholesome, nutritionally dense, and balanced meals on our menu each week. Each is around 650 calories per serving. Similarly, whether you're following a strict low-carb diet or just trying to eat a bit healthier every now and then, HelloFresh has easy low-carb recipes just for you. Check out our Carb Smart recipes, or simply browse through our recipes and look for a “Carb Smart” tag.
7. Are Meal Kits Sustainable?

7. Are Meal Kits Sustainable?

HelloFresh leads the charge in sustainable meal solutions, combatting food waste through innovative practices. Our streamlined approach ensures that only essential ingredients are delivered, drastically reducing excess compared to conventional grocery shopping. By eliminating intermediaries, our integrated supply chain guarantees fresher ingredients reach your doorstep faster, significantly reducing spoilage and minimizing environmental impact.

In our unwavering commitment to sustainability, we continuously innovate packaging materials to meet stringent standards. Our packaging primarily consists of recyclable or recycled materials, with components like cardboard boxes and paper kit bags designed for convenient disposal in household recycling bins. Even our ice packs are recyclable, contributing to our overarching eco-friendly mission. Through a simplified supply chain of Producer → HelloFresh → Home, we reduce food waste by up to 45% compared to grocery shopping. By sourcing directly from producers and maintaining transparent pricing, we ensure our customers receive the best value for their money while upholding our dedication to environmental responsibility. HelloFresh isn't just about delivering delicious meals; it's about reshaping the food industry towards sustainability, one kit at a time.

Get Started with America's #1 Meal Kit

Exclusive Discount for Readers:
Get Free Ready Made Meals For Life + 50% Off*!
Exclusive Discount for Readers:
Get Free Ready Made Meals For Life + 50% Off*!
*Offer only valid for new customers or former customers who deactivated over 270 days prior to using this voucher. ‘Free Ready Made Meals’ offer valid for new and existing customers with qualifying auto-renewing subscription purchase.‘Free Ready Made Meals ’ offer is based on a limit of one free Ready Made Meal per box with active subscription, available starting with deliveries week of February 22, 2025, while supplies last. If subscription is canceled, this offer becomes invalid and will not be reinstated upon reactivation. ‘50% off’ offer valid for new customers only with qualifying auto-renewing subscription purchase. ‘50% off’ offer is based on total discount given on first box for a 4-person, 5-recipe plan, and expires 21 days after offer purchase at 11:59 PM ET. Customers who purchase a plan of greater value will receive more than 50% off, while customers who purchase a plan of lesser value will receive less than 50% off. Shipping fee applies on all deliveries after the first box. Not valid on premiums, meal upgrades, add-ons, taxes or shipping fees. May not be combined with gift cards or any other promotion. No cash value. Void outside the U.S. and where prohibited. Offer cannot be sold or otherwise bartered. HelloFresh has the right to end or modify any offer at any time. Additional restrictions may apply. See https://www.hellofresh.com/termsandconditions for more.